NEVER ONE GOOD BOOK TOO MANY

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N2TORTS

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As Tom has pointed out an *Excllent Book* , I would also check out any of these which remain in mine and many others library of goodies.....it's an extensive list ... but very good references and ISBN #'s

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Proceedings: Conservation, Restoration, and Management of the Tortoises and Turtles An International Conference, edited by Jim Van Abbema. 1997. NYTTS. 494pp. ISBN 0-9659050-0-4. 100+ articles covering a variety of topics. Many contain information that would be useful to hobbyists.

Turtles & Tortoises of the World, by David Alderton. 1988. Blandford Press. 191pp. ISBN 0-7137-1970-2. A good overview of turtles and tortoises, for those that aren't biology majors, with sections on; Form and Function, Reproduction, Evolution, Distribution, and more. An updated version of this book is out now.

Schildkröten, by Harald Artner & Elmar Meier (Eds.). 2000. Nature und Tier Verlag. 181pp. ISBN 3-931587-42-8. German language. This is a collection of papers from the Grosses Schildkrötensymposium 1997. Around two dozen papers. A few papers on different Testudo species with nice photos of their natural biotopes. There are also a number of species specific papers on propagation of turtles in captivity.

Turtles. Proceedings: International Turtle & Tortoise Symposium Vienna 2002, by H. Artner, B. Farkas & V. Loehr (Eds.). 2006. Chimaira. 618pp. ISBN 3-930612-78-x. An impressive collection of papers presented at the symposium. Should be of use to anyone with an interest in turtles.

The Gopher Tortoise: A Life History, by Patricia and Ray Ashton Jr. 2004. Pineapple Press. 68pp. ISBN 1-56164-301-7. Very informative book on Florida's sole tortoise species.

Turtles of New England, by Harold L. Babcock. 2007. CNAH. 431pp. ISBN 1-885209-51-7. A reprint of the 1919 work with 16 plates.

Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Turtles and Tortoises: Conservation and Captive Husbandry, edited by Kent R. Beaman, Fred Caporaso, Sean McKeown, Marc D. Graff. 1990. Collection of papers presented. Among the more interesting (to me): Status Conservation and Management of the Bog Turtle..., Captive Husbandry of the Eastern Clemmys Group at Zoo Atlanta, Propagation of the Batagurine Turtles Batagur baska and Callagur borneoensis at the Bronx Zoo, and The Management and Breeding of the Asian Forest Tortoise (Manouria emys) in captivity.

On the Variability of Cuora trifasciata, by Torsten Blanck, William P. McCord, and Minh Le. 2006. Edition Chimaira. 153pp. ISBN 3-89973-456-4.

Turtles of the World, by Franck Bonin, Bernard Devaux, and Alain Dupré and translated by Peter C. H. Pritchard. 2006. Johns Hopkins University Press. 416pp. ISBN 0-8018-8496-9. Nice looking book with many color photos.

Diamonds in the Marsh: A Natural History of the Diamondback Terrapin, by Barbara Brennessel. 2006. University Press of New England. 219pp. ISBN 1-58465-536-4. A must have if you are interested in Malaclemys terrapin.

The Southern African Tortoise Book: A Guide to southern African Tortoises, Terrapins, and Turtles, by Richard C. Boycott and Ortwin Bourquin. 2000. O. Bourquin. 228pp. ISBN 0-620-26536-1. A nice book with plenty of good pictures. Covers a number of species in detail.

Tortoises Terrapins & Turtles of Africa, by Bill Branch. 2008. Struik Publishers. 129pp. ISBN 978-1-77007-463-7. Lots of turtle and habitat pictures.

Turtles of the Southeast, by Kurt Buhlmann, Tracey Tuberville, and Whit Gibbons. 2008. University of Georgia Press. 251pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-8203-2902-4. Beautiful book, lots of pictures, and an interesting format.

Australian Freshwater Turtles, by John Cann. 1998. Beaumont Publishing. 292pp. ISBN 981-04-0686-x. This is a beautiful oversized book. Pictures of adults and young turtles, their habitats, with lots of detailed information. This is really a beautiful book.

So Excellent a Fishe, by Archie Carr. 1967. Classic work by the late Dr. Carr. An interesting read and a classic.

Handbook of Turtles: The Turtles of the United States, Canada, and Baja California, by Archie Carr. 1969. Cornell University Press. 542pp. SBN 8014-0064-3. I originally bought it as a collectible (because of its author), but it is an interesting read and contains information not found in newer books.

A Guide to the Tortoises of Namibia, by Peter Cunningham. 18pp. This slim volume covers the tortoises of Namibia in a good deal of detail considering the size of this booklet.

Turtles and Tortoises of India, by Indraneil Das. 1995. Oxford University Press. 179pp. ISBN 0-19-563727-5. There is useful information in this book, but I was a little disappointed in the small number of pictures. India has some spectacular turtles and tortoises and I expected to see more pictures of them in the book.

Die Schildkröten des Indischen Subkontinents, by Indraneil Das. 2001. Edition Chimaira. 181pp. ISBN 3-930612-35-6. German language updated version of his earlier book.

The Biology and Status of the Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans Schoepff, 1795) in Sri Lanka, by Anslem de Silva. 2003. 100pp. As the title suggests this book is focused on the Indian Star Tortoise.

La tortue qui pleure The Crying Tortoise Geochelone sulcata, by Bernard Devaux. 2000. SOPTOM. 87pp. In both English and French this book covers Sulcatas like nothing else I have seen. I would say it is a must have for anyone interested in the world's third largest tortoise.

On the Trail of Sea Turtles, by Bernard Devaux and Bernard De Wetter. 2000. Barrons. 127pp. ISBN 0-7641-1162-0. Nice guide that covers the 7 species of sea turtle in a way that should be accessible to anyone.

North American Box Turtles: A Natural History, by C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. 2001. University of Oklahoma Press. 231pp. ISBN 0-8061-3294-9. A must have for anyone with an interest in turtles of the genus Terrapene.

Turtles of the United States and Canada, by Carl H. Ernst, Jeffery E. Lovich, and Roger Barbour. 1994. Smithsonian Institution Press. 578pp. ISBN 1-56098-346-9. Very in depth information on North American turtles and tortoises, but still readable by most people.

Turtles of the United States and Canada, by Carl H. Ernst, and Jeffery E. Lovich. 2009. John Hopkins University Press. 827pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-9121-2. Massive update of their earlier work.

Turtles of the World, by Carl H. Ernst and Roger W. Barbour. 1989. Smithsonian Institution Press. 313pp. ISBN 0-87474-414-8. Keys for species identification and species accounts.

Turtles and Tortoises, by Vincenzo Ferri. 2002. Firefly Books Ltd. 255pp. ISBN 1-55209-631-9. Species are arranged by geographic distribution. Plenty of pictures, short descriptions on each species.

Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History 245 Million Years in the Making, by Carl J. Franklin. 2007. Voyaguer Press. 160pp. ISBN 978-0-7603-2981-8. Overview of turtles and their history. Full of color photos.

The Complete North American Box Turtle, by Carl J. Franklin and David C. Killpack. 2009. ECO Herpetological Publishing and Distribution. 242pp. ISBN 978-0-9788979-8-7. Great book on Terrapene. It belongs in both this category and the captive care one.

Mertensiella: Proceedings of the Emys Symposium Dresden 96, by Uwe Fritz et al (Eds.). 304pp. ISBN 3-9801929-9-7. Nice collection of papers on the European Pond Turtle.

Giant Tortoises of the Indian Ocean: The Genus Dipsochelys inhabiting the Seychelles Islands and the extinct giants of Madagascar and the Mascarenes, by Justin Gerlach. 2004. Edition Chimaira. 207pp. ISBN 3-930612-63-1. A good book for anyone interested on the tortoises of this region.

The Life History and Ecology of the Slider Turtle, by J. Whitfield Gibbons. 1990. Smithsonian Institution Press. 368 pp. ISBN 1-56098-213-6. With chapters by Whitfield Gibbons and other contributors this book combines many lifetimes worth of studies of turtles in the Genus Trachemys.

Turtles: The Animal Answer Guide, by Whit Gibbons and Judy Greene. 2009. Johns Hopkins University Press. 163pp. ISBN 13:978-0-8018-9350-6.

Freshwater Tortoises of Australia and New Guinea (in the Family Chelidae), by John Goode. 1967. Lansdowne Press. 154pp. There are newer books out on the subject, but this book has some interesting pictures and text. For the serious Chelid fan it is worth having.

Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins, by John Goode. 1971. Charles Scribner's Sons. 63pp. ISBN 0-684-13760-7.

African Flapshell Turtles: Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma, by Dieter Gramentz. 2008. Edition Chimaira. 191pp. ISBN 978-89973-463-8. The only book out to cover these turtles in even a little detail.

Turtles: Perspectives and Research, by Marion Harless and Henry Morlock. 1989. Krieger Publishing. 695pp. ISBN 0-89464-319-3. 30 authors contributed to this book. Much of what is in this book is of direct use to hobbyists.

A Revision of Malaclemmys, A Genus of Turtles, by William Perry Hay. 1904. Bulletin USBF. This is where M. t. macrospilota was described. Purchased for this reason and for the 12 plates.

A Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World, by John B. Iverson.1994. Privately Printed. 363pp. ISBN 0-9617431-0-5. The title pretty much says it all. Simple line maps with dot locations, and dichotomous keys for most species. While the maps may be simple I am certain putting this book together was not. It is very useful to hobbyists that wish to see what the known ranges of their animals are.

Chinese Chelonians Illustrated, by Zhou Jiufa and Zhou Ting. 1991. Jiangsu Science & Technology Publishing House. 89pp. ISBN 7-5345-1396-0. A coffee table style book both in Chinese and English. General information with large pictures.

Turtle Conservation, by Michael W. Klemens. 2000. Smithsonian Institution Press. 334pp. ISBN 1-56098-372-8. Discusses the dangers facing turtle populations and some of the possible solutions.

The Reproductive Biology of the Chelonia, by Gerald Kuchling. 1999. Springer. 223pp. ISBN 3-540-63013-9. It isn't a cheap book (around $180) and is smaller than I imagined. The information can be a little technical in spots, but worth the price if you are interested in understanding the mechanisms of, and variation in, turtle reproduction.

The Turtles of Russia and Other Ex-Soviet Republics, by Sergius L. Kuzmin. 2002. Chimaira. 159pp. ISBN 3-930612-58-5. Lots of natural history information on Emys orbicularis, Mauremys caspica, Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfieldii, Pelodiscus sinensis, and some sea turtle species.

The Loggerhead Turtle in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, by Charles R. LeBuff Jr. 1990. Caretta Research Inc. 216pp. ISBN 0-9625013-0-1.

Turtles and Tortoises, by John Lehrer. 1990. Mallard Press. 127pp. ISBN 0-792-45290-9. Oversized coffee table book. General information with lots of photos.

The World of Turtles and Tortoises, by John Lehrer. 1993. Tetra Press. 160pp. ISBN 1-56465-116-9. Pretty much the same material as his Turtles and Tortoises book, but this is a more moderate sized book. The most noticeable addition is a captive care section.

Turtles of Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia, by Lim Boo Liat and Indraneil Das. 1999. Natural History Publications Borneo. 151pp. ISBN 983-812-039-1. Covers a number of species that are increasingly rare and offers some information that is not found in other texts.

Turtle Islands: Balinese Ritual and the Green Turtle, by Charles Lindsay and Lyall Watson. 1995. Takarajima Books Inc. 123pp. ISBN 1-883489-10-5. The title pretty much tells it all. Coffee table type book, it is filled with photos. It finely illustrates how religion and culture can cause humans to have a larger than needed impact on the environment.

Turtles of Taiwan: A Natural History of the Turtles, by Shou H. Mao. 1971. 127pp. The Commercial Press LTD. This book was a gift from a friend and a nice addition to my collection.

Turtles and Tortoises of Myanmar, by Win Maung & Win Ko Ko. 2002. Wildlife Conservation Society. 94pp. Most useful for what it was intended to be; a field guide. Pick it up if you plan to head to Myanmar, the AKA Burma.

Tortues continentales de Guyane française, by Sébastien Métrailler and Georges Le Gratiet. 1996. 127pp. ISBN 2-9700124-0-5. French language with English summaries. A lot of nice pictures and range maps of the turtles and tortoises found in French Guyana.

Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles, edited by Peter A. Meylan. 2006. Chelonian Research Foundation. 376pp. ISBN 0-9653540-4-0. A must have if you are interested in Florida Turtles.

Vernacular Names of South American Turtles, by Russel Mittermeier et al. 1980. SSAR. 44pp. Even if you aren't intending to travel to South America, the book is interesting to see what the Indian and Spanish names for the turtles are and what they translate to English as.

The Ecology, Exploitation, and Conservation of River Turtles, by Don Moll, and Edward O. Moll. 2004. Oxford University Press. 393pp. ISBN 0-19-510229-0. Very detailed book on the variety of turtles that inhabit rivers and the problems they face.

The Turtles of Thailand, by Wirot Nutaphand. 1979. Saimfarm Zoological Garden. 222pp. There is some useful information in this book, but because of its age-most of that useful information is cited in newer works.

Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins, by Fritz Jürgen Obst. 1988. St. Martin's Press. 231pp. ISBN 0-312-82362-2. A good overview of turtles and tortoises. A classic.

Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapins: Survivors in Armor, by Ronald Orenstein. 2001. Firefly Books. 308pp. ISBN 1-55209-605-X. A good overview of turtles and tortoises with a section on problems facing turtle populations. Plenty of good photos.

Turtles of the United States & Canada, by Clifford H. Pope. 1939. Alfred A Knopf. 343pp. Much has changed since this was published, including the taxonomy of many species, but it is still full of information and an interesting read.

Living Turtles of the World, by Dr. Peter C. H. Pritchard. 1967. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 288pp. I acquired this book purely for collection purposes. Much of the material and pictures in it are in the later book along with additional material.

Encyclopedia of Turtles, by Dr. Peter C. H. Pritchard. 1979. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 895pp. ISBN 0-87666-918-6. Despite its age this book is still held by most to be the turtle bible. Plenty of pictures with species accounts.

The Turtles of Venezuela, by Peter C. H. Pritchard and Pedro Trebbau. 1984. SSAR. 403pp. ISBN 0-916984-11-7. A must have for anyone interested in South American turtles. Very detailed information on the species found in Venezuela.

The Galápagos Tortoises: Nomenclatural and Survival Status, by Peter C. H. Pritchard. 1996. Chelonian Research Foundation. 80pp. ISBN 0-9653540-1-6. I enjoyed the writing style in this very much. Not just a dry collection of facts, it was a good read.

The Alligator Snapping Turtle: Biology and Conservation, by Peter C. H. Pritchard. 1989. Milwaukee Public Museum. 104pp. ISBN 0-98326-124-6. This title that covers one of the most unique turtle species in the world. There is now an updated version out.

Worldviews for the 21st Century, Volume 3 Number 2, The Pinta Tortoise: Globalization and the Extinction of Island Species, by Peter C. H. Pritchard. 2005. Dahlquist Printing. 46pp. Chronicles the discovery, exploitation, and impending extinction of this Galapagos tortoise subspecies that is currently represented by only one living specimen, Lonesome George. Dual language text, Spanish and English.

Sea Turtles, by Jeff Ripple. 1996. Voyageur Press Inc. 84pp. ISBN 0-89658-315-5. Information and plenty of pictures.

Consrvación Internacional Serie Guías Tropicales de Campo 6: Las tortugas y los cocodrilianos de los Países andinos del trópico, by José Vincente Rueda-Almocid, John L. Carr, Russel A. Mittermeier, José Vincente Rodríguez-Machecha, Roderic B. Mast, Richard C. Vogt, Anders G. J. Rhodin, Jaime de la Ossa-Velásquez, José Nicolás Rueda, and Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier. 2007. 538pp. ISBN 978-1-934151-10-5. Spanish Language. Nice pictures, range maps, and information.

Fauna of India and Adjacent Countries - Reptilia Volume 1: Testudines and Crocodilia, by R. C. Sharma. 1998. Director, ZSI Calcutta. ISBN 81-85874-6-9.

International Congress on the Genus Testudo, Chelonii vol. 3. 2002. SOPTOM. 376pp.

Voyage Of The Turtle: In Pursuit Of The Earth's Last Dinosaur, by Carl Safina. 2006. Henry Holt. 383pp. ISBN 0-8050-7891-6. The focus of this book is the Leatherback Sea Turtle, its natural history, the dangers to its survival and the work that is being done to better understand this species and ensure its continued existence in an increasingly man-made world. If you have any interest in the sea or its turtles, this is a must read.

Sowerby and Lear's Tortoises, Terrapins, and Turtles. 1970. SSAR. ISBN 0-916984-14-1. Reprinting of famous work's plates. I believe there is also another version out in color with more plates. Most useful to turtle enthusiasts as an example of natural history art.

Biology of the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), edited by A. C. Steyermark, M. S. Finkler, and R. J. Brooks. 2008. Johns Hopkins. 225pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8724-6.

Conservation and Ecology of Turtles of the Mid-Atlantic Region: A Symposium, editors Christopher Swarth, Willem M. Roosenburg, and Erik Kiviat. 2004. Bibliomania.121pp. ISBN 1-932871-01-2.

Status and Conservation of Turtles of the Northeastern United States: A Symposium, edited by Thomas F. Tyning. 1997. Serpent's Tale. 53pp. ISBN 1-885209-05-3. Contains some interesting papers.

The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: Natural History, Biology, and Conservation, by Thomas R. Van Devender. 2002. The University of Arizona Press. 388pp. ISBN 0-8165-2606-0.

Asian Turtle Trade: Proceedings of a Workshop on Conservation and Trade of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises in Asia, edited by Peter Paul van Dijk, Bryan L. Stuart, and Anders G.J. Rhodin. 2000. Chelonian Research Foundation. 164pp. ISBN 0-9653540-3-2.

Turtles of the World Vol.1 Africa, Europe, and Western Asia, by Holger Vetter. 2002. Chimaira. 96pp. ISBN 3-930612-27-5. Many pictures of the species and subspecies that occur in Africa, Europe and Western Asia (450 photos to be exact). Each picture is accompanied by symbols, that represent basic care information, which are explained in English and German in the back of the book.

Turtles of the World Vol. 2 North America, by Holger Vetter. 2004. Chimaira. 127pp. ISBN 3-930612-57-7. The same format as Volume 1. Great picture book. Lots and lots and lots of photos of species and subspecies.

Turtles of the World Vol. 3 Central and South America, by Holger Vetter. 2005. Chimaira. 128pp. ISBN 3-930612-82-8. Same format as the two previous editions and just as useful.

Turtles of the World Vol. 4 East and South Asia, by Holger Vetter and Peter Paul van DIjk. 2006. Edition Chimaira. 161pp. ISBN 3-930612-84-4. Another great book. Same format as the former 3. This one also includes a section by Torsten Blanck on hybrid forms. Still to come the final volume; 5 Australia and Oceania.

The World of Turtles and Crocodiles, by Zai and Rom Whitaker and Indraneil Das. 2001. 65pp. National Book Trust India. ISBN 81-237-0136-8. This is a small paperback book that was put out to educate people on turtles and crocodiles, particularly the ones native to India. It was evidently translated into multiple languages.

Biology of Turtles, edited by Jeanette Wyneken, M. H. Godfrey, and Vincent Bels. 2008. CRC Press. 389pp. ISBN 0-8493-3339-3.

Fossil and Recent Turtles of China, by Ye Xiangkui. 1994. Science Press. 112pp. ISBN 7-03-004355-3. Very short species accounts. I was kind of disappointed in this book. It isn't big enough to cover the recent species of China let alone the vast number of fossil species found there.




CAPTIVE CARE

Turtles and Tortoises : Everything about Selection, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, and Behavior, by Richard D. Bartlett and Patricia P. Bartlett. 1996. Barron's. 119pp. ISBN 0-8120-9712-2. Good beginner book.

Turtles, by Robert Church. 1963. T.F.H. 64pp. I believe there are newer versions of this book and I can't comment on them. This version is in the collection because of its age. It is interesting, for me at least, to see how the hobby has changed over time.

Europäische Landschildkröten, by Rüdiger Daum. 1998. Landbuch-Verlag. ISBN 378421612-9. Covers the European tortoises (genus Testudo). Good care information, but unfortunately for most people reading this, it is in German.

Redfoots & Yellowfoots: The Natural History, Captive Care, and Breeding of Chelonoidis carbonaria and Chelonoidis denticulata, by Amanda Ebenhack. 2009. Living Art Publishing. 165pp. ISBN 0-9787556-3-8.

Star Tortoises: The Natural History, Captive Care, and Breeding of Geochelone elegans and Geochelone platynota, by Jerry D. Fife. 2007. Living Art Publishing. 116pp. ISBN 0-9787556-2-6. A good focused topic book.

Matamatas: The Natural History, Captive Care, and Breeding of Chelus fimbriatus, by Dave Fogel. 2011. Living Art Publishing. 60pp. ISBN 0-9787556-4-2.

Australian Pig-nosed Turtle, by Arthur Georges, et al. 2000. Robey. 35pp. ISBN 1-876810-30-0. Small book with nice pictures and natural history information.

Keeping Long-necked Turtles: Chelodina Species, by Darren Green. 2000. Australian Reptile Keeper Publications. 34pp. ISBN 0-9586050-3-3. Equivalent to Vosjoli's books on sliders and box turtles.

Keeping Short-necked Turtles: Emydura Species, by Darren Green. 2000. Australian Reptile Keeper Publications. 30pp. Equivalent to Vosjoli's books on sliders and box turtles.

Keeping and Breeding Freshwater Turtles, by Russ Gurley. 2003. Living Art Publishing. 298pp. ISBN 0-9638130-3-X. Very nice book. Good information and pictures of set ups used by respected hobbyists and a non-respected hobbyist with a nice collection. This and Highfield's Encyclopedia would make a nice combo for the keeper with few turtles and plans to get more.

The African Spurred Tortoise Geochelone sulcata in Captivity, by Russ Gurley. 2002. Taxon Media Publishing and others. 80pp. ISBN 1-885209-25-8. A good book on basic Sulcata care.

Baby Turtles, by Russ Gurley. 2003. Living Art Publishing. 58pp. ISBN 0-9638130-4-8. Geared specifically towards the keeping of baby turtles, a good book for beginners.

Enjoy Your Turtle, by Richard Haas. Pet Library LTD. 32pp. I have no idea of the publishing date of this booklet, but probably middle 1960's to early 1970's. Another of the books in my library for nostalgia reasons.

Keeping and Breeding Tortoises in Captivity, by Andy C. Highfield. 1990. R&A Publishing. 149pp. ISBN 1-872688-01-2.

Tortoise Trust Guide to Tortoises and Turtles, Andy C. Highfield. 1994. Carapace Press. 60pp. ISBN 1-873943-01-6.

Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, by Andy C. Highfield. 1996 Carapace Press. 295pp. ISBN 873943-11-3. Probably the best captive care book in my collection. Species accounts for most commonly kept species. Sections on health care, incubation, hatchling care and more.

Die Landschildkröten Europas: Biologie, Pflege, Zucht und Schutz, by Prof. Dr. Walter Kirsche. 1997. Mergus. 104pp. ISBN 3-88244-009-0. German language. I have heard that this is coming out in an English translation. If so, it would be a good addition to any Testudo keepers library.

Freshwater turtles and terrapins: a complete guide, by Andrea Luison and Stefano Radaelli. 2008. Testudo Edizioni. 207pp. ISBN 978-88-95662-01-5. This is the English edition, there is also an Italian edition. It covers a number of species as well as the topic of enclosures. There is a suggested reading section and many many color photographs.

Captive Care of North American Water Turtles, by Richard J. Lunsford. 2007. 159pp. ISBN 978-1-4303-2167-5. I recommend this book and it is currently being provided as a free download (too generous in my opinion) or as a pay per print from http://books.lulu.com/content/1081587 . Written in a conversational manner it guides the reader through more useful information than is found in most care guides. No need to take my word for it as there is a multi page preview at the link.

Everything You Need To Know About Turtles, by Richard Manson etc. 1966. Pet Books Incorporated. 32pp. Unlike many of the other booklets of the time this one only deals with US species. Another book that I have to illustrate the evolution of the hobby.

Know Your Turtles, by John Mehrtens. Pet Library Ltd. 64pp. This is one of the old pet turtle guides. In my library solely for nostalgia since it was on of the first turtle book I had.

Praxis Ratgeber. Freilandanlagen für Schildkröten, by Marion Minch. 2006. Edition Chimaira. 158pp. ISBN 3-930612-87-9. German Language. Even if you can't read German it is worth having to see the various setups.

Schildkröten, by Gerhard Müller. 1987. Ulmer. 238pp. ISBN 3-8001-7258-5. German language. Species accounts.

The Complete Idiots Guide To Turtles & Tortoises, by Liz Palika. 1998. Alpha Books. 270pp. ISBN 0-87605-143-3. I believe this book has been reprinted with a different title. It is a good beginner book. Especially for someone trying to decide what species they may want to start with.

Box Turtles: Keeping and Breeding Them in Captivity, by Jordan Patterson. 1994. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 63pp. ISBN 0-7938-0251-2. Beginners book on Terrapene and Cuora, the American and Asian Box Turtles.

Red-eared Slider Turtles: with Information on Other Sliders, by Jordan Patterson. 1994. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 62pp. ISBN 0-7938-0253-9. Beginner book specific to Trachemys.

Russian Tortoises, by E. J. Pirog. 2005. T.F.H. Publications. 128pp. ISBN 0-7938-2882-1. Good focused topic book.

Mediterranean Tortoises, by Brian Pursall. 1994. T.F.H. 95pp. ISBN 0-7938-0284-9.

The Spotted Turtle: North America's Best, by Al Roach. 2006. Living Art Publishing. 70pp. ISBN 0-9638130-5-6. Good book for anyone planning on keeping these diminutive beauties.

The Wood Turtle: Old Red Legs, by Al Roach. 2008. Living Art Publishing. 61pp. ISBN 0-9787556-1-8. Focus of book is the North American Wood Turtle Glyptemys insculpta.

Chelonian Library 4: European Pond Turtle Emys orbicularis, by Manfred Rogner. 2009. Edition Chimaira. 270pp. ISBN 978-389973-604-5.

Schildkröten, by Hans-Werner Rudloff. 1990. Urania. 155pp. ISBN 3-332-00345-3. German language. Interesting information on; reproductive cycling, incubation length, and more.

Schlammschildkröten: Kinosternon, Sternotherus, Claudius, und Staurotypus, by Maik Schilde. 2001. Natur und Tier-Verlag. 133pp. ISBN 3-931587-59-2. German language. Very interesting book on an unfortunately oft overlooked group of turtles.

Chelonian Library Volume 1: Leopard and African Spurred Tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis and Centrochelys sulcata, by Holger Vetter. 2005. Edition Chimaira. 189pp. ISBN 3-89973-601-x. This book contains both natural history and captive care information. The prior often instructing the latter. Would recommend for those keeping either of these tortoise species.

Chelonian Library Volume 2: Hermann's Tortoise Boettger's and Dalmatian Tortoises, by Holger Vetter. 2006. Edition Chimaira. 325pp. ISBN 3-89973-602-8. I haven't decided whether I accept the taxonomy used (the elevation of subspecies to species level), but this book is the book to get if you are interested in Hermann's.

Chelonian Library Volume 3: South American Tortoises Chelonoidis carbonaria, C. denticulata and C. chilensis, by Sabine Vinke, Holger Vetter, Thomas Vinke, Susanne Vetter. 2008. Edition Chimaira. 360pp. ISBN 978-389973-603-8. Best book on the subject out right now.

The General Care and Maintenance of Box Turtles: Including Sections on Chinese and Malayan Box Turtles, by Philippe de Vosjoli. 1991. Advanced Vivarium Systems. 36pp. Beginner book on Terrapene and Cuora.

The General Care and Maintenance of Red-eared Sliders and Other Popular Freshwater Turtles, by Philippe de Vosjoli. 1992. Advanced Vivarium Systems. 47pp.Beginner book on Trachemys, mentions Chrysemys, Apalone, Graptemys, Chinemys, Pelusios, and Pelomedusa.

Cooters, Sliders & Painted Turtles, by Jerry G. Walls. 1996. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 64pp. ISBN 0-7938-2069-3. Beginner book focused on Pseudemys, Trachemys and Chrysemys.

Turtles and Tortoises, by Hartmut Wilke. 1998. Barron's. 127pp. ISBN 0-7641-5117-7. A good beginner book. This is an English language edition.

The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians for the Terrarium, by Fritz Jürgen Obst, Dr. Klaus Richter, Dr. Odo Jacob. 1988. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 830pp. ISBN 0-86622-958-2. Good for people interested in keeping a variety of reptiles. Short sections on most turtle species commonly kept.

Die natürliche Haltung und Zucht der Griechischen Landschildkröten, by Wolfgang Wegehaupt. German Language. Very nice book on keeping Hermann's Tortoises.

Futterpflanzen, by Wolfgang Wegehaupt. 2008. Wegehaupt Verlag. 319pp. ISBN 3-9809774-3-9. German Language. Descriptions and pictures of plants edible to tortoises. An impressive work that hopefully gets put into English for wider dissemination.




VETERINARY

Reptilian Incubation: Environment, Evolution, and Behaviour, edited by D.C. Deeming. 2004. Nottingham University Press. 349pp. ISBN 1-897676-11-5. A lot of information, some of it very technical, but much that is accessible and useful to the average breeder.

Reptile Care: An Atlas of Diseases and Treatments, by Fredric L. Frye. 1991. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 637pp. ISBN 0-86622-214-6. Plenty of pictures and descriptions of various conditions.

An Illustrated Dissection Guide to the Turtle, by David Hall. 2000. Ranaco. 56pp.

Understanding Reptile Parasites: A Basic Manual for Herpeoculturists & Veterinarians, by Roger J. Klingenberg D.V.M. 1993. Advanced Viviarium Systems. 83pp. ISBN 1-882770-21-8. A good reference book to have. Not as technical as Frye or Mader.

Reptile Medicine and Surgery, by Douglas R. Mader. 1996. W.B. Saunders Company. 512pp. ISBN 0-7216-5208-5.

Veterinary Management of Tortoises and Turtles, by Stuart McArthur. 1996. Blackwell Science. 170pp. ISBN 0-632-04059-9. Covers a handful of commonly occurring health problems.

Medicine and Surgery of Tortoises and Turtles, by Stuart McArthur, Roger Wilkinson, and Jean Meyer. 2003. Blackwell Publishers. 579pp. ISBN 1405108894. Pricey (around $250), but worth it if you have a large collection.

PraxisRatgeber Schildkrötenernährung, by Dr. Michael Meyer. 2001. Edition Chimaira. 128pp. ISBN 3-930612-37-2. German Language. Discusses the dietary requirements of commonly kept turtle and tortoises and methods of meeting those needs.

Schildkröten Krankheiten, by Dr. Lutz Sassenburg. 2000. Bede-Verlag GmbH. 95pp. ISBN 3-931-792-90-0. German Language, but when purchased from Chimaira it came with an English translation.




FIELD & IDENTIFICATION GUIDES

Guide to Florida Turtles- Sea Turtles Included, by Robert Anderson. 1985. Winner Enterprises. 55pp. ISBN 0-932855-06-7. Good for what it is, a pocket guide.

Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida: Part Two Lizards, Turtles & Crocodilians, by Ray E. Ashton, Jr. and Patricia Sawyer Ashton. 1991. Windward Publishing. 191pp. ISBN 0-89317-036-4.

An Identification Guide to the Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papau New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore and Timor Leste, by Mark Auliya. 2007. Published by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. 99pp. ISBN 978-983-33-3393-10-7.

Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants, by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor. 1982. Laurel Hill Press. 308pp. ISBN 0-9608688-3-6. Arranged by family with some species not covered by W. K. Taylor.

Kaufman: Field Guide to Butterflies of North America, by J. P. Brock & Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin. 392pp. ISBN 978-0-618-76826-4. Nice Guide with a lot of pictures to help in identification.

Peterson Field Guides Field Guide to the Mammals of North America and Mexico, by William H. Burt and Richard P. Grossenheider. Houghton Mifflin. 289pp. ISBN 0-395-91098-6.

Florida's Fabulous Reptiles & Amphibians, by Pete Carmichael and Winston Williams. 1991. World Publications. 120pp. ISBN 0-911977-11-2. Lots of nice photos.

Florida's Fabulous Fishes, by Cochran, Gilbert, and Perrine. 2004. World Publications. 133pp. USBN 0-911977-22-8. Covers many salt and freshwater fish.

Peterson Field Guides: Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America, by Roger Conant/ Joseph Collins. 1998. Houghton Mifflin Company. 616pp. ISBN 0-395-90452-8. Better than the Audobon guide and newer editions are even better still.

Identification Manual For Common Turtles and Tortoises, by CNMA - CITES Management Authority of China. 2002. China Forestry Publishing House. 174pp. ISBN 7-5038-3022-0. Nice little guide covering general information with decent pictures of common turtles and tortoises.

Kaufman: Field Guide to Insects of North America, by Eric R. Eaton & Kenn Kaufman. 2006. Houghton Mifflin. 392pp. ISBN 978-0-618-15310-7. Nice guide with lots of pictures to help in identification.

Snakes Lizards & Turtles of the Lake Mead Region, by Russell K. Grater. 1981. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association. 48pp. ISBN 0-911408-58-4.

Turtles and Turtle Watching for the North Central States, by John j. Moriarty. 2004. Minnesota's Bookstore. 57pp. ISBN 0-9754338-0-6. Interesting little spiral bound field guide. There are tips of where to look, a key to help identification, detailed distribution maps, and some pictures. Also, the pages appear to be water resistant.

Sea Turtles: The Watcher's Guide, by M. Timothy O'Keefe. 1995. Larsen's Outdoor Publishing. 116pp. ISBN 0-936513-47-0.

Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants Eastern/Central North America, by Lee Allen Peterson. 1977. Houghton Mifflin Company. 330pp. ISBN 0-395-92622-X.

Peterson Field Guides Birds of Eastern and Central North America, by Roger Tory Peterson. 2002. Houghton Mifflin. 427pp. ISBN 0-395-74047-9.

Peterson Field Guides: Western Reptiles and Amphibians, by Robert C. Stebbins. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Company. 533pp. ISBN 0-395-98272-3.

The Guide to Florida Wildflowers, by Walter Kingsley Taylor. 1992. Taylor Publishing Company. 320pp. ISBN 0-87833-747-4. Plants indexed by flower color, which makes for easy identification. Contains some plants not covered in Bell and Taylor.

Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, by George R. Zug. 1993. Academic Press. 527pp. ISBN 0-12-782620-3. Served, along with others, as my college herpetology textbook.




JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS





Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Journal of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group and International Bulletin of Chelonian Research. Though some of the articles can be very technical, there are usually many that are accessible and useful to the average hobbyist.

Radiata: Journal of DGHT-AG Schidkröten. This is the German Herpetology Society's Turtle Workgroup's newsletter. They do have an English edition. It is inexpensive and geared towards the serious turtle keeper.




THESES

Variation and Sytematics in the Kinosternon scorpioides and K. leucostomum Complexes of Mexico and Central America, by James Berry. 1978. 326pp. This is Dr. Berry's doctoral thesis and was obtained through UMI Dissertation Services. This book should be of value to anyone interested in the confusing array of Central American mud turtle species. Especially if you are interested in the two species discussed in this title. The reproduction's plates are not useable but the text alone makes this book worth having.

The tortoise Manouria emys emys: behaviour and habitat in the wild, by Klaus Høybye-Mortensen. 2004. 100pp.




TURTLES IN LITERATURE

The Year of the Turtle: A Natural History, by David M. Carrol. 1996. St. Martin's Griffin. 172pp. ISBN 0-312-14772-4. A work of art. Carrol includes his line drawings and some beautiful paintings along with entries from his journal his decades of turtle watching to create this wonderful natural history of New Hampshire's turtles.

Self-Portrait with Turtles: A Memoir, by David M. Carrol. 2004. Houghton Mifflin Company. 181pp. ISBN 0-618-16225-9. The author/artist's life, its intersections with turtles, and how turtles influenced both the man and the artist.

A Sheltered Life: The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise, by Paul Chambers. 2006. Oxford University Press. 306pp. ISBN 0-19-522396-9.

Turtle Poems, by Michael Christensen. 2005. 56pp. www.lulu.com/turtlepoems . A collection of poems about turtles with turtle prints from Sowerby and Lear.

The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles: Archie Carr and the Origins of Conservation Biology, by Frederick Rowe Davis. 2007. Oxford University Press. 312pp. ISBN 978-0-19-531077-1.

Famous Tortoises, by Justin Gerlach. 1998. Self Published. 51 pp. ISBN 0-9533787-0-5. This small, softcover book contains 16 short stories of "historical" tortoises such as Lonesome George and Ali Pasha.

Fire in the Turtle House-the Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean, by Osha Gray Davidson. 2001. PublicAffairs. 258pp. ISBN 1-58648-000-6. This book covers the discovery of and search for a cause and cure for the fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles.

Medical Herpetology, by Steve Grenard. 1994. Reptile and Amphibian Magazine. 139pp. ISBN 0-9641032-0-6. Details medical advances made from studying reptiles and amphibians.

Timothy; or; Notes of an Abject Reptile, by Verlyn Klinkenborg. 2006. Alfred A. Knopf. 177pp. ISBN 0-679-40728-6. Observational tale told from the perspective of 18th century naturalist Gilbert White's tortoise Timothy.

Turtle Lore from Everglades National Park and southern Florida, by Gale Koschmann. 1965. Everglades Natural History Association. 59pp. Library of Congress Number 65-18417. I bought this title thinking it a collection of Myths and Legends. It is instead a collection of the author's experience with south Florida turtles she observed or kept. Despite my initial disappointment this is an interesting little book. The author has an engaging style and it is a glimpse back to turtle keeping and southern Florida of the 1960s.

A World of Turtles: A Literary Celebration, by Gregory McNamee and Luis Alberto Urrea. 1997. Johnson Books. 149pp. ISBN 1-55566-190-4. A collection of myths and legends involving turtles.

Singing the Turtles to Sea, by Gary Paul Nabhan. 2003. University of California Press. 317pp. ISBN 0-520-21731-4.

Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of a Conservation Icon, by Henry Nicholls. 2006. Macmillan. 231pp. ISBN 1-4039-4576-4.

Turtles in Fact, Folklore, and Myth, by Richard E. Nicholls. 1993. The Nature Company. 125pp. At roughly 3"X3" this is a novelty book. There is a lot of very general information in this tiny book. Purchased online where the dimensions weren't mentioned, at least it was very inexpensive.

An introduction to...Life With Turtles, by Ellen Nicol. 1991. Mid-Florida Publishing. 125pp.

Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett. 1992. 357pp. ISBN 0-06-109217-7. This book was bought based on its cover, something I don't normally do, for cruise reading material. Unfortunately, I found Mr. Pratchett's stories addictive and find myself reading his books when I should be studying something else. In Small Gods, the once great god Om has fallen on hard times and is only able to manifest as a small tortoise. A one-eyed tortoise at that. Taken from http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com "Lost in the chill deeps of space between the galaxies, it sails on forever, a flat, circular world carried on the back of a giant turtle--DISCWORLD--a land where the unexpected can be expected. Where the strangest things happen to the nicest people. Like Brutha, a simple lad who only wants to tend his melon patch. Until one day he hears the voice of a god calling his name. A small god, to be sure. But bossy as Hell."

Tales From The Thébaïde: Reflections of a Turtleman, by Peter C. H. Pritchard. 2007. Krieger Publishing Company. 330pp. ISBN 1-57524-277-x.

Time of the Turtle, by Jack Rudloe. 1980. Penguin Books. 273pp. ISBN 0-14-00.5590-8. Covers the authors experiences with the turtle species found in the coastal waters of Florida. Ranges from the factual to the fanciful. Still a good read.

Search for the Great Turtle Mother, by Jack Rudloe. 1995. Pineapple Press Inc. 271pp. ISBN 1-56164-072-7. Focuses on a myth discussed in his earlier book. The author searches for proof of the Great Turtle Mother and a large turtle shaped stone that she used, in legend, to direct the turtles to their nesting beaches.

The Turtle Lady Ila Fox Loetscher of South Padre, by Evelyn Sizemore. 2002. Republic of Texas Press. 220pp. ISBN 1-55622-896-1.

Tortoise, by Peter Young. 2003. Reaktion Books LTD. 204pp. ISBN 1-86189-191-1. Turtles in myth, legend, literature, and art (modern and ancient). An interesting little book.
 

N2TORTS

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Yellow Turtle said:
And when will we finish reading all those books. Nice info though.

I started about 45 years ago .......;)
 

N2TORTS

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Momof4 said:
How many WPM do you type?? OMG!!

LOL .... its copied and pasted info .....too much to type in one shot. Plus I don't spell worth noodles! Thank goodness for spell check .
 

Len B

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Thanks, This is a great list,(almost a book itself) I printed it off and it took 14 pages to complete it. I have a few of these but most of mine are the older ones.My Eastern Field Guide by Conant is the 1958 version, never thought about getting a newer edition until now.
 

Yellow Turtle

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N2TORTS said:
Yellow Turtle said:
And when will we finish reading all those books. Nice info though.

I started about 45 years ago .......;)

JD, I really don't realize you are "that" old :D

Anyway, what are your 3 most favorite books among those collections?

And if I want to buy books for complete care to tortoise illness, what will be your recommendation?
 

Laurie

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Yellow Turtle said:
N2TORTS said:
Yellow Turtle said:
And when will we finish reading all those books. Nice info though.

I started about 45 years ago .......;)

JD, I really don't realize you are "that" old :D

Anyway, what are your 3 most favorite books among those collections?

And if I want to buy books for complete care to tortoise illness, what will be your recommendation?

Ahem, 45 is NOT old, lol.

I have borrowed a few books from GBtortoises. A lot of times, I prefer reading books to the internet. I bet its my old eyes..lol
 

N2TORTS

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Laurie said:
Yellow Turtle said:
N2TORTS said:
Yellow Turtle said:
And when will we finish reading all those books. Nice info though.

I started about 45 years ago .......;)

JD, I really don't realize you are "that" old :D

Anyway, what are your 3 most favorite books among those collections?

And if I want to buy books for complete care to tortoise illness, what will be your recommendation?

Ahem, 45 is NOT old, lol.

I have borrowed a few books from GBtortoises. A lot of times, I prefer reading books to the internet. I bet its my old eyes..lol

Ha HA Yellow Turt' .... I'm older than 45 ... :shy:
Pssss Laurie .....I'll send ya that 20 spot for covering my back ! ..LOL
We're still 32 right? :p
 

mctlong

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Wow JD, nice biblio! Thanks for posting.

Curious, what motivated you to prepare such an extensive list? Are you preparing a paper or journal article?
 

sibi

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JD, you outdid yourself. I know, it was a cut and paste, but to even have this list is saying something. Thanks a bunch. So, since I have no books on tortoises, which one would you recommend I start with?
 

N2TORTS

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mctlong said:
Wow JD, nice biblio! Thanks for posting.

Curious, what motivated you to prepare such an extensive list? Are you preparing a paper or journal article?

Hummmm....... we shall see ;).....


sibi said:
JD, you outdid yourself. I know, it was a cut and paste, but to even have this list is saying something. Thanks a bunch. So, since I have no books on tortoises, which one would you recommend I start with?

Turtles & Tortoises of the World, by David Alderton. 1988. Blandford Press. 191pp. ISBN 0-7137-1970-2. A good overview of turtles and tortoises, for those that aren't biology majors, with sections on; Form and Function, Reproduction, Evolution, Distribution, and more. An updated version of this book is out now.

:D
 

Tortoise

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I can add another newsletter/journal to your very extensive list-thanks for posting

The British Chelonia Group publish bimonthly newsletters to members and most importantly the yearly publication Testudo which is much more in depth and very informative.
They would love more members overseas.
 

Yellow Turtle

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Tortoise said:
I can add another newsletter/journal to your very extensive list-thanks for posting

The British Chelonia Group publish bimonthly newsletters to members and most importantly the yearly publication Testudo which is much more in depth and very informative.
They would love more members overseas.

Homepage please. I'm interested.
 
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