This new series of titles provides all that the first-time petkeeper needs to know about choosing and responsibly caring for a new pet. Informative and jargon-free text is supplemented by helpful tips and easy-to-understand charts, showing, for example, how to identify and treat common health problems, how to choose between the different varieties and/or species and the advantages and disadvantages of various types of accommodation. Each title opens with a chapter introducing the pet - where it comes from and how it lives - which is followed by an illustrated selection of the most popular varieties and/or species. The remainder of each book leads the reader through the various responsibilities of pet ownership - housing, buying and caring for a pet. At the end of each title is a short chapter on developing the hobby and lists of recommended books and websites.