The newsletter of the
Minnesota Herpetological Society
October Meeting Notice General Meeting October 7th October Speaker Jeremy Hance—The Great Herp Extinction: What We Know (And What We Can Do) About the World's Vanishing Herps Letter from the President page 5 Kid’s Korner pp 16-17
October 2016
Volume 36
Number 10
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Misi Stine 952.217.1267 President@mnherpsoc.org Vice President Jim Soos 612.382.1920 VicePresident@MnHerpSoc.org
C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street Southeast Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0104
Recording Secretary Nancy Haig 763.434.8684 RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org
Or you can still leave us a Voice Mail: 612.326.6516
Membership Secretary Lavania Beguhl 651.274.8511 MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org Treasurer Rae Jacobs Ruber 612.366.9337 Treasurer@MnHerpSoc.org Newsletter Editor Ellen Heck 612.750.1649 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org Lois Hall 612.824.1447 MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org Rebecca Markowitz 409.740.0235 MemberAtLarge1@MnHerpSoc.org Members at Large Tony Beguhl MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.org
Stay informed! Join us on our forums!
The purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to: • Further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive propagation of reptiles and amphibians; • Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and amphibians; • Promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Membership is open to all individuals with an interest in amphibians and reptiles. The Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its members with information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging information, opinions and resources. General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holiday conflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check the MHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations. Submissions to the Newsletter
Chris Smith 612.275.9737 MemberAtLarge2@MnHerpSoc.org
Ads or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to be included in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows and should be in electronic file format if possible.
COMMITTEES
See inside back cover for ad rates. Submissions may be sent to:
Adoption Beth Girard 612.326.6516 Adoptions@MnHerpSoc.org Education Jan Larson 507.263.4391 Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com Fostering Rebecca Markwitz 612.326.6516 Fosters@MnHerpSoc.org WebMaster WebMaster@MnHerpSoc.org Cover by Cartoons by Fran Frisch
The Minnesota Herpetological Society Attn: Newsletter Editor C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St SE Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org
SNAKE BITE EMERGENCY HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER 800-222-1222
© Copyright 2015, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be reproduced for non-profit, non-commercial use only. All material must be reproduced without change. Proper credit will be given including the author/photographer and the Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.
General Meeting — Jeremy Hance—The Great Herp Extinction: What We Know (And What We Can Do) About the World's Vanishing Herps October 7th, 7:00pm; 6:30pm Social Hour Social hour begins at 6:30pm. This is a time for people to catch up before the meeting starts. Jeremy Hance is a freelance environmental journalist. Currently he is a senior correspondent with Monagabay and writes a blog on the Guardian entitled Radical Conservation. He has been covering wildlife conservation issues, including the rising tide of mass extinction, since 2007. In pursuit of his stories, Jeremy has traveled to nearly thirty countries across five continents. He is also the author of a book of essays entitled, Life is Good: Conservation in an Age of Mass Extinction. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter @jeremy_hance.
Richard Glor—Beyond the Beach: The Secret Diversity of Tropical Island Reptiles and Amphibians Submitted by Nancy Haig
Richard Glor is currently the curator of Herpetology for the University of Kansas at their Natural History Museum. Those involved in academic herpetology consider Kansas to be a hotbed for herpetology. Originally an anole specialist, Rich has branched out to other lizards and amphibians. Kansas University’s (KU) objectives for Herpetology are to discover and document biodiversity; study the evolution of biodiversity and to train biodiversity scientists. In 2015 they celebrated 100 years of reptile and amphibian research. They work with graduate and undergraduate students documenting and reviewing specimen database as well as running field trips to teach students how to collect and record specimen samples and data. The two week summer course is open to anyone interested in field herpetology. Student training is incorporated into the Kansas University Herpetology goals and form the basis for the KU expeditions. The KU collection comprises the fourth largest herpetological collection in the U.S. (340,000+ specimens) , 8.000+ tissue samples in cryogenic storage and thousands of skeletal preparations, stained specimens,, origOctober 2016
inal artwork and literature all pertaining to herpetology and available to the public via on-line portals. They are part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) providing free and open access to Biodiversity Data. For more information go to www.gbif.org. KU Expeditions has visited 13 countries in the past 3 years, Rich touched on a few of the most recent trips and discoveries. In India, PhD. Student Robin Abraham has studied the Western Ghats area. The high altitude grasslands have some very unique forms of frogs. In Peninsular Malaysia, PhD. Student Chan Kin Onn has been studying the frogs in the river beds and the herpetofauna of the karst caves. These outcroppings are being destroyed by the locals for making concrete but are also home to new species of gecko. Graduate students Katie Allen and Walter Tapnjou are in the Cameroons studying ground dwelling lizards and Chameleons in the rainforests and surveying the mountains ranges. In the Solomon Islands, PhD. Students Karen Olson and Scott Travers work with the local tribes to survey and protect species in the forests. Continued next page Volume 36 Number 10
Before describing some of the new species they found, Rich asked what is a species? A species is a population that is evolutionarily isolated from other populations. Ernst Mayr stated in his Biological Species Concept: “Species are groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations, which are reproductively isolated form other such groups.” Using these definitions Rich explained the golden age of discovery is far from over. Between 2008 and 2015 there were 1,538 new reptiles described, and an increase of over 60% of new species of amphibians have been described since 1985. Notice the term described, this means they have been documented and specimens recorded. The animals have been there all along and familiar to the local people. They just haven’t been properly classified and recorded.
ard) across the Dominican Republic. Based on the results from studying the range areas and DNA samples, it appears the lighter colored dewlaps favor a dry forest areas while the darker orange dewlaps prefer the wet forest areas. This is an example of two sub-species slowly evolving into separate species. They live in different areas with very little overlap or hybridizing so their genetic material has very little in common. If you cross a female horse with a male donkey you get a mule which is sterile, if you cross a male horse with a female donkey you will get a hinny which has a very low survival rate. Richard tried a similar experiment with the lizards from his study sites. Pure crosses (between those with the same dewlap color) produce the same number of eggs as hybrid crosses (different colored dewlaps). The difference came when they compared fertile to eggs. The pure crosses produced more New discoveries have included a monitor lizard in infertile fertile eggs and viable offspring than the hybrids the Philippines (bitatawa), brought in by the hunters for dinner. In Madagascar, PhD. Student leading to a stronger population growth. Carl Hutter, has been searching for unrecognized 30 years ago, Ernst Williams said “the age of species of frogs. new discoveries Prior to 2008 of striking new there were 244 anoles is over”. known frog speIn 2010 a new cies on Madagasspecies of anole car but DNA testwas discovered ing suggests and described in there may be the Dominican many more preRepublic Anolis viously unrecoglandestoyi that nized species. has habits similar Starting with an to ones in Cuba. Unconfirmed They wanted to Candidate Speknow whether cies, they look this was common for populations across the isthat exhibit siglands, two dinificant genetic verse species foldivergences. A lowing common Confirmed Candihabitats. By comPhoto by Richard Glor date Species will paring Mitochonhave a distinct drial DNAs and call or phenotype, a Deep Conspecific Lineage Nuclear DNAs they were able to prove they were will not have a distinct call or phenotype. The seeing examples of convergent evolution, where new species Boophis boppa a small green frog, evolution has found a similar answer to the same is distinguished from Boophis ankaratra by its problem on two different islands following slightly very different call. different paths. This shows that new species can be found as new species are still be created. Richard’s main work is currently being done in Throughout his talk, Rich showed beautiful phothe Dominican Republic, where there is a large tos of the species he has seen, some of which variety of anole lizards. Beyond the villages and yet to be published. The next time you mountainsides deforested for charcoal production have check a range map for species, remember Richthere still exists pristine valley and rivers. Rich ard Glor and the KU students that are working has been surveying the color variations of dewhard to fill in those dots. laps in the Anolis distichus (a common anole lizOctober 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Letter from the President This month I want to update members on the liability insurance issues we have been working through this summer. I am pleased to announce that we have been able to find insurance coverage that will allow our members to be covered under our insurance, using their personal animals, while participating in MHS sanctioned hand-on events. As part of this coverage MHS members will be required to know, and be in compliance with, all MHS hand on policies while participating in our events. Each year, and with any incidence, the insurance carrier will have on-going reviews of our policies and practices to ensure that we are diligent in managing risk if they are going to continue to provide us with this coverage. In addition to the insurance updates, I want to talk about the many volunteer opportunities available for member to participate in. I cannot emphasize how important it is to have member participation for us to have a succesful organization. November is the election for the Board of Directors there are a multiple positions open. There will be more information in the newsletter, and I encourage you to consider running, if you have time and talents to contribute to the board. Governance of the organization is a top priority and having new leadership, and new ideas is important for all organizations. There are a multitude of other opportunities for your consideration as well: the adoption and foster committee, helping with the website, the education committee, the governance committee, the marketing and membership committee, planning the holiday banquet, the annual field survey, the white snake sale, the 2017 Midwest Symposium, writing newsletter article, being a herp helper, and many more. If there is something you are interested in feel free to reach out to the committee chairperson, or me and I will connect with the person you need to talk to. Again, I cannot emphasize enough how important your participation is to this organization. You have talents and interests that can be utilized and would be greatly appreciated. Getting involved is a great way to make friends too! Thank you for your commitment and passion for MHS and herps--today and as we move towards the future! Misi Stine President
Foggy morning at Renaissance Festival October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Looking for Herp Assistance Volunteers! Are you an experienced keeper of a particular type of herp? Are you willing and able to provide answers to others? We are looking to re-introduce the herp assistance program and need people willing to offer advice for all types of reptiles and amphibians. We are also looking for people who specialize in breeding (herps, that is) cage building, etc. Volunteers will be listed in the newsletter and on the website with a phone number and/or email address that people seeking advice can call you on. Please contact Ellen NewsletterEditor@mnherpsoc.org if you are interested in helping. For assistance with turtles/tortoises and crocodilians. Contact info: Mike Rohweder birdgitter@yahoo.com
If you ordered clothing, it will be available for pickup at the upcoming October meeting. If you cannot pick it up or arrange to have someone else pick it up, please let Lavania know. The November meeting will be the election. You must be a member in good standing to vote and present on the night (November 4th) No proxy voting is allowed. If you are interested in running for a board position please let Nancy know. See page 7 for details. The November meeting will also feature another photo contest. See page 8 for details. The holiday banquet will be held at the VFW in Cottage Grove December 3rd from 5 (4 for set up) to 10pm. The main entrĂŠes will be provided, with the remainder being potluck style, with the exception that we are not allowed to bring outside beverages. The registration sheets will have a place for current members to write down what they will bring to share (there will be a limit on desserts so please think about other sides such as salads). More information will follow. If anyone would like to help decorate or has other ideas please let me know. Lavania Beguhl, I can best be reached via text or Facebook messenger. 651 274 8511 October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Elections and Annual Meeting The MHS elections will be held at the annual meeting November 4th, 2015 in Borlaug Hall on the U of M Campus. In order to vote, you must be a member in good standing and present at the meeting. No proxy votes will be accepted. In order to run for a board position, you must be a member in good standing and at least 18 years of age at the start of the term—January 1, 2016. The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN organization that only exists because of the commitment of its members. I strongly encourage you to consider taking an active role in keeping MHS the vital organization it has been for last 32 years. If you are interested in running for an office, or if you know someone who may be, please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience by phone (763-434-8684 ) or email (recsecreatry@mnherpsoc.org). This year’s elections will be held on Friday, November 4th. Want to know more? According to the Minnesota Herpetological Society By-Laws … MHS Administration. MHS shall be administered by a Board of Directors comprised of the elected officers, and four active members at large, all of whom are eighteen (18) years of age or older and whom shall be members of MHS in good standing. Officers. The officers of MHS shall be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and Newsletter Editor, all of whom shall be members of MHS in good standing. Term of Office. The officers and members-at-large elected at the Annual Meeting of MHS as hereafter provided, shall serve for a period of one (1) year commencing January 1. Board of Directors may serve only four (4) terms consecutively. President. The President shall perform the duties of such office including chairing monthly membership meetings and Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all special and standing committee chairs subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Also, the President may establish such ad hoc, standing and special committees as may be required to further the work of MHS. Vice President. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President, serve as program coordinator, and perform such duties as designated by the President. Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the proceedings of all the meetings of the members in appropriate books. Membership Secretary. The Membership Secretary shall give and serve all notices of MHS, shall keep the names and residences of the members, and maintain membership notices. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds and assets of MHS, payment of authorized accounts, present financial reports at Board of Directors meetings and the Annual Meeting, and submit the records for audit. Newsletter Editor. The Newsletter Editor shall edit and produce the Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society on a monthly basis. If you are interested in running for any position, contact Nancy Haig RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org or any board member. If you have questions regarding a particular position, feel free to contact the current MHS member who holds that position or join us at a board meeting. See page 11 for time and location.
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
MHS Photo Contest If you missed out on the Photo Contest held at the April meeting, fret no more!! MHS will be “testing the waters” to see if hosting the photo contest later in the year may encourage greater participation. All of those amazing photos you are taking this summer could win you a blue (or red or white) ribbon!!!! We are also introducing a NEW CATEGORY … SELFIES!!! Thank you Angie Cairl for suggesting it! Take your photos to the November meeting and join the fun! The People’s Choice photograph (or a photo of it if it is a Mixed Media entry) will be the cover photo on a MHS newsletter!! Photo Contest Rules: You must be a member of the MHS and be the one that took the photograph. However, you do not need to own the amphibian or reptile in the photo. All items need to show herps or be herp related. Color and / or black and white photographs are acceptable. Artwork is defined as sculptures, drawings, paintings, etc. Photos should be no smaller than 5 x 7 and no larger than 11x 14 (outside dimension). Mounting or matting of photos / art is recommended but not necessary. Members are allowed to submit up to 2 photos / items in each category. On the back of the photo, please include your name and the category you want your picture to compete in. Categories: Herps in the Wild / In a Natural Setting: Photographs of animal(s) taken outside and / or in a natural setting. A natural setting that has been staged is also permitted. Herps and Humans / Non-Wild Setting: Subject(s) should be in a non-wild setting – i.e. photographs taken around your home, on or with something that is manmade. Some examples of this are: Herps in their cages, people holding their pets and photographs of animals taken at a zoo. Kid Submission: Any photo / artwork submission by a member who is 16 years of age or younger. Selfies: A selfie of you and a herp, or a selfie from the herps perspective! Have fun with this new category! Mixed Media: Herp related artwork by a member or photographs taken by a member that have been altered / enhanced using photo editing software in any matter other than cropping. There will also be an award issued for the “People’s Choice”: Members will also vote for one submission from the above categories that they feel is the best overall photograph / piece of artwork. The submission that receives the most votes is the winner of this category.
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule 3M Teachers Workshop—3M St Paul Campus Friday September 30th 3-6:30pm 3M Super Science Saturday—3M St Paul Campus Saturday October 1 9am-1pm U of M Library Fundraiser—Wilson Library, UofM Campus Thursday October 6 11am-1pm. Please contact Jan if you intend to come Home Depot—Plymouth Home Depot, November 5th 11am-2pm. No snakes!
Here’s the deal- Bring your herp(s) to one of the shows listed above, and talk about them. That’s it! You don’t have to be an expert, you’re not giving speeches. Most of the time you will find that people are more than open to hearing about our misrepresented critters.
Contact Jan at Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com for details or if interested in signing up. Or sign up on the website.
Herp First Aid Emergency kits, whether they be for earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods or fires, share a lot of commonalities. The basics, of course, such as food and water, are mandatory. A close third is an adequately supplied first aid kit. (yes this is a repeat but important) http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptiles-Magazine/The-Vet-Report-Herp-First-Aid-Kit-Checklist/
Bizarre new species of extinct reptile shows dinosaurs copied body, skull shapes of distant relatives Iconic dinosaur shapes were present for at least a hundred million years on our planet in animals before those dinosaurs themselves actually appeared. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160922124308.htm
Fate of turtles, tortoises affected more by habitat than temperature Habitat degradation poses a greater risk to the survival of turtles and tortoises than rising global temperatures, according to new research. More than 60 per cent are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, because they are being traded, collected for food and medicine and their habitats are being degraded. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160920230105.htm
Blue coral snake, calliophis bivirgata: A mysterious beauty armed with exotic toxins Toxicologists in Malaysia published the first report on the venom proteome correlating toxic functionalities of the Malayan blue coral snake, an exotic species from the country. The toxins are unique among snakes and have deep implication on antivenom production and drug discovery. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160905130251.htm
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
MHS Reports and Announcements August 2016 Treasurer’s Report
July 2016 Treasurer’s Report
Submitted by Rae Rueber
Submitted by Rae Rueber
Beginning Balance
$24,514.95
Income Raffle Donation-Public-Turtle Fund Donation-Public-General Donations-Amazon Smile Membership Rodent Sales Clothing Sales Interest on Savings Total Income
$67.75 $30.00 $70.65 $14.95 $520.00 $907.00 $435.00 $0.16 $2,045.51
$397.66 $525.00 $803.50 $116.23 $843.00 $1.36 $15.70 $7.36 $14.95 $40.12 $174.61 -$13.00 $2,926.49 -$880.98 $23,633.97
Placement of Cash Holdings Checking Savings Paypal Cash on Hand Total
October 2016
$26,705.57
Income
Expense Program Legal Fees Rodent cost Ren Fest Supplies Insurance Supplies Paypal Fees Square Fees Website Skype Handout printing PO Box Total Expense Cash Increase/Decrease Ending Balance
Beginning Balance
$5,097.96 $17,488.82 $857.19 $190.00 $23,633.97
Raffle Donations-Hands On Membership Rodent Sales Interest on Savings Total Income
$41.25 $297.00 $260.00 $519.00 $0.14 $1,117.39
Expense Program Adoption Field Survey Rodent cost Hanfs On Supplies Ren Fest Supplies Supplies Holiday Banquet Paypal Fees Website PO Box Total Expense Cash Increase/Decrease Ending Balance
$979.25 $60.00 $343.55 $1,511.25 $24.22 $14.42 $15.15 $150.00 $3.22 $14.95 $192.00 $3,308.01 -$2,190.62 $24,514.95
Placement of Cash Holdings Checking Savings Paypal Cash on Hand Total
$6,128.72 $17,488.66 $707.57 $190.00 $24,514.95
Board Meeting The board meeting will be held 6pm October 8th at the St Louis Park Byerly’s Community Room. Everyone is welcome to attend the board meeting. We encourage you to come check it out. Volume 36 Number 10
MHS Reports and Announcements Minutes of the August 6, 2016 MHS Board of Directors Meeting
Byerly’s Community Room , St Louis Park
Attending: Misi Stine, Jim Soos, Nancy Haig, Chris Smith, Rae Rueber, Ellen Heck, Lavania Beguhl, Tony Beghul, Rebecca Markowitz, Lois Hall. 6 must be present for a quorum. Quorum was present. (8) Visitors attending: Jeff LeClere Meeting was called to order at 6:19pm Presiding Officer: Misi Stine, Recorded by Nancy Haig Opening remarks by President August General Meeting Attendance_95 Committee Reports: Membership report-verbal, approximately 206 members, picked up some new members from the Cold-Blooded show. Discussion on what membership reports should be generated for the board meeting and treasurers report.Action: Nancy will send copies of older reports to Chris and Rae and the governance committee for review. Adoption: Beth Girard- Discussion on what to do with Red-Eared Sliders. Tabled for later in meeting. Treasurer’s Report: Rae –emailed and reviewed at meeting. Speaker returned check as a donation. Renfest- still working out insurance with possible new provider. Only a group with their own personal insurance will be used for touchable animals. Rae will maintain a copy of their Insurance certs. Vice-president report: Rich Glor will be the speaker for August. We will need a backup person top pick-up and announce the speaker as Jim will not be available. Old Business Insurance: Misi- The application has been sent to the new underwriters. They wish to review our policies and the type of events we do. although not a requirement, they want to know about the hand washing facilities. Ellen will review articles on hand sanitizers/ CDC notices and post for the board. Other cleanliness issues: personal hygiene; dealing with mites; unhealthy animals; etc will be addressed in MHS policies and procedures. Address change: Ellen- There was a delay in obtaining the new post box as the facility is reorganizing. The original request has been canceled and a new one created. Ellen will post the new address when she receives it. Sand Dunes State Forest: Misi- The Advisory Board will meet Aug 29, 2016 from 6-9pm. Contact Misi for further information. Holiday Banquet- Lavania has found a VFW Hall in Cottage Grove that will let us do a potluck, they will provide a cash bar. The MHS will no longer pay for alcohol due to insurance issues but can buy soda and other drinks for the party. Suggestion was made for the board to prepare the main food items and let members supply the add-ins. The MHS will also supply a cake or cookies for the 35th anniversary of MHS. Lavania will coordinate the hall and food arrangements. Documentation set-ups- Chris and Rae Rueber- recommendations for google docs and Amazon for documentation storage. Motion: to move forward with google docs for our online document solutions. Seconded. PassedActions-Chris Rueber will set it up- People will have read only access. The President and Recording Secretary will have read/write access. Clothing Order- Lavania- There were problems with the membership linking to the t-shirt order form. The time for ordering was extended to the August General meeting to allow for more orders. Future Clothing Sale plans will be covered in the 2017 budget. Website Updates -Misi-read and will post a response from Brad detailing what has been done and still needs to be addressed. See attached report. Misi and Emily will continue to update the calendar and Emily will continue with the facebook page. Action- If Brad makes his August 20, 2016 deadline we will stay with him for the website; if he doesn’t we will seek other alternatives. Policy Updates- Nancy- Proposed update for Hands-ons Policy- All policy updates will be sent to the governance committee before being submitted to the Board. Action: Nancy will email policies changes to governance committee members prior to next board meeting. Turtle Fund- Jeff & Rae- There is $500.00 in the turtle fund. The county should be coordinating their schedules in Aug or Sept. so we should contact them on how to proceed. Red Eared Slider/ Outsourcing- There are those that disagree with the attorney’s letter of interpretation. More research is needed in this area. For now, the Board will not outsource over state lines. New Business: State Fair- The Annual agreement with the DNR was reviewed and Misi will sign the form and turn it in. Approved date___9-13-2016______________
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Kid’s Korner
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Kid’s Korner
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
MHS Reports and Announcements
MHS Foster Agreement Thank you for volunteering to foster animals for the Minneapolis Herpetological Society. While fostering an animal you will be expected to provide a temporary home for the animal until the next MHS general meeting. During that time, you agree to: Provide proper housing, food, lighting and temperature requirements for the species, and if needed, provide health care for those with special needs. House the animal in a quarantined area to protect both your personal collection and the fostered animal. Inform the Adoption Chair adoptions@mnherpsoc.org if you have any questions or concerns in regards to the health of the animal. If you decide to adopt an animal, or have found an alternative home for it, please let us know as soon as possible. Please contact the Adoption Chair 3-5 days prior to each general meeting as to the status of the animal/s you are fostering. (Health, status, and whether you will or will not be returning it at the general meeting.) ___________________________________ Name & Date (Please print)
___________________________________ Signature
Contact information: Name: ________________________ Member #: _________ Exp. Date: ____________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________ If I am not at the meeting, you may contact me about housing the following species: ________________________________________________________________________ __________ Initial here if we may call you midmonth for help transporting an animal. __________ Initial here if we may contact you about transporting intake items.
When an animal is taken home to be fostered, its travel enclosure and the paperwork (label and attached 3�x5� card) should be kept intact so they can be returned with the animal. This helps the Adoption Committee maintain accuracy with its paperwork. The animal should be housed in a quarantined area to protect you, your family, your personal collection and the fostered animal. These animals should not be used for educational purposes as their health status and temperament are questionable. If a situation should arise and the animal you are fostering needs medical care, please contact the Adoption Chair. MHS reimburses for medical care on a very limited case-by-case basis. Please send an email to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org 3-5 days before each meeting to let us know your intentions. Do you intend to bring the animal back to the meeting? Have you, or someone else, adopted it? Do you intend to keep fostering it, but are unable to attend the meeting? If we do not hear from you in 60 days (two meetings), the animal will be considered to be adopted by you. When returning a foster animal to a meeting, please make every attempt to do so before 6:40pm. We would like all members to have the opportunity to view the animals prior to the start of the meeting. Thank you again for agreeing to foster animals for the Minnesota Herpetological Society! We could not continue the adoption program without members willing and able to care for those waiting to be adopted. Beth Girard MHS Adoption Chair Email: adoptions@mnherpsoc.org Cell# 612/616-8431 October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
MHS Reports and Announcements IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE FOSTERING AN MHS ANIMAL Due to the requirements of the new MHS insurance policy, more complete records need to be maintained concerning the animals “owned” by MHS. This refers to those taken in at Intake and not outsourced or adopted. To this end, we are updating our paperwork and have created a new FOSTER AGREEMENT. If you are currently fostering an animal and have not turned in the new form, please complete the one in the newsletter and email it to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org or return it at the August meeting. If you are currently fostering animals for MHS, please send a list of the animals you are currently fostering and the date you began doing so. The list can be sent to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org Any animals not reported by the AUGUST MEETING (August 5th) will be marked as “adopted” by you. You may still surrender those animals to the adoption program at a later date. Only animals that have been reported to us by August 6th as “fostered” will be covered under the MHS insurance policy. Animals fostered at the July meeting are already listed. The two-page FOSTER AGREEMENT includes the following restrictions. When an animal is taken home to be fostered, its travel enclosure and the paperwork (label and attached 3”x5” card) should be kept intact so they can be returned with the animal. This helps the Adoption Committee maintain accuracy with its paperwork. The animal should be housed in a quarantined area to protect you, your family, your personal collection and the fostered animal. These animals should not be used for educational purposes as their health status and temperament are questionable. If a situation should arise and the animal you are fostering needs medical care, please contact the Adoption Chair. MHS is reimburses for medical care on a very limited case-by-case basis. Please send an email to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org 3-5 days before each meeting to let us know your intentions. Do you intend to bring the animal back to the meeting? Have you, or someone else, adopted it? Do you intend to keep fostering it, but are unable to attend the meeting? If we do not hear from you within 60 days (two meetings), the animal will be considered to be adopted. When returning a foster animal to a meeting, please make every attempt to do so before 6:40pm. We would like all members to have the opportunity to view the animals prior to the start of the meeting. The form also has a place for you to note if you may be available to transport and/or house animals and/or husbandry items that are surrendered between meetings. When a need arises, an email will be sent to all fosters residing in the area where assistance is needed. You are under no obligation to respond. Thank you for your willingness to be part of the MHS Adoption Program. If it were not for our amazing fosters (LIKE YOU!) we would not be able to help over three hundred animals find forever homes each year!!!
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
QUARANTINE PROCEDURES One of the snakes from this month’s adoption was found to have mites. Although we do keep contact to a minimum between animals and enclosures, we want to remind everyone to follow proper quarantine procedures!!! DO NOT put new animals in the same space, or share enclosures or cage furnishings, with your collection! MHS has included a page of Quarantine Suggestions for several months now. Unfortunately it was written 20 years ago for zoos and other groups with large collections and the equipment and knowledge necessary for evaluating fecal exams. The one I like can be found at http://www.herpcenter.com/reptilearticles/quarantining-reptiles/ QUARANTINING REPTILES Quarantining your new acquisitions is done so that you can monitor the animals behavior, appetite, stool, and activity. It is also done to protect the animals you currently own. This is a step that can actually save your entire colony of animals, save you money, and save you time. Quarantining new animals should become an instinctive behavior by both new and experienced enthusiasts, though it is often overlooked at one time or another by all. It is a crucial step in the prevention of colony infection. Diseases like Cryptosporidium can destroy an entire collection if introduced to your reptiles. WHAT IS QUARANTINING Quarantining is the process in which you isolate the reptile you are bringing home. This is the time period in which you monitor the animal and note or treat the animal for any illness or injury that it has. Quarantining ensures that you will not spread any contagious illness or parasites to your current collection. REPTILE QUARANTINE BASICS Keep the set-up simple Keep the set-up clean Keep the setup isolated Monitor the reptile Save it for last TIME FRAME Your new reptile should be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days. Ideally, 60-90 days would be better. Once a reptile has finished the quarantine period and is deemed fit, they can be introduced into their permanent enclosure in the proximity of other reptiles. QUARANTINE SET-UP A setup designed as a quarantine tank should be very simple in design and extremely easy to clean. The goal is to use the quarantine tank as an observational area. For reptiles, the quarantine tank should consist of the bare essentials. The enclosure itself should be made of solid plastic or glass. Old fish tanks are great quarantine tanks. Avoid wooden enclosures as quarantine tanks as they are difficult to clean. QUARANTINE TANK The best substrate to use for a quarantine tank is either no substrate, or paper towel. This makes cleaning a breeze, allows complete visibility to monitor the reptiles feces, and is a complete risk free substrate from impaction. The rest of the enclosure should be limited to a hide, a water bowl, and feeder dish (If required.) A calcium dish should be part of a leopard geckos quarantine tank. Climbing branches and other decor should not be in the quarantine tank. Continued next page October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
The tank above is an example quarantine setup for a leopard gecko. The tank is a 32 quart Sterilite tub heated with a human heat pad. It contains a hide directly over the heat source, a moist hide/cool hide, a calcium dish, a mealworm dish, a disposable water dish, and paper towel as a substrate. The example shows how simple the enclosure can be for the quarantine period. This setup is easy to clean and maintain. Holes have been drilled into the sides of the Sterilite for air circulation, and the cover also has holes drilled into it. CLEANLINESS Your quarantine tank should be cleaned daily. Remove any feces (after looking it over) from the enclosure, change the water, remove any dead insects, and make sure the tank itself is clean. You want to be able to monitor the animal as closely as possible. The cleaner the tank is, the easier it will be to monitor the reptile. ISOLATION It is best to isolate the reptile from the rest of your collection. This is best done by placing the quarantine tank in a separate room from where you house your other reptiles. It doesn't stop there however. You should also be isolating what items come into contact with the quarantine tank. You should never use the same cleaning materials between a quarantine tank and those that house the rest of your collection. The same is true for water and feeding dishes. This could result in indirect contact with a parasite or illness. MONITORING Make sure you spend some time watching the reptile in quarantine. Watch how he hunts/eats, make sure he isn't lethargic, and ensure that he is alert when you disturb him. Reptiles in general are experts at hiding illness. This is how they survive in the wild. Make it a point to ensure that the animal is behaving normally and that its stool appears "normal". THE LAST STOP When cleaning your enclosures, save the quarantine tank for last. This will help reduce the chance of indirect contact. Also save the quarantined animal for last when you are working with your collection. You want to limit any possible exposure between the new reptile and your current collection. By making the quarantined reptile the last stop, you are placing distance between any accidental exposure. PERSONAL HYGIENE It is always a good practice to use an antibacterial soap to wash your hands after every handling session you have with a reptile or its enclosure. It is especially important to maintain proper hygiene protocol when dealing with an animal in quarantine. The accidental spreading of a disease or parasite could come from direct or indirect contact with another animal, or its supplies in your collection. Avoid this by washing your hands every time you leave the quarantine area. It is crucial that you maintain strict protocol when quarantining. A single parasite that has been introduce to your collection could cost you extreme amounts of money in vet bills, delayed breeding programs, and could even result in the death of one or more animals in your collection. Quarantining is very simple to do and can save you a great deal of headaches. Be vigilant and quarantine all new reptiles!
If you do find mites, take the proper steps to avoid having it move to other animals. Many of us use Provent-a-mite if we believe an animal may be infested. It can be purchased many places, such as at LLL Reptiles on-line. They have a video which describes the process at http:// www.lllreptile.com/products/391-provent-a-mite Proper quarantine procedures should ALWAYS be used when introducing a new animal into your collection! This includes enclosures, furnishings, substrate, cleaning materials, feeding tools, and YOU!
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Quarantine Suggestions (Editor’s Note—this was run last month as well, but we consider this to be such an important topic we are running it again) Miller, R.E. 1996. Quarantine protocols and preventive medicine procedures for reptiles, birds and mammals in zoos. Rev. Sci. Tech 15(1): 183-189 QUARANTINE PERSONNEL Ideally, a keeper should be designated to care only for quarantined animals; otherwise, a keeper should attend quarantined animals only after fulfilling responsibilities for resident species. Equipment used to feed and clean animals in quarantine should be used only with these animals. If this is not possible, then equipment must be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant (as designated by the veterinarian supervising quarantine) before use with post-quarantine animals. Institutions must take precautions to minimize the risk of exposure of animal handling personnel to zoonotic diseases which may be present in newly-acquired animals. These precautions should include the use of disinfectant footbaths, the wearing of appropriate protective clothing and masks (in some cases), and minimizing physical exposure in some species (e.g. with primates, by the use of chemical rather than physical restraint). A programme of tuberculin testing and surveillance must be established for zoo/aquarium employees, to ensure the health of both the employees and the animal collection. QUARANTINE PROTOCOL During the quarantine period, certain prophylactic measures should be instituted. Individual faecal samples, or representative samples from large numbers of individuals housed in a limited area (e.g. birds of the same species in an aviary or frogs in a terrarium), should be collected, on at least two occasions, and examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Treatment should be prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Ideally, release from quarantine should be dependent on obtaining two negative faecal results at a minimum interval of two weeks, either initially or after parasiticide treatment. In addition, all animals should be evaluated for ectoparasites and should receive appropriate treatment, if necessary. Vaccinations should be updated as appropriate for each species (1). If the animal arrives without a vaccination history, it should be treated as being immunologically naive and should be given an appropriate series of vaccinations. Whenever possible, blood should be collected and sera stored in a freezer (not frost-free) at either - 70ÅãC or - 20ÅãC. Such sera could provide an important resource for retrospective disease evaluation. The quarantine period also presents an opportunity to identify permanently all unmarked animals, when anaesthetized or restrained (e.g. tattoo, ear notch, ear tag). Also, whenever animals are restrained or immobilized, a complete physical examination, including dental examination, should be performed. Complete medical records of all animals should be kept, and should be available for consultation during the quarantine period. Necropsy should be performed, under the supervision of a veterinarian, on all animals which die during quarantine; representative tissues should be submitted for histopathological examination. QUARANTINE PROCEDURES Evaluation of faecal samples for parasites is required for each species. Ideally, at least two negative results should be obtained from samples taken with a minimum 14-day interval, although other protocols are necessary for some parasite infestations. As noted above, all appropriate vaccinations should be performed. Recommendations and suggestions for appropriate quarantine procedures for several animal groups are presented below. This is extremely important. ALWAYS work with newly acquired animals last. Rubber gloves are cheap! Discard between use (don’t try to re-use them).
October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Online Classifieds In addition to ads in the newsletter, MHS provides online classifieds via the forums. A valid login (provided to current members) is required to both post and read ads. http://www.mnherpsoc.org/forums/members/classifieds October 2016
Volume 36 Number 10
Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application New
Name
Renewal
Address
Membership #
City, State, Zip
Type
Phone
List in MHS Directory? Yes No Contact information only? Yes No
Check # Herp related interests
Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year)
Contributing ($40/year) Basic ($20/year)
Corresponding Memberships: Commercial ($25/year, 2 business card ads/year) Required check info. Drivers Lic #
State
DOB
Please enclose the proper payment with your application. Make checks payable to MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Membership is for 12 months from the date of approval. A receipt will be sent only upon request. Mail To: Minnesota Herpetological Society, C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.
Rodents! Order your MHS Rodents today! Ordering by phone? See the new phone number below. Mice Pinkies Fuzzies Hoppers Adult
Weight 2-3 grams 5-7 grams 8-11 grams 25-30 grams
Price $7/dz $7/dz $8/dz $10/dz
Rats Small Adult Med. Adults Large Adult Jumbo
Weight 50-60 grams 125-150 grams 200-240 grams 250-350 grams
Price $18/dz $22/ 10 rats $17/ 6 rats $16/ 5 rats
For pickup at monthly meetings only. Orders may be placed via: 1. At the meeting for the following month 2. Online at www.MnHerpSoc.org
Orders MUST be placed 10 days in advance of the meeting to guarantee availability. We no longer keep an inventory of rodents on hand, so if you attempt to place an order after the deadline, there is no way to fill it.
Advertising Policies MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health or legality of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHS Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to space limitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission. Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of charge as space permits. Ads may be run three (3) consecutive months, after which time they may be resubmitted. Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Membership Secretary at the general meeting or mailed to: Minnesota Herpetological Society, C/O Bell Museum of Natural History. 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is the night of the General Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checks payable to: Minnesota Herpetological Society. Advertising Costs Size Cost Business Card Sized $5/month or $55/year* 1/4 Page $10/month or $110/year* 1/2 Page $20/month or $220/year* Full Page $40/month or $440/year*
MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET SE MINNNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104
Next Meeting:
Save the dates!
Friday October 7th - 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall U of M St. Paul Campus
Friday November 4th—General Meeting & Election Friday December 2nd—General Meeting Saturday December 3rd—Holiday Banquet
MHS Voice Mail:
MHS Web Page:
612.326.6516
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