Vol. 35 (2015), No. 12

The newsletter of the

Minnesota Herpetological Society

December Meeting Notice December 4th December Meeting Speaker Carl Franklin—Mexico's coolest and most enigmatic reptile Banquet December 5th Carl Franklin—Custodian of Eden or preposterous pipe dream?

Letter from the President page 5 Mission & Vision Statement page 6 Kids’ Activity Pages starting page 10 2016 Meeting Dates page 13

December 2015

Volume 35

Number 12

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 — Carl Franklin Mexico’s Coolest and Most Enigmatic Reptile December 4th, 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.

Born at an early age, Carl Franklin set out for a career that would allow him to spend time afield, enjoy nature and live life on his own terms. Carl is a herpetologist, biological curator and collections manager of the Amphibian and Reptile diversity research center at the University of Texas at Arlington.

He has been a keeper at the acclaimed Fort Worth Zoo herpetarium and a research technician for the Dallas Zoo's herpetarium. He has published dozens of peer reviewed papers regarding the ecology, geographic distribution and natural history of numerous species of amphibians and reptiles as well as dozens of non peer reviewed publications pertaining to the herpetoculture of several species and two books both on turtles.

While his primary herpetological interest are chelonian inspired Carl often spends an inordinate amount of time afield in the collecting expeditions responsible for the discovery of several new species of amphibians and reptiles and assisting others in their research. This often provides ample opportunty to photographically document lots of ectotherrmic eye candy as well as experience lots of different food! When not afield the native Texan enjoys spending time with his wife of 25 years, their 16 year old son, dogs and of course turtles.

Dr. Amy Kizer—Common Captive Reptile Diseases Submitted by Nancy Haig

Dr Kizer first became involved with reptiles while working as an aquarist at Underwater World at the Mall of America when they decided to have a reptile display called “Ghosts of the Swamp” and she was put in charge of the exhibit which included a large albino crocodile on loan from Louisiana.

The main reasons most veterinarians do not like to work with reptiles is because of the great diversity in types of animals and the long term care required to treat them. Dr. Kizer covered the main areas of concern and the groups of animals normally seen in pet care practice. The most common reasons for seeking veterinary care are Anorexia - not eating and Lethargy- what does that mean in a reptile?

The most common causes of disease in reptiles are Husbandry/ dietary related issues.

What is Husbandry? Husbandry includes all the components necessary for maintaining a healthy pet; diet and environment; and knowing the needs of the species. As Dr. Kizer pointed out the husbandry needs of a Red Eared Slider is very different than the needs of a snake. Dietary needs of reptiles can vary immensely. General December 2015

examples include: Carnivores- snakes; Herbivores - iguanas, tortoises; Omnivores- box turtle, bearded dragons; and Insectivore- chameleons, leopard geckos. The environmental needs of the animal must also be known- where does it live?

What type of a set-up does it need: Desert; Rainforest; Arboreal or Aquatic? Does it need a water bowl or a hide box? What type of substrate would be best?

Most vets do not need to ask these questions about dogs and cats but it is very important when asking about the care of a reptile. Dr Kizer finds it very helpful if clients bring in photos for answering questions about the caging set-up.

Photoperiods are important in metabolic and reproductive activities for some species.

Reptiles need a heat source that is not light dependent as a constant light can be stress full. There is a lot of reproductive diseases that can be caused by not having enough heat at night or not having a good light/ dark cycle. Humidity is another issue for some species, especially in the Minnesota winter. A humidity meter is recommended, do not guess!

Rainforest species usually require increased humidity.

Volume 35 Number 12

UVB spectrum lighting is used for vitamin D sources that help the animal to process and use calcium. Although nothing compares to natural sunlight a UVB bulb can come close. Look for wavelengths of 290 -310 to activate vitamin D. The bulbs should be changed 3-4 times a year for best exposure and basking spots should be located directly under the bulb since the center produces the UVB. (A UVB 7 means only the center 7% produces the UVB). Also important is POTZ- Preferred Optimal Temperature Zone-the thermal gradient that is best for metabolic function. Reptiles are ectothermic –depending on outside temperature to regulate their body heat.

There should always be a hot and cool side to the caging set-up. Hot rocks are not recommended as they can cause severe burns. Pet owners need to become familiar with the POTZ requirements of the various species they keep.

Observations for general groups.

Snakes are true carnivores but their diets can vary by species.

Most pet snakes will eat mice or rats but be prepared to know what the natural diet is in case of feeding issues. Feed frozen thawed not live as there can injuries caused by live rodents. No heat rocks. Dysecdysis is an incomplete shed, it can be caused by an underlying disease or by a husbandry issue such as inappropriate heat temperature, or prey item (too large). IBD –Inclusion Body Disease- is a virus usually found in boa species and thought to be an air borne contagious disease. It can cause neurological and respiratory problems and is usually confirmed through a blood smear test.

Turtle/Tortoises Owners need to know the diet requirements as well as the eating abilities. Most water turtles need to eat in the water not on land. Calcium intake is very important. Tortoises need water. They can go a long time with very little signs of sub-clinical dehydration then suddenly get very sick, usually with urate bladder stones or kidney stones. They need a high fiber diet, too much fruit can cause loose stools. Box turtles need calcium and vitamin supplements.

Most commonly seen is Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism- or(MBD) Metabolic Bone Disease a combination of bad nutrition and lack of proper lighting. If an animal does not get enough calcium thru the diet the body will start taking it from stored places in the structures, such as December 2015

shells and bones. Low vitamin A (Hypovitaminosis A) presents itself as swollen or closed eyes is also common. Other issues could be ingested foreign bodies, Gout, Constipation and Egg binding.

Egg Binding is often very common in Lizards as well as constipation due to ingesting substrate.

Dr Kizer is not a fan of calcisand, having had to administer laxatives to Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons that had become impacted with it. Most common dietary diseases come from crickets not being properly gut-loaded with supplements. This can cause Hypovitaminosis A and Hypocalcemia. Abscesses and granuloma can also be caused by bad substrate. For Omnivore lizards poor growth can come from an insect only diet so a balance of insects and plant material should be offered. For Insectivore lizards a variety of bugs should be offered but beware of what type of bugs you are feeding, lightning bugs are toxic as well as some types of spiders. Although Calcium and Vitamin supplementation is important, these items can also be overdone. It is important to know just what is in the supplement mixture and what the dosages are.

Quarantine is very important in preventing disease transmissions. Diseases can be transferred through the air, by direct contact and by fomites. Fomites are articles or objects being used in the handling or cleaning of animals or the surrounding area, such as gloves, tongs, sponges, water bowls etc. It is a good practice not to handle or clean new animals before the rest of your collection. It is better to house quarantined animals in a separate room and to use separate equipment and clean them on different days. Use a good disinfectant. Diluted Bleach is good ( ½ cup bleach to 1 gallon water). Do not use formalin, phenol based (Lysol) or ammonia based products on any surface that will come in contact with an animal as they can sometimes be toxic. Be sure to rinse well. A good quarantine usually lasts 30 -60 days, keep the animal in a simple set-up that can be cleaned often, watch for normal activity, good appetite and weight gain. Take a stool sample in to test for parasites.

Dr. Amy Kizer can be reached at Lexington Pet Clinic, or amy.kizer@lexingtonpetclinic.com Volume 35 Number 12

Notice of Annual Meeting and Elections The Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Herpetological Society was held November 13, 2015. This was also the election of the MHS Board of Directors for 2016. 56 ballots were recorded as given out. 49 ballots came back.

The Minnesota Herpetological Society Board of Directors for 2016 is: President- Misi Stine, Vice-president- Jim Soos, Recording Secretary- Nancy Haig, Membership Secretary -Lavania Beguhl, Treasurer- Rae Rueber, Newsletter Editor- Ellen Heck, Members-at-Large- Lois Hall, Rebecca Markowitz, Casey Sievert, Chris Smith.

Letter from the President As we approach the end of the year, it is a good time to reflect on the highlights of my first year as MHS president. I am proud of the progress our organization has made. At the November meeting the MHS Board adopted the MHS Strategic Plan which is published in this month’s newsletter. The journey to formulate this plan was complex and challenging, as well as rewarding. We were excited to explore the organization and to reach out to the members to gain input with each step. Strategic planning is a dynamic process with periodic reviews and revisions to maintain relevance, make sure we are meeting the goals, and make course corrections along the way. The plan will be reviewed at least annually, and the committees responsible for implementing the goals will regularly report to the board. The Board will continue to reach out to MHS members for ideas and feedback over the course of this three year plan. We realize there are so many great ideas and needs to fulfill, and the MHS Board and members will strive to do our best, working hard and creatively to implement the goals of this strategic plan.

I am pleased to report that we can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel for launching the new website. There have been some unexpected struggles to work through and we are excited to see it coming together. I know that members have experienced frustration with things not working so well on occasion, but if you can hang in there a little while longer, we are almost there!

The annual field survey was very special. This year we found the first timber rattlesnakes. I can personally say that being present to witness the beauty of those animals in their natural setting was something I will forever geek out about!

Finally, and most importantly, I have had the opportunity to get to know members like you better.

What makes an organization great is its members and the passion they have for its mission. I am grateful to be part of this.

Looking forward to 2016, the MHS Strategic Plan will also be published in the January newsletter, and the membership will vote on the plan at that time. The MHS board is currently working to update MHS Bylaws to be more relevant and consistent with the organization’s Vision and Mission. The revisions will be published in the newsletter and membership will have the to opportunity for feedback and to vote on that, as well, in the coming months.

Thank you for your engagement in MHS and your enthusiasm for herps--today and as we move towards the future!

Misi Stine MHS President

December 2015

Click to view updated Strategic Plan Volume 35 Number 12

Minnesota Herpetological Society Vision Statement The vision of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to protect reptiles and amphibians through conservation and education, and promote and support responsible herpetoculture.

Mission Statement The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to: Provide educational programs that promote appreciation and proper care of reptiles and amphibians Support the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians Facilitate the protection, and if necessary the rescue of reptiles and amphibians

Minnesota Herpetological Society Strategic Plan 2016-2019 Governance Goal Over the next three years, the Governance Committee will improve the governance of MHS to reflect the growing and changing needs of the organization. The committee will update the by-laws and policies, institute board education and development, complete a review of board structure, implement meeting efficiency practices, and complete the Charity Review Council accountability standards review process.

Education Program Goal Over the next three years, the Education Committee will improve the educational program to better meet the needs of the volunteer educators and to reach a wider audience in a more efficient and effective manner. In the next year, at least 20 information sheets on common species will be developed. In the next two years, the committee will make available to volunteer educators education program information that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Membership and Marketing Goal Over the next three years, the Membership and Marketing Committee will improve the experience of current membership and increase membership by 20% over the 2015 total number of members.

The committee will develop a plan to increase market presence and brand recognition through social media and by creating partnerships to increase visibility and awareness. The committee will work with the web developer to ensure that phase one of the website plan is fully developed and implemented.

Conservation Fundraising Goal Over the next three years, the Conservation Committee will increase fundraising to support an annual conservation investment of $40,000. This will quadruple MHS’ current conservation efforts (approximately $10,000). The committee will investigate and implement a varied fundraising strategy to help meet this goal. Funds will go towards the MHS conservation grants program, mitigation of impacts of roads on amphibians and reptiles, and other on-the-ground conservation efforts, either directly or through conservation partner-lead initiatives.

Adopted: November 19, 2015 December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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 December, 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

Naughty or Nice gets serious this year

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.

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

RenFest Roundup Submitted by Rae Rueber

2015 was an amazing year for MHS at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Record breaking attendance at the Festival resulted in us raising $7466 for the Society! This is just over a thousand dollars more than 2014’s total! Our Sulcata tortoises continue to be a huge hit with the public, collectively being responsible for over $3000 of the money brought in.

Volunteer turnout was great in 2015 as well. We saw many new faces in addition the wonderful long term volunteers who return year after year. 81 amazing hard working volunteers worked thousands of hours to educate the public and introduce them to our animals. In particular, Donna Calander logged over 100 hours in the tortoise pen talking about some of the smaller turtles and tortoises. Also Ellen Heck logged over 100 hours between spending time in the gator pond with her alligator, Bobber, and helping walk the larger Sulcatas.

Como Cottage was also blessed with a number of younger volunteers this year. It’s always wonderful to see the next generation join us in sharing their love of these wonderful animals. A big thank you to both the kids and teens who come out to help us, as well as the parents who support them in doing so.

If you have ever thought about coming out to volunteer at the Ren Fest, please keep in mind that 2016 will very likely be the last season at our current location. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience the magic of our current grounds.

But do not panic! We have every intention and every reason to believe that we will continue to be part of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival when it moves to its new location. We do not know yet the exact location of the new festival; we will do our best to keep you updated as information becomes available.

If you are interested in volunteering in 2016 or have any other question, please contact Rae Rueber at cottage@mnherpsoc.org.

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule Chuck and Dons: Northfield—Saturday December 12th 12-2pm. Northfield, MN Groveland Park Elementary Science Night—Thursday January 28th 5-7pm. 2045 St Clair Ave, St Paul, 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.

Possible solution to Chytridiomycosis In an first-of-its-kind victory, a team of biologists has figured out how to clear ponds of the lethal chytrid fungus that’s decimating amphibian populations worldwide http://gizmodo.com/biologists-found-a-crazy-solution-to-that-deadly-amphib-1743160394? utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_twitter&utm_source=gizmodo_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow Read the actual letter here http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/11/11/20150874

Netflix Currently Streaming Documentary on Black Mambas For those who subscribe to Netflix, the Smithsonian Channel’s 2013 documentary “Black Mambas: Kiss of Death” is currently available for streaming. If you can get past the rather melodramatic title (the local term for a mamba bite) the documentary itself is actually pretty good. It focuses on an area in South Africa known as Mamba Valley during the “silly season” (the time of year the snakes are active) and follows a gravid female as she is caught by local snake experts from a back yard and relocated to a mamba sanctuary.

Netflix is also streaming an interesting documentary on the incidents that occurred on the Galapagos island of Floreana in the 1930’s. The title of the film “The Galapagos Affair: Satan came to Eden” pretty much sums it up.

Gator Humor Because really, who doesn’t love reptile humor? http://www.superheronation.com/category/comedy/reptile-humor/

Herps Make the Grade on US Postage Stamps One of the 2016 Forever Stamp booklets features pets of all kinds—and 4 of the 20 stamps are herps. Granted, in the description they are probably what is being referred to as “slightly frightening” but it is a start! https://www.facebook.com/USPSStamps/? fref=photo

Can crocodiles be trained as prison guards?

Apparently the prison officials in Indonesia seem to think so. At the very least they are more intimidating than regular human guards. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p037rxtc

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

MHS Reports and Announcements Save the Dates!

These are the proposed meeting dates for 2016: January 8th* February 5th March 4th April 1st

May 6th June 3rd July 8th* August 5th

September 9th* October 7th November 4th December 2nd, 3rd

*because of a holiday, the meeting is not the first Friday of the month

MHS to host 2017 Midwest Herpetological Symposium We will need volunteers to work on various committees—finding a venue, setting a theme and booking speakers, providing food and entertainment, handling publicity, etc. If you would be interested in helping out, please contact Misi at President@mnherpsoc.org The 2016 Symposium will be hosted by the Chicago Herp Society.

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

MHS Reports and Announcements Minutes of the October 3, 2015, MHS Board of Directors Meeting Bryn Mawr Community Gathering Place Attending: Misi Stine, Mike Rohweder, Nancy Haig, Lavania Beguhl, Lois Hall, Emily Roberts, Chris Smith, Visitors attending: Brad Stine, Jeff LeClere, Rebecca Markowitz Meeting was called to order at 6:25pm Brad Stine Web Report Review of Website status by Brad Stine (Unison Net): The .org move has been completed. The .com section has complications with malware and imbedded forum issues. Membership data base was transferred via Lavania laptop. Future items were discussed.

Old Business: Review of Website- Brad Stine- see above. Continuation of website issues for board tasks. The board needs to work on: documenting what tasks need to be managed on the website; what issues/problems we are having; how to archive and what to retain for electronic records, historic content and accessibility requirements.

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 501( c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to: provide educational programs that promote appreciation and proper care of reptiles and amphibians; support the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians; facilitate the protection, and if necessary the rescue, of reptiles and amphibians.

Vision- The Vision of The Minnesota Herpetological Society is to protect reptiles and amphibians, through conservation and education, and promote and support responsible herpetoculture.

Motion: to approve the Mission and Vision statements of the Minnesota Herpetological Society as stated. Seconded, passed.

New Business: MHS storage space: Discussion for acquiring a centralized location storage space to hold General MHS items.

Grants: Chris Smith emailed the grant requests to the Board.

Motion: to accept Tony Gamble as the new Grant Chairperson. Seconded passed. The board then reviewed the proposed grants and Tony’s recommendations.

Motion: to decline Ashley Smith’s proposal for “Comparing Differentiation of Freshwater Mussels and their host”. Seconded, passed. One abstained- Chris Smith.

Motion: to approve Dan Keyler’s proposal for $1,500.00 for “ Hypnale Venom: A Key to improving Antivenom for Sri Lanka” Seconded, passed , one abstained-Chris Smith.

Motion: to approve Margaret Edwards’ proposal for $1,500.00 for “Occupancy modeling to inform the restoration of Oak Savannah, Prairie, and Oak Woodland Restoration at Sand Dunes State Forest for Species in Greatest Conservation Need.” Seconded, passed, one abstain- Chris Smith.

Agreement with Eden Bio-Creations: Contract with Eden Bio-Creations regarding MHS providing shed snake skins for their use. Contract to be posted to MHS documents.

Motion: to approve the Agreement with Eden Bio-Creations with Lois Hall as representative for the Minnesota Herpetological Society. Seconded, passed.

Nominations for 2016 Board positions: President- Misi Stine, Vice-President- Jim Soos, Recording Sec- Nancy Haig, Membership Sec- Lavania Beguhl, Treasurer- Rae Rueber, Newsletter Editor- Ellen Heck, Member-at Large (4) Chris Smith, Lois Hall, Rebecca Markowitz.

November Meeting: The November General/Annual Meeting is scheduled for Friday November 13, 2015. Elections will take place using our current procedure. The Nov 14, 2015 Board Meeting at 6:00pm. Will be held at Lois Halls house.

Attorney questions: The suggested revisions to the bylaws 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.

Motions made on the forum.

10/09 -10/12 I motion we allocate up to $850 to reserve and use the Spring Lake Park VFW with the items outlined here: http://www.mnherpsoc.com/content/vfw-comparisons#comment-3110 for our 2015 holiday banquet. Seconded, (5 votes on forum, one emailed vote- Lois Hall)- 6 votes / quorum met – passed.

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

MHS Reports and Announcements November Adoption Report

October 2015 Treasurer’s Report

Submitted by Beth Girard

Submitted by Rae Rueber

Twenty-eight animals were surrendered to the MHS Adoption Program this month. Four fostered snakes were also returned for a total of thirty-two animals. Thirteen animals found permanent homes, six turtles were outsourced, and thirteen animals were added to our foster log.

Nine lizards were surrendered. Two older bearded dragons were in very poor condition and were placed in Special Care with two wonderful veterinary technicians prior to the meeting. The other seven animals were offered at the meeting, including a Termite Hill Gecko and a Veiled Chameleon.

Twelve snakes were surrendered to MHS this month. All four of the foster returns were also snakes. This included eight ball pythons, six common boas, and a normal corn snake. One additional snake, a rosy boa, was held back for medical reasons. We hope it will be available for adoption at the December meeting!

Seven turtles were also surrendered. The two smallest, a painted and a red-eared slider, were available at the meeting. We have found the smell and noise generated by the red-eared sliders to be distracting in the back of the room during the presentation. When possible we will outsource the red-eared sliders over 4” before the meeting. If you are interested in adopting a slider, please let an adoption committee member know and we will do our best to accommodate you in your search.

We changed our procedures for adoptions at the October meeting. Our goals include …

Beginning Balance

$26,116.05

Income: Raffle Donations-Public Donations-Ren Fest Ren Fest-Income Membership Rodent Sales Holiday Banquet Interest on Savings Total Income

$52.75 $45.00 $1,366.58 $1,375.00 $180.00 $644.00 $10.00 $0.29 $3,673.62

Expense: Program Ren Fest Supplies Paypal Fees Wesite Total Expense

Cash Increase/Decrease Ending Balance

$50.00 $410.01 $4.11 $14.95 $479.07 $3,194.55 $29,310.60

Placement of Cash Holdings Checking $10,994.36 Having the adoption animals set up and ready Savings $17,487.13 for viewing no later than 6:40pm, giving Paypal $639.11 members at least twenty minutes to view Cash on Hand $190.00 them prior to the start of the meeting; $29,310.60 Collecting all Adoption Request Forms before Total the speaker begins; Having all animal determinations made within a few minutes of the beginning of the break.

Board Meeting In December the Holiday Banquet will be held Please feel free to contact the Adoption Chair with on Saturday the 5th, so there will be no board comments or suggestions meeting. The next board meeting will be held ( beth_girard@msn.com ) 6pm January 9th at a location to be determined Thank you to everyone who took an animal home Everyone is welcome to attend the board meetthis month. MHS could not offer the adoption pro- ing. We encourage you to come check it out. gram without the full support of its members!!!

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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 December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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! December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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).

December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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 December 2015

Volume 35 Number 12

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 December 5th - 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus

Saturday December 5th—Banquet Friday January 8th—General Meeting

MHS Voice Mail: 612.326.6516

MHS Web Page: www.MnHerpSoc.org

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1991+Upper+Buford+Cir+Borlaug+Hall,+St+Paul,+MN+55108/data=!4m2!3m1!

1s0x52b32c825aed970b:0x4b735a53f8224939?sa=X&ei=5r2mVMGtF8SsyATrmoGgAw&ved=0CGgQ8gEwCg