The Box Turtle Manual (Herpetocultual Library) by De Vosjoli, Philippe, Klingenberg, Roger J. (2004) Paperback

by Philippe De Vosjoli

The Box Turtle Manual seeks to “help prospective owners keep their turtles healthy and happy.” Given the low price tag placed on a box turtle in a pet shop, many casual shoppers add a box turtle to their household without preparation or knowledge about how to keep the animal alive. Since quality information is difficult to find on box turtles, Philippe de Vosjoli and Dr. Roger Klingenberger remedy the situation with this Advanced Vivarium Systems edition dedicated to box turtles. The authors believe that these popular and beautiful turtles….”may teach you one or two lessons about the delicate balance of life, natural law, and the many ways in which intelligence in manifested in nature.” The book presents background information and guidelines for caring for a box turtle, including selecting a health specimen, acclimating the turtle, indoor and outdoor housing, heating and lighting requirements, feeding and handling, hibernation and breeding. The authors recommend three specific species of box turtles as good pet they provide photos and information on ornate box turtles, common Asian box turtles, and Chinese box turtles. Dr. Klingenberger provides a chapter on diseases and disorders that gives specific advice about dealing with dehydration, nutritional problems, parasitic problems, and vitamin deficiency. A five-page troubleshooting chart for health problems concludes the chapter. Resources and index included.

Genres: Animals, Science, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turtle Approved!

I've recently adopted a neglected box turtle and have been frantically googling all sorts of questions.

Why is her skin so flakey? How to get her to eat her vegetables? Is this normal or is she sick?

And of course, the internet gave me wildly fluctuating answers.

So, I picked up a little guide book on their care.

This book was extremely well-formatted, tons of fabulous pictures and helpful hints.

The author (a vet!) goes through every aspect of box turtle care, along with their wild habits and habitats.

The author even has an section on common ailments (with images for identification) and at-home remedies.

I really appreciated how much effort he put into writing a care book for a rather niche pet.

This is a great go-to guide for all the information to keep your box turtle happy and healthy.

Agatha and I thank you!!

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[Greta is Erikasbuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great!!


So much info and one little compact book! Loved it!


And I loved how home remedies were thrown in so you at home can try to ail your turtle.


For instance: If a turtle gets dehydrated you can give him Pedialite or Gatorade.


And if a turtle needs some calcium STAT... then sprinkle a Tums on his chomps.


I found the pictures in this book to be great! I wish they were all in color though. Well, excpet for that one about lack of vitamin A and eye crust. That was pretty gross and pusy. My family and I screamed when I ran in the den and showed it to them. ZOMG! I actually got sick after thinking about excreting that much puss out of a poor turtle's eye. BLAH de yuckles!


The chart on diagnosing your turtle's sickness is going to be most helpful! I actually bought this book at the used bookstore and am quite happy that I did. This will be referenced several times in my Little Dude's life.


Now, if it only had a chapter about dressing your turtles up for Halloween.




This book is totally Little Dude approved!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a wildlife rehabilitator so not everything in this manual was relevant since my goals with wild box turtles don't line up 1:1 with captive pet turtles. That being said, I'm currently in my slow season and this was a good read. Not necessarily new information for me, but a nice review and I'll be glad to have it on my rehab shelf if needed.

If you're reading these reviews with an eye toward captive-raised pet turtle care then it is absolutely worth a read!

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource. One of the best. Good beginner guide & reference for owners and enthusiasts.

[Jena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was entertaining the thought of adding a turtle to my household, but after reading this interesting and informative manual, I realize there is a lot more work involved than I imagined. Turtles are beautiful and delicate creatures, and most of their health difficulties stem from inconsiderate and profit-zealous collectors/breeders. They make wonderful pets, if one is willing and able to devote the time and effort to the care these animals deserve. They require a temperature-controlled environment, plenty of light, a structure that allows them to choose between light or shade, a rich and varied diet of fruits, vegetables, and live foods, and clean water. I don't mean to dissuade anyone from having a turtle as a pet. This manual just makes it clear that these are not indestructible creatures who can thrive in captivity without help from humans. After reading this book, I have a deeper appreciation for these unique little reptiles.

[SFBlau · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not 576 pages- it's only 78 pages. Very basic info. Disappointing.