Turtle: Your Happy Healthy Pet (Your Happy Healthy Pet, 71)

the Authoritative Information And Advice You Need, Illustrated Throughout With Full-color Photographs—now Revised And Redesigned To Be Even More Reader-friendly! With Their Interesting Shells And Slow, Deliberate Demeanors, Turtles Are Intriguing Creatures. The More You Know About Turtles, The More Fascinated You'll Be As You Watch Your Pet Enjoy Life In The Slow Lane. With Colorful Photos, Charts, And Tables, This Guide Covers The Basics, Including: * Choosing Your Turtle—terrestrial Or Aquatic * Setting Up A Tank With The Right Environment * Essential Equipment And Supplies * Maintaining The Proper Temperature, Lighting, And Humidity * Feeding And Caring For Your Turtle Your Happy Healthy Pet Turtle, 2nd Edition 3 About the Author 5 About Howell Book House 5 Contents 6 Shopping List 8 Pet Sitter’s Guide 9 Part I: All About Turtles 11 Chapter 1: What Is a Turtle? 13 The Biology of Turtles and Tortoises 14 Chelonian Anatomy 16 Turtle Reproduction 23 Chapter 2: Turtle History 25 Reptile Evolution 25 The Turtle’s Early Ancestors 26 The Appearance of Modern Turtles 27 Chelonian Ecology 29 Chapter 3: The Best (and Worst) Turtles for Beginners 30 The Best Turtles for Beginners 31 The Worst Turtles for Beginners 36 Part II: Caring for Your Turtle 43 Chapter 4: Choosing Your Turtle 44 Where to Get Your Turtle 44 Quarantine 48 If Things Don’t Work Out 50 Chapter 5: Housing Your Turtle 52 Terrestrial Turtles 52 Aquatic Turtles 65 Chapter 6: Feeding Your Turtle 75 Terrestrial Turtles 75 Aquatic Turtles 79 Chapter 7: Keeping Your Turtle Healthy 84 Finding a Veterinarian 84 Salmonella 86 Wounds 88 Respiratory Infections 88 Intestinal Infections 89 Parasites 92 Cloacal Prolapse 93 Visceral Gout 94 Skin and Shell Problems 95 Beaks and Claws 96 The Calcium Balancing Act 97 Part III: Turtles in Our World 99 Chapter 8: Your Turtle’s Behavior 100 How Smart Are Turtles? 100 Handling Your Turtle 102 Holding Your Turtle 103 Transporting a Turtle 104 Kids and Turtles 105 Chapter 9: Chelonian Conservation 107 Herpetological Societies 108 Captive Breeding 110 Legal Protections 113 Appendix: Learning More About Your Turtle 118 Some Good Books 118 Magazines 118 Herpetological Societies and Associations 119 Internet Resources 123 Index 125 An illustrated guide to keeping turtles as pets, discussing their specific needs, special traits, and behaviors; offering advice on housing, feeding, monitoring, and handling; and providing a look at chelonian conservation