Vol. 35 (2015), No. 11

The newsletter of the

Minnesota Herpetological Society

November Meeting Notice General Meeting & Elections November 13th November Speaker Dr Amy Kizer—Common Captive Reptile Diseases Letter from the President page 4 Holiday Banquet Sign-up page 5

November 2015

Volume 35

Number 11

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Misi Stine 952.217.1267 President@mnherpsoc.org Vice President Mike Rohweder 651.491.9089 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 Members at Large Rose Maunu MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.org Lois Hall 612.824.1447 MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org Emily Roberts 715.808.4681 MemberAtLarge1@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 San Diego Zoo Global; all rights reserved 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 — Dr. Amy Kizer Common Captive Reptile Diseases November 13th, 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.

Dr. Kizer graduated in 2002 from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to her work at Lexington Pet Clinic, Dr. Kizer is also the staff veterinarian for Sea Life Aquarium in the Mall of America. She is a sought out speaker in exotic and aquatic animal medicine and is an instructor at the University of Minnesota in non-traditional pets. She resides in Savage with her family which includes three children, an assortment of furred and finned critters, and a very patient husband!

Emily Roberts and Terry Odegaard Submitted by Nancy Haig

October’s General Meeting was geared towards our younger members. The speaker programs showcased two of our own members who have businesses doing educational programs featuring reptiles and amphibians.

Emily Roberts is the creator of Snake Discovery, She presented a hands on experience for the 18 kids that came up to sit in a semi-circle in the front of the room. Her animals included a: Tiger salamander, Blue-spotted salamander; Albino Milksnake, African egg-eating snake, and a Common Boa. The highlight was when she had a volunteer feed a frozen fish to a Garter snake and it ate it right before our eyes. For more information about Emily’s Snake Discovery programs check out SnakeDiscovery.com Terry Odegaard continued the program with an overview of native Minnesota species. Mike Rohweder played Vanna and walked the animals around the room while Terry described aspects of each animal. Terry presented a: Wood Turtle, Tiger Salamander, Painted Turtles, Common Map Turtle, Snapping Turtle, Spiny Softshell, Praire Skink, 5-lined skink, Western Hognose, adult and Hatchling Eastern Milksnakes, Blue Racer, Green Snake, Foxsnake and a North American Ratsnake (Black Rat snake). Terry’s business card can be found in the classifieds in our newsletter, he can be contacted at (612) 840-7674.

The night continued with several members doing “Critter of the Month” which is a great way to show off your own “Herps. Presenting animals were: Tony Beguhl- Albino Burmese Python; Zippa Curiskis and Lois Hall- Western Hognose, Bullsnake and a Cornsnake; Chris Smith- Timber rattlesnake, and a “Halloween Lizard” (Gila Monster). Lavania Beguhl had a “name the snake contest for her Kingsnake.” There were photo opportunities with live animals after thepresentations.

“Critter of the Month” is a time for members to show off their herps. All you need to do is bring your animals to the Friday meeting in a secure display box, sign up on the critter of the month sheet in the front of the room and then stand up and talk about your animal when the president calls out your name. Be prepared to answer questions about what type of animal it is, what’s its name, where it is from (found in nature) and what it eats or how you care for it. Animals in display boxes are usually viewed during the break or after the meeting depending on when critter of the month is scheduled for the meeting.

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Letter from the President Strategic planning is a process that helps define the goals and objectives an organization wants to accomplish. It also reveals the beliefs and values held by the stakeholders. Many MHS members have participated in conversations and/or given feedback via surveys in this process. A theme has emerged revealing that one group of members sees MHS as a club, and feels that it should remain a club and not expand into larger activities. The other group sees MHS as an important and necessary community service organization that should advocate for amphibians and reptiles in a much more formal way by educating and promoting conservation. Both groups are passionate in their opinions on this matter.

In my role as president, I feel it is my duty to not only lead the organization in its efforts to fulfill its mission, but to also help the members, and other stakeholders, meet their needs. I have been thinking long and hard about this challenge; to bring together these two ideas about the basic character of MHS and create greater cohesiveness among the members. From my perspective, both ideas about MHS are relevant and necessary to the success of the organization and are not mutually exclusive.

For MHS to be an effective community service organization it needs to have that sense of community/club built underneath that supports that work. The community/club needs the community service organization to step up and to protect the hobby, educate the general public about herps, and help protect and conserve wild herps.

There is no other organization in Minnesota that is as passionate or devoted to herps as MHS. I ask the membership to work together to integrate these two MHS identities by engaging in productive and significant ways so, ultimately, the needs of both groups are met.

I would like to focus the coffee conversation on this topic and invite you to come and talk with us about this topic. We will be holding this coffee conversation on Wednesday November 18th 2015 from 6:30-8:00pm, please RSVP if you want to attend by November 14th to president@mnherpsoc.org and I will share the address with you.

Thank you for your commitment and passion for MHS and herps--today and as we move towards the future!

Misi Stine President

Snake Sheds Wanted Eden Bio-Creations (https://edenbiocreations.com/ ) has asked if MHS members would be willing to give snake sheds of all sizes, and species to them to produce their shed textile products, like cell phone covers. In return MHS would receive a donation for each product sold using our members snake sheds. Here is a video on the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J59mMc92xZU#t=119 For those of you willing to share your sheds with MHS for this program a box will be made available at the monthly meetings, starting in November, to collect them for this group. Here is what we need when you bring in your sheds: 1. each shed is placed in it's own Ziploc baggie, and labeled with the species 2. be sure that the shed is does not have any large chunks of feces on it 3. All sizes of sheds are accepted, 4. Please feel free to submit even if torn (include all the pieces), as they can be put back together.

If you have any questions about this please direct them to Lois Hall at MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

MHS Holiday Banquet Saturday December 5th 2015 6:00pm-10:00pm LOCATION:

Kraus-Hartig VFW 8100 Pleasant Dr. NE Spring Lake Park, MN 55432

MENU:

Buffet style menu catered by Dan Good Catering **vegetarian option available – indicate on sign up if desired Cash Bar available Cost is $10 per adult And $5 for kids under 11 years old Or Register through PayPal http://www.mnherpsoc.org/banquet/

PRE-REGISTRATION and PAYMENT IS REQUIRED!!!!

All registrations and payments are due by 5:00pm on November 24th, and we will not be able to take walk-ins the night of the event! So please register early!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Registration form:

Member Name: ______________________________________ phone number ____________________ Number of people (including yourself): ___________________ number of adults x $10 = ______________________________ number of children x$5=_______________________________ Vegetarian option, if wanted = ___________________ Please mail registration and check to: MHS Holiday Banquet c/o Misi Stine 4840 Idaho Ave No Crystal MN 55428

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Minnesota’s 24-hour online give-a-thon, Give to the Max Day, is coming up on November 12!

Please visit https://givemn.org and give to the Minnesota Herpetological Society.

Your donation will help us further our mission to educate our membership and the general public, and promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians!

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.

We are also looking for someone to handle the rodent orders and pickup. The position includes taking the orders, maintaining the inventory (freezers are provided), ordering the rodents, picking them up and delivering them to the meeting. Time spent is 3-5 hours a month. Contact Misi Stine at President@mnherpsoc.org or Nancy Haig at RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org for more information.

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Elections and Annual Meeting The MHS elections will be held at the annual meeting November 13th, 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 13th. 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.

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Official Notice of Elections The November Meeting of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is also the Annual Membership Meeting and the Election of the Board of Directors for 2016. All current members are eligible to vote on election night. The process will involve confirming your current status and being given a ballot as you arrive at the meeting. The ballot will be read, nominations will be accepted from the floor and changes to the ballot noted. Only members that are present at the Annual Meeting may vote. The election committee will collect the completed ballots and count the totals. The Recording Secretary will then announce the final results at the meeting.

The election committee consists of the Recording Secretary and at least two MHS members that are not running for office. I am looking for volunteers to assist in confirming voters and handing out the ballots, collecting the ballots and counting them.

The current ballot is: President – Misi Stine Vice – President –Jim Soos Recording Secretary- Nancy Haig Membership Secretary- Lavania Beghul Treasurer – Rae Rueber Newsletter Editor- Ellen Heck Member at Large (4 openings) Lois Hall Rebecca Markowitz Chris Smith If you would like to run for a Board position or be part of the election committee, please contact me at RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org or talk to me at the November General Meeting. To have your name put on the ballot I will need to know by the November meeting. Thanks -Nancy

Meet the Candidates Elections are just around the corner and we want the membership to have a chance to get to know the candidates better. We have asked everyone who is running as of the deadline for the November Newsletter to write a little something so you can get to know them better: Candidate(s) for President: Misi Stine I have had the honor to serve on the board for the last two years, currently I am serving in the role as President and I would like to continue to serve in that role in 2016. The reason I am running again is because I genuinely believe in the mission of the organization and I would like to continue the work I started this year on the strategic plan. I enjoy our members and all that I am learning from them and with them.

Candidate (s) for Vice President: Jim Soos I am currently running for Vice president for the Minnesota Herpetological society. I would like to bring my years of experience to the society as I was the former Newsletter Editor in 2008-2009. I want to help guide the society in the direction in Education and Conservation and bring in a good mix of Guests to our meetings. I thank you for your time.

Continued next page November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Meet the Candidates Candidate(s) for Membership Secretary: Lavania Beguhl I would like to continue to serve MHS as membership secretary. I appreciate being surrounded by like minded people and increasing my knowledge of reptiles and amphibians. In a few years I will be applying to vet school and I would like to serve until that then because once I am in I will have to step down and take a less active role in MHS. Candidate(s) for Treasurer: Rae Rueber I am running for my second term as treasurer. I have been the como cottage chair person for four seasons. I come into this position with several years of accounting experience as well as a four year degree in accounting. I wish to serve another year as treasurer because I believe that the educational work that the organization does is important. I also want to set an example for the younger volunteers at Ren Fest and encourage them to get more involved with the organization as a whole.

Candidate(s) for Recording Secretary: Nancy Haig I have been a member of the MHS since 1984 and enjoy serving on the Board of Directors. If elected this will be my second year as Recording Secretary. It has been a learning experience for me and I have tried to record the actions of the Board and share them thru the newsletter reports. 2016 promises to be an exciting year with major strategic goals being put into place. I hope to be able to continue with the transparency of the Board activity and keep you informed and involved.

Candidate(s) for Newsletter Editor: Ellen Heck I have been a member since 1997. Although I started with RenFest, I have served on the board for a number of years in various capacities, including recording and membership secretaries.

Candidate(s) for Member at Large: Lois Hall I would like to continue serving as a Member at Large on the MHS Board of Directors in order to further the strategic planning process initiated this year. With around 30% of amphibians and reptiles critically endangered worldwide, there has never been a more important time to educate society about herps and the need for better conservation practices to protect them. An effective strategic plan will help MHS accomplish its mission in this regard.

Rebecca Markowitz I am Rebecca Markowitz and I am running for a Member at Large position on the MHS Board of Directors. I have held this position two times in the past. I have also been and Adoption Committee member for several years and am the current, as well as first, Foster Coordinator. I am very proud to be a member of the MHS and I want to be a part of this organizations current and future success.

Chris Smith I'm a professional wildlife biologist by day, with a bachelor's degree in wildlife management and a master's degree in conservation biology - both from the University of Minnesota. My work generally focuses on amphibian, reptiles, and terrestrial invertebrate conservation and research. After hours I continue to devote time to herp conservation and education and serve several herp-related organizations, including MHS. I hope to continue to serve MHS as a member of large in 2016.

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule Chuck and Dons: Northfield—Saturday November 17th 2-4pm. Northfield, MN Chuck and Dons: Hudson—Saturday November 24th 2:30-4:30pm. Hudson, WI Chuck and Dons: Mahtomedi—Saturday November 7th 11am-1pm. Mahtomedi, MN Chuck and Dons: Mahtomedi—Saturday December 5th 11am-1pm. Mahtomedi, MN 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.

Snakes Invade Art Bill Flowers (aka the Snake Artist) was born in Tasmania, Australia in 1963. Flowers works in both printmaking and painting. He has worked with comic book illustration and run his own wildlife Tshirt business before leaning towards more gallery based art. Alongside his art career, Flowers is also a venomous snake wrangler and worked with marsupial care and rescue. This has led to snakes and Tasmanian devils as a recurring theme in his art. http://www.boredpanda.com/serpent-snakes-in-famous-history-paintings-bill-flowers/ http://www.snakeartist.com/

Diary of a Snakebite Death Some of history’s boldest scientists have used their own bodies for experimentation. Isaac Newton went through a lot more than an apocryphal apple fall on the head; he once stuck a needle in his eye socket (around the eyeball, not through it) to test whether the perception of color might be due to pressure on the eye.

The late Oliver Sacks famously consumed copious hallucinogens before recording their effects on his perception.

And in 1957 Chicago, herpetologist Karl P. Schmidt recorded the effects of snake venom on his own self, after suffering a bite from a 30inch snake known as a boomslang. He died as a consequence, but his diary of those final hours lives on. An excellent video by Science Friday tells the story of the snake expert who kept a log of his quick death. http://www.konbini.com/us/inspiration/video-death-diary-snake-bite/

Fewer Crocodiles Near Turkey Point Power Plant Observers are noting a big drop in the number of crocodiles in canals around a nuclear power plant that has long been a draw for the reptiles in Florida.

Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida professor who has been studying crocodiles since the 1970s, says the number of nests around the Turkey Point nuclear plant dropped to nine in the nesting season that ended in August, from 22 a year earlier. http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20151004/NEWS/151009795?Title=Fewer-crocodilesseen-near-nuke-plant

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

MHS Reports and Announcements Minutes of the August 8, 2015, MHS Board of Directors Meeting Attending: Misi Stine, Mike Rohweder, Nancy Haig, Lavania Beguhl, Rae Rueber, Ellen Heck, Rose Maunu, Lois Hall, Emily Roberts, Chris Smith, 6 must be present for a quorum. Quorum was present.(7) Visitors attending: Bruce Haig, Rebecca Markowitz Meeting was called to order at 6:10pm Committee Reports: Recording SecretaryThe minutes for the July 11, 2015 Board Meetings were approved.

Calendar: Aug /Sept: post notices about the Midwest Herp. Symposium., the Annual Meeting and the Elections on website and newsletter. Grant requests are due by Sept 15 th. Renewal of U of M student chapter is due.

Membership Secretary: 9 new and 6 renewed members, active membership is approximately 175.

Suggestion to have all Chair reports posted as stickies in the board forum instead of being emailed. Board is to read the reports before the next board meeting to save time. Board agreed.

Old Business: Requests for Proposals (RFP)- Misi. The two proposals were reviewed Motion: to accept the Unison Net proposal including the monthly hosting and support. Seconded, passed.

Conflict of Interest work: Misi- A Disclosure statement was not fully completed. Discussion followed on what steps to take next. The president will review the options which may include contacting the chair for further information and drafting an email to the person and posting for the board to review.

November Meeting: The November General/Annual Meeting is scheduled for Friday November 6, 2015. Elections will take place using our current procedure. Changes to the process can be discussed at a future meeting. The Nov 14, 2015 Board Meeting at 6:00pm. Will be held at Lois Hall’s house. Misi will make an announcement about the change in venue.

Next steps for Strategic Plan: Misi – Drafts for the Mission and Vision Statements were discussed. The revised drafts are: Mission- The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a 501C3 nonprofit organization with a mission to provide educational programs that promote appreciation and proper care of reptiles and amphibians; to support the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians; to facilitate the protection, and if necessary the rescue, of reptiles and amphibians.

Vision- Protection of reptiles and amphibians, through conservation and education.

Promote and support herpetoculture.

Action Items: Misi to post draft statements on board forum for review. Board needs to create committees for strategic goals and begin planning steps for actions. More transparency is needed to keep membership aware of what the board is trying to accomplish. Discussion at General meetings, informal off site get-togethers, and articles in the newsletter could help to keep the membership informed.

Adoption: the review of SOP was tabled until the adoption chair could be present. Options for handling donated items from the adoption program were discussed. Using the items for sale or donations outside the society may need to be vetted through the financial/tax requirements. Adoption chair requested getting a MHS line for receiving adoption calls instead of using a private personal phone.

Motion: to get another phone line thru Skype to handle the adoption calls. Seconded, passed.

Attorney questions: The suggested revisions were emailed to the board members, future actions were tabled to a committee for further review and research. Beginning committee is Rae Rueber, Nancy Haig. Contact Rae if you wish to comment or be part of the committee. .

State Fair: Beth Girard and Terry Odegaard will be doing programs at the fair, the MHS will have a Hands-on table for one day at the fair at the DNR building.

New Business: New Board meeting space: Decision to stay with the new Uptown space until Nov. (at Lois Halls ) Concerns were for parking space during the snow months. We should keep looking for other alternatives with better parking.

Nominations for 2016 Board positions: President- Misi Stine (possible), Vice-President- open, Recording Sec- Nancy Haig, Membership Sec- Lavania Beguhl, Treasurer- Rae Rueber, Newsletter Editor- Ellen Heck, Member-at Large (4) Chris Smith, Not running- Mike Rohweder, Emily Roberts.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:05pm November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

MHS Reports and Announcements October 2015 Adoption Report

September 2015 Treasurer’s Report

Submitted by Beth Girard

Submitted by Rae Ruber

Thirty-two animals were surrendered to MHS this month.

They, along with 8 returning fosters, were presented to those attending the October 2nd general meeting for adoption. This included one baby alligator, two savannah monitors, fourteen corn snakes of which 12 were August hatchlings, two large spiny softshell turtles, a 3-toed box turtle and one 52-pound sulcata. Of course, the list was rounded out by new and returning common boas, red-eared sliders, bearded dragons and ball pythons. We did have a young pinstripe BP and a pastel BP offered. Twenty-seven of the reptiles found permanent homes. An additional seven (aquatic turtles) were outsourced. Only six needed to be placed as fosters!

New Meeting Process At the October meeting we instituted new procedures for the adoption program that we hope will expedite the entire process. We have heard from several people that they would be willing to foster animals if they did not have to wait so long after the end of the presentation for determinations to be announced. We rely on the members willing to foster animals as we continue to average more than twenty-five new animals each month.

Beginning Balance Income: Raffle Donations-Public Donations-Hands On Donations-Ren Fest Ren Fest-Income Membership Rodent Sales Interest on Savings Total Income

$21,367.00 $176.65 $112.00 $125.00 $2,777.02 $1,375.00 $480.00 $967.00 $0.29 $6,012.96

Expense: Program Rodent Sales Ren Fest Supplies #1. On the morning of the meeting, a list of the animals Refreshments for Aug Meeting available will be posted on the MHS Website in the Public and Member Forum areas under “Adoption”. You will find a Paypal Fees post (i.e.: “Adoptions for October 2015”) there with the aniWesite mals we know about at the close of Intake. A few animals Total Expense do trickle in on Friday, but they are mostly foster returns from previous months.

Cash Increase/Decrease #2. We will make every effort to be set up by 6:30pm on Ending Balance

$430.00 $644.50 $109.63 $51.93 $12.90 $14.95 $1,263.91 $4,749.05 $26,116.05

Placement of Cash Holdings Checking #4. The President will announce one last opportunity for Adoption Request Forms to be turned in just prior to the in- Savings troduction of the night’s featured speaker. A member-atPaypal large will collect them.

Cash on Hand #5. The Adoption Committee and one board member will meet briefly (outside the meeting room) during the program Total

$7,871.04 $17,486.84 $568.17 $190.00 $26,116.05

meeting nights so the animals will be available for viewing a full thirty minutes prior to the beginning of the meeting. #3. Adoption Request forms will be on the back tables.

Please turn them in as soon as possible.

to make the determinations. #6. The determinations will be announced after the speaker’s presentation, but before the break begins. Animals that are being adopted will be on the west side and animals still in need of fostering or adoption will be on the east side of the room. We will only need a few minutes after the speaker is finished to assemble the animals before you can pick up your adoption/foster animal/s.

Once again, thank you for all you do to assist the Minnesota Herpetological Society’s Adoption Program!

November 2015

Board Meeting The board meeting will be held 6pm November 14th at an undisclosed location. Please Contact Misi at President@mnherpsoc.org for if you are interested in attending.

Everyone is welcome to attend the board meeting. We encourage you to come check it out.

Volume 35 Number 11

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 November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

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!

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

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).

November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

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 November 2015

Volume 35 Number 11

Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application New

Name

Renewal

Address

Membership #

City, State, Zip

Type

Phone

Email

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 November 13th - 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus

Friday December 4th—General Meeting Saturday December 5th—Banquet

MHS Voice Mail:

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