VOLUME VIII NUMBER

JUNE NEWSLETTER

Friday, JULY S, 1988 7:00 FM PAlMER CIJ\SSROCM BLDG

St.. Paul Ccmpus, University of Minnesota

NOrE Jl1\TE & PlACE! ** NOm Jl1\TE & PlACE! ** NOl'E Jl1\TE & PlACE!

The July M.H.S .. meeting date was noved to the second Friday of the month do to the Fourth of July weekend. We also will be meeting in the Palmer Classroom building, the building right of Borla.ug Hall, for this July meeting.

The July topic will be the International Herpetological Synposium and SSAR meeting highlights. M.H.S. members who recently attended the two national herp meetings will be presenting short talks on selected sUbjects.. This will be a good opportunity to hear about the latest developments in herp husbanch:y, captive breeding, ecology, and a variety of other interesting herp topics that are offered at these national ~si~~. There may be some interesting photos of friends, places, and herps seen at these functions that may interest you to attend next years ~sium.

For "critter of the month", we would like to see your IARGESI' herp. Everyone has an animal in their collection that is their biggest, the largest of a species, or a gigantic species (boas, pythons, tortoises, marine toads, etc.).. There should be no excuse not to bring an animal. We hope to see something from everyone I s collection.

So S .. A .. R. MEMBERSHIPS M.H.S. recently enrolled in the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles membership program. Any new nerrberships received through M.H .. S. will earn our society $2.. S .. S .A .. R. membership is $25 for regular or $20 students. Anyone interested in additional info should contact John Moriarty, S.S .. A.R. representative.

SNAKEBITE EMERGENCY Minnesota Poison Control System 221-2113 (outstate) 1-800-222-1222

Hennepin Regional Poison C~nter (612) 347-3141

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET S.E. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55455·0104

JUNE SPEAKER OF THE MONTH

M.B .. S. wishes to thank Dr. Terry Graham for his great presentation of the research and protection measures of the endangered Plymouth Red-Bellied turtle. The slides of this freshwater turtle and its habitat were very captivating. Dr. Graham's enthusiasm in his childhood interest kept the attending menbers wanting to hear nore about his efforts on his research.. It was very interesting to see slides on the protection efforts and methods used to save egg clutches from raccoons and other preda.tors.. The fa.ct that nany babies parish due to not leaving the nest before winter freeze was also interesting. It would be nice to have an update on Dr. Graham I s progress in the future.. His enthusiasm was very inspiring 0

REFRESHMENTS

Therese Kelly and Tom Schmitz supplied the July refreshments - chocolate gooey things. The heat wave we 've been having rrade the baked chocolate/caramel bars and mini Snickers finger licking good. Thanks Therese and Tarn for the goodies!

M.H.S. at THE MINNESOI'A Sl'ATE FAIR

M.B.S. will once again have an exhibit of native Minnesota herps at. the State Fair. Anirrals are needed for this display. We are asking that any herps loaned for this display not be fed one week before the fair.. The. animal's cages will be checked and cleaned twice daily, but the anirrals will not be fed during the State Fair time. M.B.S. will also need menibers help renovating our display at the fair. Please contact Aaron Hanpton (715) 425-7565, or see him at the next meetings, if you can help.. memER, t.he State Fair starts in August. Now is the time to get ready. The follaving is a list of herps we need for this display:

Fox Snake Green Snake Hognose Comron Snapper Leopard Frog Woodfrog

Bull Snake Garter Snake Painted Turtle Blandings Bullfrog Salanander 5-lined Skink

E. Milksnake Water Snake Softshell Turtle Wood Turtle Green Frog Race Runner

Workers are also needed to nan the display and clean the cages as necessary.. These workers are given two (2) FREE passes per. day into the fair for this purpose. Anyone interested in working the fair display will be required to attend an organizational meeting to be announced later.

HELP A HAPLESS HERP

The Adoption Canmi ttee was able to find good homes for three Ornate Box Turtles, two Eastern Box turtles, and t.WO Camon Boas at the June meeting. At this writting, we have been informed of a camon Green Iguana and snaIl boa needing hanes in July.

M.B.S. COMMITTTEES

ADOPrIQ:J COMMITTEE - Fred Bosnan; LIBRARY COMMITTEE - Nancy Haigi REFRESHMENT OOM-1ITrEE - Ruth Mel t.zer i RODENT OOl+.1ITTEE - Bruce Delles; DISPIAY CDlvMI'ITEE -Aaron Hanptoni PICNIC OOMMITTEE - Liz & Fred Bosnan

If you have any questions regarding these cammittees, or if you wish to help out on any of them, please c.."Ontact the Chairperson listed. We can always use your help!

2

NarES FROM mE M.B .. S. PRESIDENT

I wish to thank everyone that filled in the M.B.S. activities questiormaire.. After reviewing the responses, the board has decided to continue the picnic, holiday banquet, illustration contest, and photo contest for another year. We need to have people participate in these acti vi ties to justify their continuation.. The following is a list of activities people stated they would like to see started .. Sane of the programs exist already or we have variations of them.. Sane programs are brand ne\V:

1. HOLIDAY BANQUEr - HAVE A Par WCK VERSION. (A) We are tied into using the food services on U of M campus as long as we use the student center for our existing holiday banquet.

2.. SALE DAY - A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY WHICH IDULD BE SET ASIDE TO SELL ANYTHING & EVERYTHING (BOOKS, ANIMALS, SHIRrS, ARr, Ere.)"

3 .. SCHOOL PROGRAMS - DISPIAY AT SCHOOLS. (A) There are several nembers who do programs professionally in our society. We will oampile a list for anyone interested.

4. FIELD TRIPS - ORIENTED T<:MARDS PHOTOGRAPHY, NIGHT FROG sruDIES, MINN. HERP COLLECI'ING, COLLECI'ING TECHNIQUES, AND AN ANNUAL OUTING.

5. PRIVATE COLLECI'ICN TOURS - SELECr AN ARFA & DAY FOR PEOPLE TO OPEN UP THEIR HOMES FOR MEMBERS TO VIEW THEIR COLLECI'IGI.

6. Sm.f.1ER PARrY - AN ANNUAL S£M.1ER GEl' T03Er.HER. (A) M.B.S. has the M.B.S. Picnic every year. This year it will be held in August. Liz & Fred Bosnan are the Chairpersons for this conmi ttee. If you would like to help out on this, please contact them.

7 • TtJR.rLE RACES - HOLD YF.ARLY RACES .. (A) The M.B.S. Picnic ~ttee is planning turtle races at this years picnic.

8. SHORr SEMINARS (A) Four years ago, M.B.S. started the Midwestern Berp Seminar. It·s an annual October, traveling, weekend seminar. It started in Minnesota. Wisconsin hosted it the follONing year, and last year it was held in Iowa.. This year it is to be held in Chicago, IL.

9. GENERAL ARr CC!.\lTEST - COMBI:NE THE PHaro & ILLUSTRATION CONTESI', AND ADD JEWLERY, WOOI)V\ORKING, CERAMICS, EI'C.

10. SUGGESTICN BOX (A) Nancy Haig has designed a frog suggestion box to be available at our nonthly meetings. It will will be out at all the nonthly meetings for your use.

As you can see, same of the suggested events are already being worked on, but I need YOUR help. We had several new functions suggested & I need nembers that will chair these new comni ttees. The Board and nwself will help you organize them, but I need people that will be responsible for being in charge of them. Think about it and give me a call. I also need. a new chairperson for the Illustra.tion Contest, Holiday Banquet, and Regulations Caurni ttee ..

Thank you for your input on activities & ideas. We a.re always open to new ideas, suggestions and HELP.. The Board and nwself need this kind of infonnation tD build a strong and better society.. Working together we can accorrplish this ..

/) (~r·" '.,.:_ . ;~x~. i (...; l~~·,--- u

A NOm FROM THE LIBRARY C<Mrr'ITEE

Things have been changing about the M .. H .. S .. Library. First, the replacement. of the wheels.. Second, the reorganizing of the books for easier locating .. Third, the new, cleaner, stronger book covers to prolong shelf life. If you notice the books you cheCked out are in need of some repair, let Nancy Haig - Library Carmi ttee Chairperson - knaN when you turn them into the library so she can fix them before they go on the shelf again ..

The Minnesota Herpetological Society has a newsletter exchange with over 40 other herpetological societies.. These newsletters can be found in the file folders located in the lower right hand shelf of the library.. The yellaN folders are for 1987 newsletters, and the blue folders are 1988.. The most recent newsletters received are in a three-ring notebook for easy reference. Find out What other people and societies are doing py reading their newsletters.

Ann Porwell (M.H.S. President) discussed the current book policy at the June meeting.. Members have the right to cheCk out two (2) books a month which are due taCk at the next monthly meeting.. If the books are returned late, there is a fine of one dollar ($1) per month per book.. This is done to be fair to all members who nay wish to use the 'book as a reference a.t the meeting, or check it out for the month. Some books are so popular, they are checked out every month. If a. person cannot a.ttend the next meeting, the books nay be returned by nail to Minn. Herp Society, c/o Bell Museum, 10 Church St. S.E .. , Mpls, MN 55455-0104.

May 21 and 22 kicked off this season I s hands-on at Com::> Zoo. M.H. S. has been a very popular display at the zoo in the pa.st, and this year should be no acception. About $80 was raised from donations and misc. i tern sales. Thanks to Dean Bavrnan, Deborah Carlson, The Delles Clan, Carol Dorff, Nancy & Bruce flaig, JoAnn Jarres, Mark Kelly, Cliff Lundgren, Sarah Strand, Lisa VanDyke, and David Wiener for your participati.onl

Remeniber, si.gn up for the Carn displays at the monthly rneetings. July hands-on dates are July 9 and 10, the Saturday and Sunday follONing our monthly meeting. Contact Aaron Hanpton (Display Carmi ttee Chairperson) at the monthly meetings for more details or to answer any questions you might have, or call him at (715) 425-7565

MoH.S .. OFFICERS

PRESIDENr Ann Porwell (612) 489-7853 VICE-PRESIDENT John t-1oriarty (612) 647-1334 SECRErARY Kate Anderson (612) 222-3500 TREASURER Del Jones (612) 938-8555 NEWSLErrER EDI'IOR Tan Sc.hmitz (612) 488-7619 MEMBER-AT-IARGE Bruce Delles (612) 374-5422 MEMBER-AT-IARGE Bruce Haig (612) 789-4637 MEMBER-AT-IARGE Aaron Hanpton (715) 425-7565 MEMBER-AT-IARGE John Meltzer (612) 780-8561

4

We have one ~ttee that has been hearing a few negative repercussions on their duties.. The function of the Adoption Carmi ttee is to place herps in homes that will best benifi t the aninal.. 'i'heir decisions are based on the infornation you as menbers provide on the adoption fonn application.. The Cartnittee - nade up of three merribers - revieNs the fo:rntS, discuss the pros and cons of an applicants adoption request, and make the final decision as to Where the herps will be placed at that meeting. This Ccmnittee was set up to provide homes for unwanted herps. It was not designed to build members private collections at no cost. LikeNise, this Ccmni ttee was not formed to be a dunping ground for unwanted herps. Aninals that are to be adopted out MUST be called into Fred Bosnan (Adoption ~ttee Chairperson) prior to c;r--on the MONDAY BEFORE the nonthly meeting no later then 9:00 p:n at 476-0306. We need as much informa.tion as possible on an aninal so a good home can be found for them, and interested adopting merribers can be informed. Arrj' aninals that are brought in on the night of the meeting without prior approval fram Fred Bosnan will be sent back home until arrangements with Fred have been nade.

GREEN SNAKE TRIP WAS A SHIJroUT! GREEN SNAKES - 11 M.H.S. - 0

Eleven M.R.S. merribers traveled to Suconnix W.M.A. near Annandale in Wright County on Sunday, May 22.. We searched areas of prairie, wetland edges, woods, and oldfield. Everyone had a good time and no one got rained on. No Green Snakes were found.

Bill Allen Delx>rah Carlson Bruce Cuttler Delvin Jones Andy Keller Greg Kvanbek

PARI'ICIPANT'S

SPECIES 4 Prairie Skiriks Eumeces septentrionalis 8 Camon Garter Snake Thannopbis sirtalis

John Moriarty Aaron Riedel Claude Riedel JoAnne Wetherell-Moriarty Rob (?)

1 Painted Turtle ChrySeIl1Ys picta (hatchling, still had egg t.ooth) ? Chorus Frogs Pseudacris triseriata Calling.

1000's OF WOOD TICKS!

5

WANTED: TRAVELING HERP SHOWS!!

M.H.S. has been receiving calls fran various groups and M.H.S.. members interested in having a program presented on Reptiles and/or Anphibians at schools, etc. The M.H.S. Board menibers have decided to put together a listing of all members that gi ve presentations of this nature. This way we can send the list to persons seeking this information. Sending out this list does not infer a Minnesota Herpetological Society approval or recomnendation. Those interested in having their 'name listed should send the following:

NAME: , ADDRESS:, PHONE NUMBER ( S} : , TOPICS: , AREA OOVERED (geographical i.e., Minn., Only Ramsey county, etc.):, DAYS & TIMES AVAILABLE:, ANY FEE REOUlRED: •

Please send this infonnation to ~1innesota Herpetological Society, c/o Bell Museum, . 10 Church St. S.E., Mpls .. , MN 55455-0104, or bring the informa.tion to the July or

August monthly meeting.

6

COLLECI'ING & KEEPING RED-BELLIED SNAKES by Ernest Plu"tko

The Red-Bellied Snake, Storeria occipitanaculata, is comrron in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota.. I have kept them in capti vi ty at my home there, on an irregular b3.sis, since 1968.. The snake is carrmon, rut elusive, and often hard to find if you are trying to capture them. Most of the daytime sightings and captures I have rrade have been by chance.. Each sunmer, my children and I usually find a total of about six Red-Bellied Snakes on our rural lawn. Last Spring, my son found four of the snakes together under an ercpty can in the highway ditch in front of our house .. ~valking along paths, near or in sphagnum areas, occasionally yields a specimen on the path, especially towards evening on cloudy days.. While hunting, I usually see one or two of the snakes in the early warmer days of the grouse season.. The snake can be found by turning over old logs and litter in damp woods. This is not a productive method and I have spent days searching wi thout finding anything. Walking along damp paths at night, searching with a po.verful flashlight is a much more productive method of finding Red .... Bellied Snakes.. There are no poisonous snakes in Northern Minnesota... Except for the inevitable hordes of mosquitoes and the occasional inquisitive bear, there is nothing to worry about at night. I used night collecting with great success in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to catch Ring-Necked Snakes which have secretive habits much like the Red-Bellied Snakes. Once 'While night collecting in West Virginia, I stepped on a Ccpperhead Snake 'Which prarptly bit my pant leg, and discouraged me fran night collecting for several weeks.

Several years ago, I built a 100 foot aluminum drift fence with 5 gallon plastic bucket capture traps on my lawn. I collected nany Blue Spotted Salamanders, frogs, toads, Garter Snakes, and an average of two Red-Bellied Snakes a week for fi ve weeks in May and June. I was surprised at the nuniber of Blue Spotted Salammders I caught because I have never seen one on my nany collecting trips in the county. There is a heavy dew in my area alnost every night in the S'l.mrer. Apparently, aninals 'Which spend the day underground or hidden in obscure places do much movement during the damp nights.

I keep Red-Bellied Snakes on damp sphagnum moss with pieces of old bark on the surface in class covered, ventilated, ten gallon aquariums.. I tried keeping them on newspaper with hiding boxes, but the shy snakes refused to eat. They spend alnost all of their time buried in the moss and are rarely seen unless pressed. up against the glass sides.. I feed them slugs and snaIl earthwonns.. The snakes rarely feed on the surface, so I release the live food directly into the noss. I occasionally see the snakes feeding near the glass or under the bark, usually at night. With this feeding method it is difficult. to know which snakes are not. feeding, or how much food is taken. Many of the snakes refuse to feed, and the ones that become thin should be released.. SnaIl snakes like Red .... Bellied Snakes becane dehydrated quickly and die. Keep their surroundings damp and keep water dishes always full.

I kept a group of six snakes for more than two years, but I never saw any breeding acti vi ty and they did not produce any young.. Red-Bellied Snakes are live-bearers like the Garter Snake. A wild caught fenale I had in captivity for two months did have five young on September 2, 1981, but this was not captive breeding. The young snakes would not eat, so I released them.

Red-Bellied Snakes can be kept in captivity under semi-natural conditions, but they are too SITall and too secreti ve to be satisfactory captives for most reptile enthusiasts.

Carapace (upper shell): Round, dome-shaped, very smooth, dull black with specks and streaks of yel­low throughout.

Plastron (lower shell): Yellow with dark splotches on each scute (section), hinged between third and fourth pair of scutes.

The bright yellow chin and underside of the neck is one of the most conspicuous features of this tur­tle.

DTU

Carapace: low keel, each scute conspicuously SCUlp­tured with a series of concentric rings, each with al­ternating ridges and grooves.

Plastron: Yellow, with dark splotches on each scute, similar to Blanding's Turtle but NOT hinged.

Sightings should be verified by either: 1) a photograph showing identifying characteristics, or 2) a detailed written description specifying identifying characteristics

and other circumstances of the sighting. Please include specific information on location (to the' /4' /4 section or the distance and direction from the nearest town or other conspicuous landmark), the date, observer's name and address, and as many details as possible about the sighting, P'lrticularly about the surrounding habi­tat.

8

Send sighting reports to:

Nongame Wildlife Program Minnesota Department of Natural

Resources Box 7, 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55155

EDlTOR·S NOTE: Please send all newsletter articles and classified ads to: Tan Schmi. tz, 850 W.. Minnehaha, St.. Paul, f\ti.. 55104, Attn:: MRS Editor.. Do not send articles or ads to the MRS address.. The deadline for all Newsletter i terns is the 15th of the rronth 1 All Classified ads are run in the MHS Newsletter as a free service to the rnerribership. No paid ads are accepted" from non-rnerribers. No ads will be run for v~ncm:>us species" While MHS will not run ads for kll.OV\7l1 sick or illegal animals, we accept no responsibility for the health or legality of any animal advertised here. Please LIMIT SIZE of ad to approx. four (4) lines. Business cards make acceptable ads.

Remerrber: order frozen rats and rat pups no later than 7:: 00pm the IDNDAY before the meeting. call Bruce or Connie at 593-0298 to place your order.

FRESH FROZEN RATS - JUMBO SIZE - $2.00 EArn FRESH FROZEN RAT PUPS - $5.00 PER DOZEN

3 roZEN PUPS or 6 AIlJLT RATS LIMIT!

CAPTIVE BREEDERS -IMPORTS - WHOLESALE 8. RETAIL

3221 93RD DR. BLAINE, MN 55434

:OWNERS: JOHN 8. RUTH MELTZER I

(612) 780-8561

t s ital Apache Plua

Dr. Mark J. Wiesman ... 3700 Silver Lake Rd. #15F, St. Anthony, MN 55421

For Quality Veterinary care at a Reasonable Price Call

789-5855

FOR SALE/TRADE: 1.0 Banded Albino Cal. Kingsnake, 0.1 Banded Hetero Kingsnake. 1.0 Florida Pinesnake. All have bred this year. Let me kl'lON what you have to trade. Contact Aaron Hanpton (715) 425-7565.

FOR SALE: Captive bred hatchlings. Pythons, Boas, Tri -Colors, and Albinos. Send business size S.A.SeE. for free 1988 price list. Joe E. Pierce, HC02-BX25012-9614, Alturas, CA. 96101.

FOR SALE:: Capti ve bred juvenile snakes. Bunnese Pythons, not intergrades-$65. Retic Pythons, captive born specimens rarely available, 3-7 ft.-$50-$80. Rosy Rats, from legal adults-$35. Everglades Rats-$30. Gary Casper, P.O.Box 878, MilwaUkee, WI 53201. (414) 672-4632.

AVAILABLE: Several rehabilitated anirrals at cost to good hanes: Intergrade Python, Box, Snapping, Mud and Malayan Black Pond turtles; Sliders -- Inquire. Contact Ga:ry Casper, The Cullen Vivarium, P.O.Box 878, Milwaukee, WI 53201. (414) 672-4632.

$2.00 off your next purchase of $10 or more

not valid with other coupons or special offers

Ri: ta

Expires July 31,1988

4056 Central Ave N.E. Columbia Heights (612) 781-0805

largeat Selection of Reptiles & Amphibians In Mlnneaota High Quality - Reasonable Prices - Personal Service

Cages, Books. Feed & Supplies

540 Winnetka Ave. No. Golden Valley, Mn 55427

"lower Level"

CITIES

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

Open 7 Days a Week

7/86

MINNESOTA

mL MUmlM 01 HAruM.L .IIl1mlItY

)0 CHIJItCH S1IEE1' 5.£ .• ~ MINNISOTA 5M55-101.

.J i m tile a.d 211 (:1 ar'~~ str·eet to.,,, ~ r I..' ::. to t,1t'··l 5.£001 I IQ. I r·. ' .. ' ,

66.. (l2 .. /::::S' C

1 :il \!! H lii\! i,liH li;11111 iili

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

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

NAME(~,

______________________________________________________________________ ___

ADDREsS, ____________________________

~

____________________ . ________________________ ___

~ ________________________________________ ~---STATE ZIP ______________________ _

PHON~E__________________________________ N~ERE~ST:~ ______ ~ ______________________ ___

00 YOU WISH THE ABOVE INFORMATION USTIID IN THE MHS DIRECTORY DYES ONO

nTE Of MEMBERSHIP o NEW o RENEW o SUSTAINING .............................. 55.0.00 o CONTRIBUTING ........................... 525.00 o FAMILy ................................... 512.50

Admits all members of a family to monthly meetings o INDIVIDUAL .............................. S 1 0.00

OFFICIAL MRS T-SHIRT SO MD LO XLO $7.00 each includes postage

PLEASE ENCLOSE PAYMENT WITH APPLICATION. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY. MEMj,ERSHIP IS FOR 12 MONTHS FiROM THE DATE OF JOINING. YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP;(:ARD BY RETURN MAIL A RECEIPT ~)E SEN; ONLY UPON REQUEST.