The book starts with a forword by Dr. Cogger, succeeded by the following sections, each with numerous sub-chapters:
Introduction, Recreational private keeping, Social behaviour, Habits and characteristics, Sloughing, Specimen and species selection, Hygiene, Quarantine, Record keeping, Handling, Transportation and freight, Legal requirements, Venomous room/building design, Security, Housing, Indoor enclosures, Outdoor enclosures, Temperature and thermoregulation, Lighting, Ultraviolet lighting, Ventilation and air exchange, Humidity, Cage furnishings, Foods and feeding, Reproduction and breeding, Snake venom and snakebite, Snakebite protocols, Common ailments and disease.
The species accounts show Acanthophis antarcticus, Acanthophis ceramensis, Acanthophis cryptamydros, Acanthophis hawkei, Acanthophis laevis, Acanthophis praelongus, Acanthophis pyrrhus, Acanthophis rugosus, Acanthophis wellsei, Austrelaps labialis, Austrelaps ramsayi, Austrelaps superbus, Brachyurophis australis, Cacophis harriettae, Cacophis krefftii, Cacophis squamulosus, Cryptophis boschmai, Cryptophis nigrescens, Cryptophis pallidiceps, Demansia papuensis, Demansia psammophis, Demansia reticulata cupreiceps, Demansia vestigiata, Denisonia devisi, Drysdalia coronoides, Echiopsis curta, Furina diadema, Furina ornata, Glyphodon tristis, Hemiaspis signata, Hoplocephalus bitorquatus, Hoplocephalus bungaroides, Hoplocephalus stephensii, Micropechis ikaheca, Notechis scutatus scutatus, Notechis scutatus ater, Notechis scutatus humphreysi, Notechis scutatus niger, Notechis scutatus occidentalis, Notechis scutatus serventyi, Oxyuranus microlepidotus, Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus, Oxyuranus scutellatus canni, Oxyuranus temporalis, Paroplocephalus atriceps, Pseudechis australis, Pseudechis butleri, Pseudechis colletti, Pseudechis guttatus, Pseudechis pailsei, Pseudechis papuanus, Pseudechis porphyriacus, Pseudechis rossignolii, Pseudechis wei-geli, Pseudonaja affinis, Pseudonaja aspidorhyncha, Pseudonaja guttata, Pseudechis inframacula, Pseudona-ja ingrami, Pseudonaja mengdeni, Pseudonaja modesta, Pseudonaja nuchalis, Pseudonaja textilis, Suta dwy-eri, Suta fasciata, Suta flagellum, Suta nigriceps, Suta punctata, Suta suta, Tropidechis carinatus, Vermicella annulata. Following these accounts the reader finds a glossary, bibliography and an appendix with climate charts.
