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SEPTEMBER EWSLETTER

OCTOBER MEETING

Friday, October 3, 1986 7:00 PM Room 335, Borlaug Hall

St. Paul Campus, UrUversity of Mirmesota

VOLUlvlE VI NUr'flBER 9

The October meeting will be a two part program. TI1e videotape "Something Nobody Else Has" will be shown. This is about Alligator Snapping Turtles and their future in the wild. Dave Hoppe of the University or Mirmesota, Horris, will show some of his slides on snake feeding behavior. John Moriarty will also have slides from the recent SSAR meetings. TI16. "critter" will be neonates of 1986 and this vnll tnclude young either bred by yourself, or purchased. See you there!

'TI1e November meeting will be held at the Science Huseurn of Minnesota in St. Paul. As of now, the program is not set. There will be NO "critter" and there will be absolutely NO ANIMALS allowed at this meeting. Arter the genet~l meeting behirld the scenes tours of the muswn will be given. This should be of real in­terest! Food animals will be sold!

NOTICE

Any animals offered for sale at the monthly membership meetings ~ST be in line with the "critter" for that meeting or be pre-ordered. All business must be done at the back of the room or out of the way. We need your help on this!

Snakebite Emergency Hermepin Regional Poison Center

612-347-31/+1

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET S.E. • MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55455-0104

A LETrER li'ROM ,THE PRESIDENT

DEAR MHS MEMBERS.

AT PRESENT THE MRS TREASURY IS AT A LONG-TIME LOW. SUMMER BEING THE LOWEST

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL MONTHS, MAKES REVENUES FROM DUES MINIlrtAL. I DO NOT WANT TO

CHANGE THE PRESENT SERVICE OR LOWER THE QUALITY OF OUR SOCIETY. I TRUST THERE

IS NO NEED TO RAISE THE YEARLY DUES. SO TO AVOID DUES INCREASES, THE BOARD HAS

AGREED TO ELIMINATE THE CORRESPONDING MEMBERSHIP. EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A

MRS MEMBER MUST NOW JOIN AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR A FAMILY. THE REASONS FOLLOW.

OUR MAJOR MONTHLY EXPENSE IS THE NEWSLETTER PRINTING AND POSTAGE. BRUCE

DELLES AND A FEW OTHER VOLUNTEERS WORK HARD TO KEEP THE COST DOWN, BUT STILL

EACH NEWSLETTER COSTS 90¢ (includes printing and postage). TWELVE TIMES 9O¢ IS

$10.80 PER YEAR! MRS ALSO PUBLISHES TWO OCCASIONAL PAPERS PLUS YOUR MRS WHITE

PAGESl ALL THESE PUBLICATIONS COST MHS MUCH MUCH MORE THAN YOUR MONTHLY DUES.

MHS DOES MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE THROUGH MEMBERS WHO COME TO MONTHLY MEET­

INGS, RODENT SALES, DONATIONS, MONTHLY RAFFLE, WHITE SNAKE SALE, SPECIAL

MEMBERSHIPS, AND VOLUNTEERS. THESE ALL HELP KEEP MHS AFLOAT. TEE SHIRTS,

BUTTONS, STICKERS AND PATCH SALES DO BRING IN SOME MONIES, BUT ONLY SLOWLY PAY

OFF THEIR ORIGINAL INVESTMENT.

THE MONTHLY RAFFLE HAS BEEN DOING POORLY. WITH 80+ MEMBERS AT A MEETING,

$15.00 DOES NOT EVEN WORK OUT TO ONE RAFFLE TICKET PER PERSON! PLEASE REGARD

THE MONTHLY RAFFLE AS A CONTRIBUTION. MRS IS WORKING ON UPGRADING THE MONTHLY

PRIZES.

TO KEEP MRS THE PREMIER SOCIETY WE ARE, WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL

HELP. MRS NEEDS MORE THAN THE SAME TWO OR THREE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP GET THE

NEWSLETTER TOGETHER AND OUT. AND AGAIN, MRS NEEDS YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT I

YOUR SUPPORT IS NOTICED!

1000 THANKS

-------', ~

2

HENNEPIN

Hennepin County Med,ical Center 701 Park Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415

COPPERHEAD ENVENOMATION

On August 13,1986, at approximately 1:20 p.m., while reading in the veterinary science library, I was emergency long-distance paged to call the Hennepin Regional Poison Center. I quickly found the library desk phone and called the pOison center. The pOison information specialist told me that a snakebite victim was being transported to our medical center emergency room (ER) from the St. Louis Park Urgent Care Center, and I should consult with the Chief Emergency Room physician. Upon talking with the ER "medical staff person, I was told the patient had been bitten by a copperhead about 1:00 p.m., and that pain and swelling had started to "develop. Recommendations for the ER staff to draw blood for coagulation studies, collect a urine sample, get an electrocardiogram, take measure­ments for swelling, and to determine if the patient noticed any nausea, metallic taste, or paresthesias (tingling sensation) of the face were made. In 15 minutes time I arrived at the ER to find a healthy 25 yeOe man laying on a gurney with an intravenous line started. His left index finger was about the size of a bratwurst, with his hand being considerably swollen over the knuckles. I took some measurements of the bitten finger, hand, wrist, and forearm before asking the patient just how this bite occurred. He proceeded to tell his story as there were easily 15-20 medical staff gathered around to see what a venomous snakebite looked like. Before the story begins I want to make it clear that the patient was not under the influence of alcohol and he had not been barehandling the snake. However, he had purchased the snake just two hours prior to being bitten. The victim had put on gloves and was trying to restrain the snake in order to remove some unshed skin. During this process he said he was bitten several times, but that the venom was only running over his hand inside the glove and he didn't think the fangs were long enough to penetrate the skin. Needless to say a fang finally caught him in the left index finger. At this point in time, the victim removed the gloves, cut open the bitten area, forced the wound to bleed, and placed a II snakebite kitll suction cup over the wound. The suction cup was still in place when the patient arrived in the ER. Approximately 15 minutes had passed since the start of the patient's story so I took some more measurements.

r/

There was no increase in any of the circumferences measured, and the patient had no symptoms other than an extremely swollen finger and severe pain. The laboratory tests showed no abnormalities of the blood or urine, and the electrocardiogram was normal. Since the victim's vital signs were stable and there was no evidence of systemic toxicity, we decided not to administer antivenom, but rather admit the patient for 24-hour observation. Through the night the patient experienced considerable pain, and mild discoloration developed around the bite. By morning, however, the swelling had decreased and the pain diminished. The patient was discharged from the hospital.

E E UNTY on <lquol opportunity (lmploY(lf

3

2

Bites from copperheads are fairly common in some parts of the U.S. as there are five ~aces .' sca ttered about, but none are i ndi genous to Minnesota. They are found in the neighboring state of Iowa. Envenomation by copperheads is commonly associated with severe local pain and swelling; however, systemic complications are rare. When problems do occur from a copperhead bite it is usually when the victim is a small child or very elderly person. Treatment involving the use of antivenom is rarely needed, and when it is deemed necessary much lower doses are required for effective results.

A number of cases involving allergic reactions in patients, to the copperhead venom itself, have been reported. This problem arises when the victim has been previously bitten and at some later date sustains another bite. The reaction is similar to that in people who develop sensitivities to bee sting. Some individuals with known allergies to a variety of substances, may be susceptible to complications when they receive an initial bite. In these cases anti venom treatment can actually make the medical complications worse. Thus, it is important for anyone who is bitten by a venomous snake to inform the medical staff of any allergies they may have. -

One final point pertaining to this patient's self-administered first aid. Cutting down on the bite and sucking out the venom, even under ideal conditions, may remove only 15% of the venom if done properly. In cases of envenomation by some exotic species, and if one is miles from a health care facility, this procedure may be of some benefit. However, in the case of copperheads or other pit viper envenomations, the procedure may actually cause increased tissue destruction, nerve damage, and risk of infection. For these reasons, this is no longer a routine first aid procedure.

In conclusion, when one is bitten by a copperhead it is important to seek medical attention, but extensive first aid or treatment measures are rarely needed.

Daniel E. Keyler Division of Toxicology Department of Medicine Hennepin County Medical Center

and Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation

4

"Minnesota Fats"

"Mitmesota Fats" left Webster on Monday, September 15 in the back of a DNR pickup on his way back home. His scheduled release date was to be Wednesday, September 17, in the area from whence he came.

He was tagged with two different tags, both bearing the number B7001. One of the tags was attached to the 10th and ~lth marginals, arid the second one to marginal #13. He was also shell notched with two notches on rnarginal #14.

While he was in captivity, he appeared on Channels 4, 5, 9, and 11 in the Twin Cities area, and on one of the Duluth stations. He was on display at the Itasca County Fair in Grand Rapids and the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul. While at the Itasca County Fair, a "name the turtle" contest was held, and almost 2000 entries were received .. The witmer was "Minnesota Fats", which was submitted by 3 different people.

Other media coverage included photos in the St Paul Pioneer Press, the Roches~ ter Post-Bulletin, the New Prague Times, and the Northfield News and North­field Shopper .. The Associated Press wire also carried accounts, without any photos.

Newton's Apple, at 7:30 PM on October 19, will feature a segment on snakebite featuring Dan Keyler and Brint Spencer. Watch for it!

MHS Picnic

The annual picnic held on August 17 was a lot of fun, although attendance was not as high as expected. The weather was perfect! The turtle/tortoise races went well, and a list of winners ~wi1Jl be available later.. MHS would like to extend a special thanks to Fred and Liz Bosman for all their work on this for us. They also were able to hold the expenses down!

Bob Duerr's Snake Zoo at the State Fair had another good year, despite all the free admissions granted MHS members. Bob would like to thank all those who were able to bring in shed skins for hffim. He is looking for "freezer collections" he can have freeze dried to use in his programs. Give him a call if you can help.

Raffle

We did not have a regular raffle at the September meeting. Instead, a special raffle was held using the Midwestern Herp Seminar tickets at $1.00 each. A total of 100 were sold at the meeting! The winner of the registration, etc., was Terry Schieber. Other winners were Toni Vangen (carved hatching box turtle), Nanette Jimerson (20' stuffed snake), Bob Bader (rattler print), John Moriarty (poster), and Aaron Hampton (aquarium and hood). Thanks to all who "raffled"!

5

The September meeting was well attended. A total of 84 fotmd their way: to St. Paul and Borlaug Hall. 'Barney Oldfield presented a travel log from his Arizona/ New Mexico trip entibled "Desert Denizens". They journeyed through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas /Ozarks, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. They identified 38 species of herps. There were a lot of herps and even mQre Coll­ared Lizards! As always, his slides were excellent. There were also a few of Bob (nee Bib) Applegate's slides shown. Thanks to Barney for another super job!

Help A Hapless Herp

We had several hapless herps at the September meeting. Finding hom~s were 3 more box turtles, 2 Three-Toes, and 1 Three-Toe/Eastern cross. Once again, no home was found for the 7'-8' female Burmese Python. She needs a home! Does any­one out there know of one? She will be available at the October meeting.

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

I asked about this problem in person an an MHS meeting. several years ago, but no one that night had ever experienced a similar problem. Recently, it has hap­pened again several times, so I am writing to you in the hope that one of your readers may have some answers.

I keep two painted turtles in a large tank. Every once in a while, the male, without any visible provocation, bites the female, sometimes on the paw or the edge of the shell, but mest often on the neck. He hangs on for a minute or two while they splash arotmd the tank and then lets go. It doesn't seem to bother the other turtle much, but I find it upsetting. Is there anything I can do to discourage this short of providing separate tanks? Is this normal behavior or do I have a herp who is "a couple degrees shy of plumb' '? If this is normal, what is the motive - - sex or rivalry for food or territory? (The male also occasionally exhibited this same behavior when I was keeping him with another male.) (I haven't kept records, but there doesn't seem to be any correlation with the phases of the moon!)

Sincerely,

David Norman

If any of you have an answer to this, pleas.e let Dave know!

6

~~ Photo Contest

This will be the Fourth Annual MHS Photo Contest. Please read the rules care­fully. This year all entries will be assessed a 50¢ per entry fee to help us offset the expense of prizes, etc. We also will have a new panel of judges, to be appointed at, a later date.

Contest Rules

1 .Prints and slides may be entered (last year's entries are ineligible).

2 Fi,.v~. (5) prints or' slides per contestantC\

3 All entries must be postmarked by November 7, or be turned in at. the November :MRS me~ting.

4 If you wish your entries (or entry) returned it must be accomp{lnied by a self address~9 .stamped envelope. TIley may al~~ be picked up after the contest has

. , . beeIl' judged.,

5 Mail all entries to: MHS Photo Contest Minnesota Herpetological Society Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455

6 There is no photo size regulation for this contest. All photos MUST be mount­ed on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of heavy cardboard (such as is used inufile fold­ers) •

7 All entries must have contestant's name/address/phone number and category he or she wishes to enter printed on the. back of the mountirilg.

MHS Photo Categories

1 Black and White (photos of herps)J

2 Color prints (all sizes of film). a. Herps in natural setting. b. Herps with peopl~.·

3 Color slides. a. Herps in natural setting. b. Herps with people.

7\People's Choice Award-J\

All entries will be eligible for a "People's Choice Award" prize. This'will be· voted by the.::::membershipat the December meeting. The winneri.will be a~ounced at the > December 6 banquet: b

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MHS Art Contest

This year, along with our traditional photo contest, we have added an art con­test. The deadline will be the same as the photo contest, November 7. This is open to MHS members only!

All drawings Imlst be in black ink on white paper. Line drawings only will be accepted, no wash. The drawing (8) must. be of a Minnesota reptile or amphibian excluding Wood 1Urtles.

Drawing size to fit an 8 1/2" x 11" to 14" x 17" mount, border included. We are looking for at least one "main focal" adult herp plus some Minnesota plants or backgrotmd. You. will not be judged on your selection of a herp, Y9u will be judgecl on detail, accuracy, composition, presentation and clarity. It Imlst be a good clean drawing suitable for reproduction.

The winning drawing and all rights to it will be purchased by MHS for the sum of $100.00! This will be the drawing for 1986-1987 Sustaining/Contributing Members.

There is a three (3) drawing limit per person. Each drawing Imlst have a protect­ive cover; paper flip cover, clear plastic wrap, plastic or glass. Drawings do not have to be framed. MHS assumes no responsibility for the entered drawings.

Good luck!

,AI;'lseparate night for arts and crafts will be schedul.:d. A small fee will be charged for enries and art work may be sold. More on this later!

Phantastic Phenological Phinds

Pam Gerholdt August 30, 1986";'Minnesota, Rice Co., Webster, T112N R21W, Douglas Avenue, 1/8 mile north of Rice Co. 3.

1 Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis). Single male heard calling in wet field. Not previously recorded from Rice Co.

8

REPTILES OF MINNESOTA

by

Jim Gerholdt

S.mooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis ssp_)

Description - The Smooth Green Snake is a small slender snake. The adult size ranges from 14" to 20", with the record size being 26". The young are 4" to 6 1/2" at hatching. The dorsal color is a bright emerald green, but may be more of a gray to brownish green in some specimens. The ventral color is whitish or light yellow. The scales are smooth and the anal plate is divided.

Range - There are 2 subspecies in Minnesota. The Eastern Smooth Green Snake (0. v. veomalls) is fotmd in the northeastern part of its range in Minnesota, while the Western Smooth Green Snake (0. v. blanchardi), is fotmd elsewhere. '!he total range of the species in Minnesota includes the cotmties of Aitkin, Becker, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, Morr­ison, Mower, Pine, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, RiCEr, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Traverse, Washington, Wilkin, Winona, and Yellow Medicine.

Habitat - This is a snake of open, grassy habitat. Prairie, savannah, and edges of forests may harbor colonies of this species. Agricultmre has taken its toll as suitable areas have been plowed tmder. They are terrestrial.

Habits - This is normally a docile species, but there are exceptions. One from Dakota COtmty did an excellent "Green Mamba" imitation. It gaped widely and struck with gusto. Both Barney Oldfield and I have slides of this action.

Food - Spiders and insects are the primary food taken by this snake. Slugs, crickets, grasshoppers, cat$rpillars, as well as ants are included in this. Soft bodied caterpillars make up a large part of the diet.

Breeding - This is an egg laying snake ( oviparous). The ntmlber of eggs itil a clutch may ntmlber from 3 to 11" Gravid females may be gregarious.. The eggs are laid in Jtme and July, and hatch in approximately 30 days. This is a very short incubation, and may indicate a trend to ovoviparity. There are records of 4 day incubations. The eggs measure approximately 13nm x 23nm.

Status - None - This species seems to be declining from the effects of habi­tat destruction and the use of agricultural pesticides, which eliminate and poison their food source. Collecting should be discouraged, as they make poor captives. All sightings should be reported to MHS! Some of the COtmty records may well prove to be histouical.

References: Breckenridge, W. J.

1944. Reptiles and Amphi lDians o£ Minnesota. Conant, Roger

1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America

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Minnesota Herpetological Society - The Records Committee 1985. Distribution Maps for Reptiles and Amphibians of Minnesota.

Vogt, Richard c. 1981. Natural History of Amphibians and Reptiles in Wisconsin •

./ i

____ C;W~ ---... (..(l1li1II1II' _.Jill

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Membership

Our memberships continue to rise, and we are now around the 190 mark! Let's keep it moving upwards! However, our costs also continue to rise. Because of this, the MHS Board has voted to discontinue the membership category of Corre­sponding Member. All present memberships will be honored. '!his became necessary as we are actually losing money on this category.

Another change concerns foreign members". When the membership of any foreign member is renewed, a $3.00 surcharge will be added for the cost of postage and envelopes. Canada requires an envelope!

Also, if any member out there is interested in past copies of the Newsletter" they are availabl~.'at a cost of 10¢ per page. Send any orders to the MHS mail­ing address.

MHS Library

Our library is still growing! We recently received a very nice donation fra1;lill John Jesmer, Jr. It is:

Natural History of the~~Hognose Snakes by D. R. Platt Thanks to JJJ from MHS!

State Fair

Although the 1986 State Fair just wrapped up, it's time to start thinking about the 1987 version. It looks like MHS will be back! We are already in contact with DNR on this, and will need volunteers. If you have an interest!;'. please let us know. We would like to add an amphibian display if we can.

December Banquet

The charge for the December banquet will be $10.00 per adult, and $7.50 per junior member (16 and under). The menu will be Turkey Buffet (all you can eat). Beer and wine will be served, along with something for the yotmger set. We will need to know in advance how many will attend. Please let us know if you will be attending! The speaker will be Bob (nee Bib) Applegate. Bob will also be the speaker at the Friday nig~t meeting. The "critter" will be any tri-co~or he11p! We would prefer natural tri-colors ~ and not self made works of art!! The banquet will be held Sat~day night, December 6.

Como Zoo

The MHS display at Como Zoo on August 23 and 24 was another success. The crowds were smaller due to the State Fair and the Renaissance Festival.~ Our new dis­play board was used for the first time. It is very well done!

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"Critter of the Month"

The "critter" for the September meeting w~s large amphibians. They came in all sizes and were:

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) Three Toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma trid~ctylum) American Toad!. (Bufo americanus) ~ri1he Toad (Bufo marin us ) Columbian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys calcarata) fu"gentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata) Barking Tree Frog (Hyla gratiosa) African Burrowing Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

These were brought by:

Bruce Delles Rachel Levine John and Ruth Mel tzerr r: Ann Porwoll Toni Vangen

Thanks to all of the above from MHS!

Herp Hints

Fran Frisch reported he had a toad that was listless. He felt it might be dehy­drated as he soaked it and it drank a lot. It is now sitting motionless in its water dish. Its eyes are alert and it is breathing, but will not move. One mem­ber felt it might have gotten cooled down and had had a hibernating response.~ John Moriarty has a ~te' s Tree Frog that has faint white "freckles" that de­veloped a couple of months ag9. Both Bruce Delles and Fran agreed that this is nonnal for one sex (weren't sure which one) to have white flecking, while the other doesn't. An article was seen in Rishennan ~gazine encouraging fishennen to use amphibians as bait. The member who had the article was concerned about this, current populations and Minnesota regulations on this. Leopard Frogs are one of the most sold baits, and Minnesota does have regulations on the collect­ion of them if you have a fishing license, but there is nothing on Tiger Sala­manders (water dogs)) except that they may not be imported invo the state. The Leopard Frogs are considered "fish" by 'the state and are controlled by the fish people.

On the following page is a full size copy of the breeding data sheet developed by Joel Eidbo. For more on this see MHS Newsletter Volume VI, Number 2, pages 8-11. Use a separate sheet for each submission and include as much informat­i~n as possible. All participants will receive full credit when Joel writes his data up. This is a long tenn, ongoing project and should yield a lot of valuable data on captive reproduction. Your input is solicited and encouraged. Give it some thought!

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SPECINEN: . AGE:

LENGTH:

BREEDING DATA SHEET

COMMON:

SOURCE:

WEIGHTS: BEFORE LAYING: (DATE:

AFTER LAYING: (DATE:)

SCIENTIFIC:

GENETICS:

~P_R_~_L_A_Y_I_N_G __ S_H_E_D_: ______ ~(D_A_T_E __ : ____ ~)_ DATE EGGS LAID/ YOUNG BORN:

BE~AVIOR AND OBSERVATIONS:

MATING INFORMATION: (DATE,TIME,TEHP.,LIGHT/DARK,ACTUAL COPULATION?,OTHER)

POSTLAYING SHED: (DATE: COMPLICATIONS:

NUMBER OF EGGS/YOUNG: AVG. DIMENSIONS:

/ EGG YOUNG DIMENSIONS: PREH~TCHING ~IMENSIONS:

# LENGTH WIDTH WEIGHT LENGTH WIDTH WEIGHT DESCRIPTION

1

2.. --..,..:;;o.""=':."","

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17 -.

18

19 -20 IF t'10RE; L USE SECOND SHEET

HATCHING DATE: LENGTH OF INCUBATION: TEMP. RANGE:

SI ZE OF YOUNG: (AVG. ) WEIGHT: (AVG.) # DEFORMED: ----------------------~--~--SUMMARY: #EGGS/YOUNG: HATCHED: #PILLS: "#INFERTILE

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Gloria Anton see Robert Gibson 8327 Shadyview lane N. Maple Grove, MN 55369 612-420-2503 New Member

Liz Bray see Matthew Bray 2254 Arthur Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55418 New Member/Change

Chad Lindgren 25 Natchez N. Golden Valley, MN 55422 612-374-5137 New Member

George T. Merriken Jr. 342 Nansemond Street NE Leesburg, VA 22075 703-777-5932 New Member

Terry Odegaard 5701 Goodrich Avenue St. Louis Park, MN 55416 612-920-4665 Change

Ken Ktmdel 109 D Suburban Parkway Norfolk, VA 23505 Change

Sue Blackburn 2243 Thorndale Avenue New Brighton, MN 55112 612-636-0240 New Member

James W. Grier Zoology Department North Dakota State university Fargo, NO 58105 218-498-2238 New Member

Kevin W. Marx 30 E. Tenth Street St. Paul, MN 55101 612-221-9424 New Member

Marla A. Wilber 1747 York Avenue St. Paul, MN 55106 612-771-3205 New Member

Kent Jones 2155 Delaware Ave. Mendota Heights, MN 55118 612-456-0187 Change

14,-

Breedigg Notes

Glenn Lewis Northern Pine Sanke (Pituophis m! melanoleucus)-2.1 5 1/2' adults captive hatched 1983. Hibernated 11-3 to 3-1. 3-15 to 3-20 aggressive courtship of female observed after male dominance combat. Male breeding response could be triggered by separation and reintroduction. 6 eggs laid 4-28, averaging 3 1/8" x 2 1/8". Incubated at 78-84 degrees F. 6 eggs hatched from 7-7 to 7-9. Young were 17"-18" at hatching and 22"-23" at one month.

Com Snake (Elaphe g. guttata)-1.0 3', captive hatched 1984. 0.1 3 1/2', 'cap­tive hatched 1983. 15 eggs laid 6-4, 9 were fertile. 8 young emerged from 8-13 to 8-16. 11"-12" at hatching.

Mile Schwartz Com Snake (Elaphe g. guttata)-14 eggs laid 7-12. Incubated on l/~:;venniculite and 1/2 .sphagnum moss in lower 80's. All 14 eggs hatched from 9-8 to 9-11.

Breedings from September AAZPA Newsletter

Oklahoma City Zoo 2 Oriental Fire Bellied Toad 1 Egg Eating Snake 7 Baird's Rat Snake 6 Honduran Milk Snake 4 Rough Green Snake 1 Mexican Cantil 7 Urutu

Metro Toronto Zoo 5 Plumed Basilisk 1 Great Basin Whiptail Lizard

Brornx Zoo 8 Coahuilan Box 'furtle

18 Tentacled Water Snake

St. Catherine's Survival Center (Midway, Georgia) 8 Radiated Tortoise

San Antonio Zoo 1 Australian Side Necked 'furtle

Houston Zoo 2 Taylor's Cantil 3 Green and Black Poison Arrow Frog 3 Texas Tortoise 1 Frog-Eyed Gecko 6 Jeweled Lacerta

Philadelphia Zoo 3 Ring Tailed Rat Snake

Cincinnati Zoo 8 Taylors's Cantil

Columbus Zoo 2 Adanson's Side Necked 'furtle

12 Beauty Snake 22 Cantil 26 Cascabel 8 Columbian Rainbow Boa

33 Crucilla Turtle 6 Giant Hill Turtle 2 Giant Musk 'furtle 5 Gibba 'l\.trtle 8 Maculate Gecko

16 Madagascan Hognosed Snake 8 Red Cheeked MUd 'furtle 1 Red Footed Tortoise 8 Yellow Knobbed Map 'furtle

St. Louis Zoo 2 Yellow Spotted Side Necked 'furtle 1 Red Eared Slider 3 Black Rat Snake (1 albino)' 1 Leopard Gecko

Memphis Zoo 1 Leopard Gecko 3 Reticulated Python

41 King Cobra

Los Angeles Zoo 19 Reticulabed Python

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CLASSIFIEDS

EDITOR'S NOTE: Classified ads are run in the MHS Newsletter as a free service to the membership. No paid ads are accepted from non members. No ads will be nm for venomous species. While MHS will not run ads for known sick or illegal ani­mals, we accept no responsibility for the health or legality of any animals ad­~ertised here. Please send ALL ads directly to me, Jim Gerholdt, P.O. Box 86, Webster, MN 55088, and not to the MHS address. The deadline for all Newsletter items is the 15th of the month!

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY DELICATESSEN

REMEMBER-During each meeting we will have available our featured take-out items.

FRESH FROZEN ADULT MICE-$4.00 per dozen. FRESH FROZEN PINKIES AND FUZZIES-$3.00 per dozen.

Due to limited supplies, we have placed a 3 dozen limit on adult mice orders. FRESH FROZEN RATS-JUMBO SIZE-$1.50.

FRESH FROZEN RAT PUPS-$3.00 per dozen.

Remember, if you want rats or mice, they are available by reservation only. You MUST place your order no later than 7:00 PM on Thursday the day before the meet­ing. Logistics dictate this policy, so please cooperate with us. Don't miss out! Also, please bring your own container so your food animals don't thaw out.

TO ORDER RATS: Call Bruce or Connie at 593-0298. TO ORDER MICE: Call!) Jim or Pam at 652-2996.

NOTICE

BEGINNING WITH TIlE NOVEMBER MEETING, WE \\1111 RAISE THE PRICE OF PINKIES AND FUZZIE8 AND RAT PUPS TO $4.00 PER DOZEN, AND ADULT RATS TO $2.00 EACH!

FOR SALE: Still a good selection of used aquariums available. 10 gallons to 40 gallons, with 30 gallon breeder tanks (24 x 24 x 12) and 40 gallon breeder tanks (36'x 18 x 13). All tanks priced at 25¢ per gallon. Also 2.0 Everglades Rat Snake - adults and 1.0 Florida Kingsnake - adult - $10.00 each or best offer. Contact Pat at 612-432-2256.

FOR SALE: 1 1/2' Green Iguana - $40.00. 6" Tokay Gecko and Exhibit - $20.00. 17" Spectacled Caiman - $35.00. 3 1/2' Spectacled Caiman - $75.00. 0.1 3' Burmese Python - $95.00. 3' Eastern Fox Snake - $15.00. For more information contact Shannon after 2:00 PM at 612-388-2229.

16

ClASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE: 0.2 Leopard Gecko - CH 7-86 - $15.00. 1.0 Green Iguana - 2 1/2' $35.00. Contact Fred or Liz Bosman at 612-476-0306.

Largest Selection of Reptile.s & Amphibians in Minnesota High Quality - Reasonable Prices - Personal Service

Cages, Books, Feed & Supplies

540 Winnetka Ave. No. Golden Valley, Mn 55427

"Lower Level"

'ZWIN CI'.rIB8 BBP'ZIL1!J8 "

PET SHOP

Owners: Bruce & Connie Delles (612) 593-0298

Open 7 Days a Week

WANTED: Treefrogs, especially White's Tree~rogs. Also other interesting frogs and toads. Contact Mark Hauge,' 102~ 6th Avenue NW, Rochester, MN 55901. 507-289-8240.

FREE TO GOOD HOME: 0.1 Florida Kingsnake - adult with regular pattern - VERY GOOD EATER OF THAWED M[CE - Being treated for some health problems. See John or Toni at the October "meeting, or call Toni at 612-473-5365.

A UNIQUE LEARNING

EXPERIENCE

JAMES E. GERHOLDT P.O. BOX 86

WEBSTER, MN 55088 .. , ·652-2996

WANTED: Desert Rosy Boas (Lichanura trivirgata gracia) - top qiliality only. In­dividuals or groups of animals. Will buy or trade. Contact Tom Lamont, 2928 Reynolds, Muskegon Heights, MI 49444 - 616-733-5588.

FOR SALE':t Distribution maps for all species of reptiles and amphibians of Mirme­sota. Compiled by the Records Co~ttee of MHS. $2.50 at the meetings or $4.50 postpaid.

17

ClASSIFIEDS

IS YOUR MHS MEMBERSHIP CURRENT? PLEASE CHECK YOUR ADDRESS LABEL TO BE SURE!

~

3700 Silver Lake Rd. #15F, St. Anthony, MN 55421

For Quality Veterinary Care at a Reasonable Price Call

789-5855 Next AppointmantL ______________________________ ___

President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Newsletter Edit,o~ Member-at-Large Member-at-Large Member-at-Large Member-at-large Immediate Past-President

MHS OFFICERS

Fran Frisch Ann Porwoll Andrea Oster Bruce Haig Jim Gerholdt Fred Bosman Bob Duerr Dan Keyler John Moriarty Bruce Delles

18

488-7619 489-7853 774-7438 789-4637 652-2996 476-0306 541-9417 933-2055 781-6732 374-5422

l

SECOND ANNUAL ID 5 R 1 1 sponsored by The Wisconsin Herpetological Society

PLACE: KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TIME: REGISTRATION FEE:

EVENING BANQUET:

ACCOMMODATIONS:

OCTOBER 18, 1 ~,86 Milwaukee County Zoo Sherman Minton - Noted Author 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Check-in and late registration, 8:00-9:00 a.m.) Adults - $13.00; Juniors (16 and under) - $10.00 Late registration fee (after 9/20/86), Adults - $15.00; Juniors - $12.00

Registration fe~ includes the Friday evening (6:00-11:00 p.m.) ice breaker in the ZOOfS Aquarium/Reptile building, the Saturday seminar, and a guided Zoomobi1e tour on Sunday. Zoo sdmission for all three days is included.

6:00-11:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Zoo. There will be a raffle drawing, as well as door prizes. The cost is $13.00 until September 20, and $17.00 after that dateo

Holiday Inn - Ho1idome, 201 North Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, (414) 771-4420. Special rate of $48.00 per room, regardless of number of occupants. To obtain this special reduced rate, please mention you are attending the Herpetological Seminar and also register before September 20, 1986.

Another conveniently located motel is the Excel Inn, 115 North Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, (414) 257-0140. They offer no special discounts,and regular room rates var¥ from $31.00 to $42.00.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call John " Raymond, (414) 637-5456; or Dave Sorensen, (414) 535-1357.

REGISTRATION FO~~

REGISTRATION: Adult - 913.00; Juniors (16 and under) - $10.00 After 9/20/86, Adult - $15.00; Juniors - $12.00

, BANQUET:

NAME:

ADDRESS:

STATE:

Number of People -------$13.00; after 9/20/86 - $17.00

Number of People -------

CITY: -------------------------------------------,ZIP: TELEPHONE: (Day) , (Night)

-------------------~ ------------ ----~~----~;. • \ <.' ..... -:-; t.· '. ~.: . ' 1 ·t ~ " '~i4: ~~ • -.?,

Check enclosed for $, ',,;:.~\ '-':'/.} '",,;, ,.O";,;>~Make',eheckg.payab1e :~o'Wisconsin ~erp,etological Socle'ty

·\~lease !ri'f~~t~~i~~~1f{J~~1L~ibt·~~~~~~~k:~o:· WiS~~~i~sIt;~'~~~1~iiC~i"~2~~~~:"·;'0f;· 'C/O John' 'Raymcmd~~"'t'Sl~ Paik.~Avenue->':Racine~' WI ':''53403" ~;~~'t-';Sf;~~;,·<:'::r.·:~" :<.:~<.::,:':>;t..,$<j. ,','. .• , ...

.. 19

7/86

MINNESOTA

HERPETOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

BUL MUSEUM OF NAruRAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH S1'R£El' 5.£ ell MlNNEAPOUS. MINNESOTA SS4S5-1014

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATII N A T-.......,AL-"'-JllL .... ERFORM MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET S.E. Gil MINNEAPOUS, MINNESOTA 55455-0104

NAME(S), __________________________________________________________________________ _

ADDRESS~ ______________ ~ ________________________________ _

CITY _______________________________________________ STATE4

____ __ ZIP ___________ _

PHONE INTERESTS~ __________________________________ __

DO YOU WISH THE ABOVE INfORMATION LISTED IN THE MHS DIRECTORY DYES DNO

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP o NEW 0 RENEW o SUSTAINING. ..... " ...................... $5,0.00 o CONTRIBUTING ........................... $25.00 o FAMILY ................................... $12.50

Admits all members of a family to monthly meetings o INDIVIDUAL .............................. $10.00

OFFICIAL MHS T-SHIRT SO MO LO XLO $7.00 each includes postage

PLEASE ENCLOSE PAYMENT WITH APPLICATION. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY. MEMBERSHIP IS FOR 12 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF JOINING. YOU WILL RECEIVE YOU~ MEMBERSHIP C~RD BY RETURN MAIL. A RECEIPT WILL BE SENT ONLY UPON REQUEST.