NEWSLETTER OF THE

MINNESOTA

HERPETOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

SEPTEMBER 1993 VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 BELL MUSEUM OF Nf-TURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET SOUTH EAST MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104

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Do you ever have a question about one of your herps and wonder who might be able to provide an answer? Most people who keep pets of any kind have been is this situation at one time or another. A group of MHS members has volunteered to provide assistance. Listed below are the people and their specialties. Please be reasonable about the time of day and how frequently you call.

Large pythons and constrictors Other Snakes Glen (Jake) Jacobsen 757-8268 John Meltzer 263-7880 Vence Jimerson 869-8547 John Levell 374-5422

Connie Levell 374-5422

Lizards Amphibians Nancy Haig 789-4637 John Meltzer 263-7880 Bill Moss 488-1383 Greg Kvanbek 533-7723 Drew Newman (Iguana) 774-6008 Drew Newman 774-6008

Terrestrial turtles and tortoises Aquatic Turtles· John Moriarty 647-1334 Michele Stillinger 224-7212 Ann Porwoll 489-7853 Dennis Daly 633-8370

The purpose of the Minnesota Hepetological Society is: to further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive propagation of retiles and amphibians; to educate the membership and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and amphibians; and to promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.

MHS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY RECORDING SECRETARY TREASURER NEWSLETTER EDITOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE MEMBER-AT-LARGE MEMBER-AT-LARGE MEMBER-AT-LARGE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Glen Jacobsen John Levell Connie Levell Drew Newman Marilyn Brooks Michele Stillinger Jeff LeClere Bill Moss Hans Paulson Sara Richard John Meltzer

SNAKEBITE EMERGENCY

HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER

MINNESOTA POISON CONTROL SYSTEM

LOCAL

OUT OF STATE

(612) 347-3141

(612) 221-2113

(800) 222-1222

(612) 757-8268 (612) 374-5422 (612) 374-5422 (612) 774-6008 (612) 431-2146 (612) 224-7212 (612) 467-3715 (612) 488-1383 (715) 425-7959 (612) 623-7620 (612) 263-7880

Copyright Minnesota Herpetological Society. The contents of this newsletter may be reproduced for incluSiQn in the newsletters of other herpetological societies provided that the material is reproduced without change and proper credits arc given to the MHS Newsletter, citing, volume, number, and date.

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Table of Contents

Upcoming meeting

MHS Business

MRS Program Review by Dan Bergquist

Blast From the Past by Michele Stillinger

Snakes of Minnesota by Jeff LeClere

HFYI

Articles of Interest

Upcoming Herp Events

Classifieds

2

3

4

5

8

11

14

20

21

From the Editor

Greetings an salutations! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. If anyone has any interesting field herping stories that they would like to share, send them on in. October's speaker will be John Moriarty talking about some native Minnesota herps. This month also marks the first installment of a hopefully continuing section on the s~1iI of Minnesota.

Next Newsletter Deadline: October 1st, 1993

*** Send all inquiries, ads, and articles directly to the editor ***

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MRS EDITOR 234 West George St. St. Paul, MN 55107

MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME Xill NUMBER 9 PAGEl

UPCOMING MHS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

October Program: Bullsnakes, Blanding's Turtles and Garter Snakes: an Overview of Conservation and Management Programs for Herpetofauna in Hennepin County Parks.

Speaker: John Moriarty

Where: When:

Borlaug Hall, U of MN St. Paul Campus 7:00 pm, Friday, October 1st, 1993

SPEAKER: JOHN MORIAF:TY

The MHS is fortunate to count among our membership several individuals who are actively involved in the conservation of reptiles and amphibians. October's speaker, John Moriarty, is a well known member of this group and has also served the society in.numerous capacities in the past, including MHS President. John's program will feature a di scussi on of some of the var'i ous conservati on and . management programs affecting Minnesota's herpetofauna, particularly in Hennepin County. Through his work for Hennepin Parks and the Minnesota DNR, John has participated in a number of these projects including an attempt to reintroduce bullsnakes Pituophis melanoleucus say1 into Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, and the monitoring and assessment of Blanding's turtle Emydoidea blandingi populations. John has also promised to discuss the role of periodic burning in the maintenance of prairie habitats, and the short-term and long-term effects these burns have on the nati ve he'-petofauna.

Hopefully, John will also be able to provi~e a summary of the 1st Annual Minnesota Frog and Toad Survey conducted earlier this year during the sp,-ing and summer. The FY'og and Toad SL,rvey is att.empting to locate and monitor populations of these amphibians in Minnesota and the survey is a great way for MHS members, or anybody for that matter, to become involved in a meaningful conservation program. The SLlrVey is also fun to do and hopefL,lly ne},t y'ear even mon" peeple will participate.

Anyone \-,i th an interest in the conservati on of amphi bi ans and reptiles in Minnesota is urged to attend this meeting, as it premises to be most enlightening. Obviously, it will also provide an bpportunity to have any questions you may have on the subject answered. Don'~ miss ft. JPL

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MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIT! NUMBER 9 PAGE 2

MRS BUSINESS

There was an exceptional turnout for critter of the month at the September meeting! Thank you to all who brought animals!

Dan Bergquist - Varanus exanthematicus Randy Blasus - baby bullsnake Dav Lydon - bullsnakes . Ken Hoeye - Solomon Island boa Becky Helgesen - horny toad Gary Ash - wood turtle Bill Ness - common boa Waunita Shaw - banded spiny crevice lizard Bill Moss - Mexican burrowing python Beau and Derek Larson - scarlet kingsnake and a foxsnake Chase Delles - roughed scaled sand boa Todd Cherveny - Varanus salvator and a baby snapping turtle

Thanks also to all who purchase raffle tickets. Winners were: Theresa Kollander, Jodi Aherns, Greg Nielsen, Sarah Richard, Fred Bosman, Jeff Ackerman, Gary Ash, Melissa Grant, Megan Stand, Ruth Meltzer, Lynn Paiter, George Richard, David Burton, and Hans Paulson. Donors: Mike Schendel, Bill Walton, Laurie Mahling, JP Levell, Craig Renier, Michele Stillinger, Bill Moss, Marilyn Brooks, and Karin Rea.

**** A special thanks to all who filled out and sent back the questioneer on adoption process. There were some very insightful ideas and comments. I hope these will help the adoption committee in their restructuring decisions.

Thank you also to all who helped in the sudden room switch last month. The U was doing some remodeling with the lights and everything had to be quickly moved to Green Hall. October's meeting will be in the regular room.

Thanks to speakers Mike Massie and John Meltzer for donating their speaker fees back to the society!!

~~~ REMINDERS ~~~

MHS has a very large library for member use. There are a variety of books, magazines, and other newsletters for your use. Books may be checked out using your membership ID #. The checkout time is ONE MONTH, then you must return the book and renew if you want. There is a fee for late books.

MRS also sells new books at the meetings with the other MHS items.

*** SPECIAL REQUEST! *** MHS is looking for a simple MAC accounting program for the treasurer to use. If you would like to donate one contact Marilyn Brooks.

I still desperately need a new keyboard or computer. This keyboard has an old adapter which is no longer made so a new keyboard will not work. The computer is an old AT&T model. If you know of a good source for old computer parts, contact me! .

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 3

MHS PROGRAM REVIEW by Dan Bergquist

September's general meeting was on breeding sand boas. The speaker was longtime member and herp breeder John Meltzer. John has been keeping herps for 27 years and breeding them for 13. His first love is the hognose snake and his second is sand boas.

He started his talk by showing us some slides of his caging. He has wooden cages as well as racks of sweater boxes that he keeps his animals in. He heats 99% of his cages with heat tape. He keeps his sand boa cages as 95% hot spots, colubrids 85%, and other boids 90%. John feels that a small cage is a better choice of housing. He also showed us his rodent set up.

John showed us slides of the different species of snakes he keeps with an emphasis on the smooth scaled and Kenyan sand boas. Smooth scaled sand boas are his favorites. They are the largest sand boas he has, some up to four feet. He breeds them as he does the colubrids by keeping them at a decreased temperature of 55 degrees for three months. He has also bred them by cooling them slightly for two months, which is the method he prefers. He mentioned how the smooth scaled babies are a beautiful bright orange and fade as they age, while the Kenyan boas get prettier as they get older.

John's favorite beddings are sand, then newspaper, then aspen shavings. He cleans every cage every week by sterilizing the cage and water bowl and replacing the bedding. [editors note: I've seen John's set ups. Cleaning

. alone is a 40 hour a week job! I sympathize with you John! You certainly are dedicated! J

Generally all sand boas are easy to start. He has never had to force feed a baby. He did mention one unfortunate lesson he learned breeding Kenyan sand boas. When he decided to hibernate 15 snakes at 55 degrees for three months, all of them died at 2 months and 3 weeks.

Many of us who are interested in breeding snakes can certainly thank people like John who are willing to share their techniques with us. John finished his program by answering numerous questions. This was an excellent and informatiye program.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Nov: Eric Thiss - Natural History and Captive Care of Garter Snakes Dec: Thomas Tyning - Natural History, Ecology and Conservation of the timber

Rattlesnake XMAS: Thomas Tyning - Uncommon Behavior in Common Herps

CRITTER OF THE MONTH

Anything you want!! (See herp hint in this newsletter for tips on keeping them warm during transport.)

Bring a proper display case, clear all potentially dangerous reptiles with a board member first, this includes venomous animals! Keep animals inside their bags or cages in the meeting room at all times before and after Critter of the Month. If Y0'.1 must show someone ahead of time your favorite pet, go outside in the,hall. ThlS ensu~es some safety for the animal, too many hands and people trYlng to catch a gllmpse can cause an accident or escape. Thanks!

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MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 4

MHS BLAST FROM THE PAST by Michele Stillinger

MHS Blast From The Past is a look back on the past accomplishments and contributions of MHS members.

Last month I reprinted an article by member Jim Gerholdt. it only fitting to reprint an article written by his wife issue, Volume II number 12. Enjoy!

This month I thought Pam, in December 1982

LIFE WITH A HERPETOLOGIST by Pam Gerholdt

It all started innocently enough. I was just looking for a good source for healthy lizards and the Naturalist at my local science center gave me this guy's name and phone number. My mom thought it improper for a young lady to phone a man, but talking her into that was a breeze compared to talking her into letting me keep lizards.

So I phoned him in the fall, and he got me some nice lizards in the spring, and in the summer my folks invited him to collect herps on the 160 acres we had our cabin on. One thing led to another, as they say, and the next thing I knew I found myself married to a herp, with a room full of reptiles. We went collecting in Arizona for our honeymoon. No romantic moon lit strolls with this man. We armed ourselves with snake sacks, hooks, cans an bottles, flash lights, notebook an pen, hopped in .the car and went night driving. When he told me we'd find toads in the desert I laughed. To someone whose only vision of deserts was mountainous sand dunes this was a great joke. Sure, what are they called, Dune Toads? Ha Ha! 12 years later I still have my honeymoon toads! Life with a herpetologist can be very enlightening indeed.

Our kids have grown up flipping rocks and logs. It comes as naturally to them as playing with blocks, dolls, an trucks comes naturally to most kids. doctors, dentists and teachers always comment on the ..• er ... interesting things our children talk about.

Finding a place to live can be an interesting challenge. How does one gently explain to the land lord that your "pets" consist of a room full of assorted reptiles, not the least prevalent of which are rattlesnakes? Buying your own home would seem a simple solution, but there's always the need for an extra room that can be safely set up for the herps.

Moving ... well, I won't dwell on moving all the critters and the cages, cages, cages.

When we make plans to take a trip, I get out the road maps and he gets out the range maps. The ideal destination is not thought of in terms of lovely scenery, convenient food and lodging, but rather in terms of what interesting herps we are apt to come upon. The day I caught myself asking him what herps are in the area, my first reaction was, good grief, woman, what has happened to you? But then, I an the one who was looking for a good source for healthy lizards ... and I bet if you asked him, he could tell you some interesting things about living with a lady who loves lizards and toads ••. and a herpetologist.

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MHS NEWSLETrER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGES

The following are some interesting letters written to our President Glen Jacobsen after he did a hands-on program at an elementary school.

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MRS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9

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MHS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 7

Art:i..c1oe

This month starts the first installment in a series of article on the different snakes of Minnesota written by member Jeff Leclere. Yes, even though it is cold and snowy up here we do have an assortment of herpetofauna! I hope Jeff will expand into to various lizards, amphibians, and turtles when he finishes with the snakes.

SNAKES OF MINNESOTA

Red-bellied snake (Stoereria occioitomaculata).

Descriction--The red-bellied snake is Minnesota's smallest ·5IlakE' Hlf::-!'{":i\sut-ing 7-"10 i.nches in .len9th~ It is nC1t \iE\nOIT!C:)U;;:j.~

Generally speaking~ there are two color phases of this sna~e and even these are subject to variation" One phase has a dark brown to light tan dorsal coloration with a broad single stripe running down the back" This stripe may white or a lighter shade of the dorsal coloration= The other phase is a light or dark grav dorsum with four ttlin rust red or black stripes running lengthwise down the snake. The following characteristics ar-e shared by both: The belly is usually a solid bright red, but may also be o~ange, pale yellow, or gray~ Three white or yellowish spots on the nape may or may not be present. The scales are keeled and the anal plate is divided.

Subspecies--There are three subspecies of the red-bellied snaken two of which occur in Minnesota. 1"t'8se ar"e the Northern and Black Hills red-bellied snakes. Although the northe~n has lares light-colored spots on nape and the Black Hills has small ~r nonen differentiation is nearly impossible because the iwo intergrade statewide ..

Range--In Minnesota this snake aopears to occur statewide in suitible habitatsu It is one of the onlv srlakes to occur in extreme northeast Minnesotau

Habitat--The red-bellied snake is generally a woodlarld snake found urlder rocks~ boards, in and under logs, and leaf littertt One of its favorite haullts is moist meadows on woodland boarders. I have also found this sD2cies in th~ middle of sarld orairies~

MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGES

Habits--This snake mav be found bv turnino flat objects and it is often found bv walking wDocflarld trails in th~ eveninG or at nioht. It makes little or no attemot to bite and its­mu-~;k :iH l--elati',/elv mildu It hibel--nates in t-ock crevicE-?sn in burrows under loqs~ and in abandoned anthills. It ~r~eds in sprinqu 5 -18 young are born alive in late summer and are 3 1/2 inches lonqu

Food-- This snake eats sluqs~ earthworms, and insect larv2u

Care--The red-bellied snake will do best in a 10 gallon aouarium~ Some specimens will do well on newspaper or indoor/outdoor carr)st and a hide boxq but the majority needs a Sllbstrate to burrow inu Sohaonum moss or soil baked at 300 degrees Fa for 15 minutes (thi~ gets rid of parasites in the soil) works great. Place flat rocks or bark on top of the substrate and keeo a small water bowl clean and filled.If your room is 70 to 80 degrees Fu ~ you may not need any other heat. If it is not. incandescent lamps work great. Do not use too high a wattage and leave on fo~ about 8 to 10 hours dailY. Ventral heat is not reccomended as the heat will not penetrate the soil or deep depths of moss. The too should be secur"e becau~;e once these snakes escape~ it is usually for good! These snakes are reported to take only slugs in captivity~ but I have had the majority accept earthworms rioht awaY. Th~ Florida red-bellies are notorious for eating oniv slug~. If your red-belly does not eat worms, try to get some slugsu Feed some of the slugs and keep the rest in a ,jars Place wortns in the jar (it may be necessary to wash ttle worms first) and this will scent the worms. A word of war-ning~ if your red-belly eats unscented worms. NEVER offer it a slug or it maY then refuse all other food.

You may catch a gravid female and since they are ovoviviDarous~ you will not have to take care of the eggs. Thev hatch inside of the mother and she gives birth to living young. The young are difficult to feed, although YOU can try chopped worms~ sl{jgs~ or tubifex worms~ If the young snakes do not. ea.t. t-elease them AT THE SAME LOCATIm, THE MOTHER WAS CAPTURED! Do this as soon as possible so they can find suitible hibernation spots~ If-you wait until spring to release thenl! they will surely die during ttle course of tt1e winter~ Also~ adults may not eat well in winter and worms maY tle unavailible. Some red-bellies eat frozen thawed worms or sluqs~ If this is the case with yours! you -can freeze stAr-oills food for winter.

MRS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 9

Northern

Storeria o. occipitomaculata

F:efer-ences::

Breckenridge, W.J. 1944. Reptiles and Amphibians of Minnesota.

Conant, Roger 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of

Eastern and Central North America.

Oldfield, B.L. and J.J. Moriartv (in press)~ Distiribution Maps for The Reptiles and

Amohibians Native to Minnesota.

r~o5si.. John V. 1992 .. Snakes of the United States and Canada.

Do you know the differences between frogs and toads? Toads have no teeth, toads have drier, thicker skin, male toads have a Bidder's organ, which is part of the reproductive system, and toads have a different skeletal structure in the pectoral girdle. (Zoo Life)

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 10

HFY I Herpetological For Your Information

HFYI is a listing of herp related information, products, trips, expeditions, classes and other items of interest for herp enthusiasts.

NEW PRODUCTS

New reptile information newspaper called REPTCYCLER by experienced herpetologists and educators, subscription is $12.00 and comes out quarterly. Write: REPTCYCLER, P.O. Box 8187, La Crescenta, CA 91224-8187, or fax (818) 957-7784. MRS will be looking at getting this for the library on a newsletter exchange.

The Ophidian Herpetological Network is a computer bulletin board for herp enthusiasts. 300-2400 BPS, 24 hours, 8+N+1 Phone (602) 468-9860.

HERP-NET BBS, is a computer bulletin board with the subject of herpetology as the main interest. Contributors are from allover the country. All you need to participate is a computer, a modem and communication software. The #'s are (215) 698-1905 - for 9600 baud or higher and (215) 464-3562 for 2400 baud modems. If you have questions you can call Bill Moss at 488-1383 and he'll try to get you set up.

MRS has receive an interesting price list from Vida Preciosa International run by Dave and Tracy Barker of Boerne, TX. The price list contains a large assortment of captive born pythons from ringed pythons to jungle carpets. The list also contains an assortment of products from BJ Specialties run by Bob and Dea Barker in Columbia, MO, including pinkie pumps, feeders, restraining tubes, etc. Call (314) 442-8558 for BJ Specialties price list or (210) 537-5000 for VPI price list.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION

The following article and response information is reprinted from the National Wildlife Federation EnviroAction magazine. The great lakes region is a vital part of the ecosystems surrounded our state and all of North America. Please take the time to read the information. The deadline is past due for responding but your letter could still make a difference. Or call NWF's Enviro Hotline (202) 797-6655 for information on the outcome of these proposals.

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME xm NUMBER 9 PAGE II

NewsBrief

Great Lakes Protection: The Next Step Al!erylJillS of being 'tJeId hostage,' the Great Lakes Initiative is ffna/o/ published tor public comment

E nvirorunentallstshavestruggled fur more than 20 years to protect

one ci America's premier natural I'E:!O\U'teS,. the Great Lakes. . At last. a plan by a.. EnvfrorunenmI __ AfPCf (JlP A) to P"""" a.. ",tire !Un of a.. Great LakEs Is moving _oro.

The Great lakes constitute 20 peroentof the worid'sfresh water supply and 95l"'<""t of a...-...n surface water In the Us. Approxl- . matoly 23 miIIlon people rely on a.. lakes ro. the!.- drinldng wa ....

Great Lakes Industrial PollutIon

""rIte the Great l.aJ<e( lmpor­tance,. major indwbies, such as steel monu&ctwenl and pulp and peP" mm..~ PCBs, heavymetals, and dioxin into the lakes. Sdentisls at the US. Fish and. Wildllfe Service attribute problemo alIIng a.. regIon'. wi1d1ife to these toxics and others. fur example, bald eagles nesting near the lakes reproduce at lower rates than eagles living inland. As a result of contaminants, temsand c0rmo­

rants which feed on Great Lakes fish are born with abnonnally twisted beaks. Studies show infants born to women woo consumed Great Ulo:es fish have lower birth weight and perform lower on developmmtal tests than those born to women in other parts of the country.

4

In their report on Great Lakes waterquaUty, the US. CanadIan JntemationalJointComrnissionasked, "Are hllll'\aM and the environment in danger from permtent toxic substancEs now? And,arefuturegenerationsin danger?" The commission concluded, "Based on a review of the sdentifk studies and other recent information, we believe the answer to both questions Isyes.·

Bloaccumulatlon: Food­Chain ContamInation Thecommisslon'sooncemsstem

from the pheromenon ofbioaocumula­lion of toxic substances through the food chain. In brief, toxic chemicalsare _ byplant ma",,",and

plankton In a.. lakes. As small fish consume thEse and are consumed by birds and Luger fI.sh. which are in tum consumed by larger birds and humans .. the a«umulation of toxins ~ exporentially. Because the attumula­Han of toxics increases up each rung of the food chain, the use ofbioacrumula­tion factors will yield a more protective criterion for wildlife and human health.

. EPA Rules and State Regulations

Bioaccumulation problems have long alarmed environmentalists, who convinced theGreat LakesCongres-. sionaldelegation in 1990 tochampion

Mayt993

Qz.z.:i.c::,k Fac::'i=

theGreat Lakes Critical Programs Act, which mandated thatEPA develop a basiM,vide plan for the Great Lakes. Now, for the first time, the EPA has developed basin-wide criteria that lnoorporate bioaccumulation {acton! as aaiterion forthe protection of aquatic llfeandhwnan health. Furthermore, by using bloaccurnulation factors through the food chain-again. for the fusttime-theEPA will be captbIe'of developing rules to protect wildlife.

The Great Ukes Initiative is an innovative approach to protecting a IaIge complex ecosystem bordered by eight state$ard two Canadian prov­Intel. n.. ~ rules are gulde­tines that will be translated into ~ forceable limits on pollutantdlsdwges. SpedaI restrictions will apply to those chemicals that bioaccumulate. Cur-­rmlly, each Great Lakes state uses a different set of criteria for the issuance of pennisslble dl.sOwges into the Jakes. In thepast, irdustries have gone "pollution shopping," seeking out states with weaker regulations.

The Great Ukes Initiatiw would halt this practice because each state must, within two years, adopt uniform water quality standards consistent with the EPA's final rules. Happily, the Great lakes Initiative would create a level playing field for fairer interstate competition for jobs, in addition to helping to achieve cleaner water, safer fish toeat, and healthier wildlife.

The Federation will support EPA's proposed rules providing that the flnal ruiesaddress the following {our points:

• protect women and infants from chemicals, such as PCBs and dl~ that cause birth defects;

,protect sport anglers,Native . Americansand others who frequently

~1993

News Brief

The Great Lakes Initiative can help keep toxics, such as those pictuled above, out of the Great Lakes basin.

consume fish {rom the Great Lakes; • protect wildlife from chemicals

that cause death and defonnities; and • protect """'ng hIgh quality

waterslli::e LakeSuperior. Not just Great Lakes residents but

all Americans should be concerned about the prop:lSOO regulations. As EPA Administrator Browner states, "this innovative approach notonly gives guidance to the Great Lakes but also gives guidance {or better ec0sys­tem protection in the future,"

-lUck Spencerwith M. 1<Jz/heritJ! Hdnri<h

5

Each day, up to 100 species become extinct. Every si~teen minutes, forest equal in area to New York City's Central Park 1S destroyed. size of the state of Pennsylvania is cleared each year! (NWF)

a rain An area the

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 12

The Great Lakes Need Your Help!

STRONG AND SAFE MEASURES to· protect the Great Lakes fr~m tOxic pollution will be adopted only if citizens voice their support for a tOugh 'Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative.' These proposed rules, currently in

. draft form, face enormous opposition from·industrial and municipal polluters. The·rules will cut tOxic dumping from cities' and industries' waste pipes by about 80%; if they become law.

Please stress the following ~in~ in your letter t~ EPA "and your governor ~upporting the immediate adop~on of a.s~ong GLI: .

• The GLI'sproposes to end the practice of allowing dischargers to dilute their toxic waStes (for chemiCals that build up iIi the food chain). This proposal is under heavy ·attack and must be vigorously defended. This 'mixing zone phase-out' should apply. to .all tOxic chemicals that are persistent (don't biodegrade).

• The GLI's proposes to, for the first time, protect wildlife wi.th specific water quality standards for four chemicals, including mercury, PCBs, dioxin and DDT. This proposal should· be suppOrted and EPA should develop. standards to protect wildlife from all cheniicals.

... TIte GLI inc1ud~ a new proviSi~n t~'keep cl.,m waters dean' that will provide better protection for high quality waters.·These '.antidegradation' rules should be adopted. .

• The GLI will not provide adequate protection for people who frequently eat. fish, ... ;ncluding 'sport anglers, Native Americans and others. Assumptions regarding how much . fish people eat should be changed to better protect people who. eat the most fish against cancer, birth defects·and developmental problems. .

. .

.' . The ~reat Lakes Initiative-is a step forward b~t ~ore is needed. EPA should immediately embark on.'''.Round-2.'' Needed are: procedures to control pollution from diffuse pollution', such as.the air, urban and farm runoff and contaminated sediments; pollution prevention programs; ·and timetables to ban the release of all persistent toxic substanceS into the Lakes:

Opponents are trying to kill the p~posed .Great Lakes Initiative. Don't let them. This is a ·histOric chance to fulfill promises by our politicians and governments to restore the Lakes.

Public Support fora Tough Great Lakes Initiative Is Critical! . . . ,

The Initiative"will be a test of POli~CiaflS' com'~itments to the Great Lakes. write a letter to U.S. EPA before Sept. .13, 1993· (Caroi Browner, U.S. EPA; 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460). Then write your governor. Tell them that you want a tough Great Lakes Initiative that includes the above elements approved now! . ~.""J.

~~ ....... .

• NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION. Great Lakes Natural Resource Center . 506 E. Liberty. Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 • 313-769-3351 .

MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 13

I

Article-s <>f

Secrets of Bam4:

In a Corner"ofGhina, , ,. ',' '!'/'. , . i".l .',

They\Li~e,,tol1~AOO . * .. * *, ,!." .. -"'j

A Diet Rich'in .ILlza~dJlelps, 'I'~, H~a~ 'P~dpl~;Jiteli .It; 'Spirit of LOng~vity' Wi~e

. ;, ":-'1 ' : ',>:!':'·:;~,,:\\'::~1 ~~1\:! , " " ·/c'.IlY.:AQI~qI1ATlu~,,:;, .. ,;.

Staff Repa"'; oJ;t:.if\ Wt~~(i .. *#~%."~8~:IAL. BAMA, China-Lan "oPlril('sWc~a.li' Ih

first Amerlcanclgarette he 'has ever seen. He takes a long drag, exhahls" then gulps from' a bowl of fiery rlee wine. .

"This probably Isn't, doing my health a lot of good," he says with a playful laugh, Maybe not"but why worry? Atthe',a~e of 108, the skinny Mr, Lan, who \vas a ,ravel, ing salesman before he retired half a cen-. tury ago, IS still going strong. He finishes the wine and gets up from his simple stool. "To tell you the truth," he says, his eyes moist but clearl "I wlsh:1 could dIe. I'm ready. But I just keep on goIng." - .

If he and quite a lew other people here truly are as old as they claim 10 be, pel" haps there is a fountain 0/ youth, -or a rea­sonable facsimile, This· remote part of' China doesn't ·seem an unlikely. site ...

Nestled In mountains bf the southwest, . where turquoise rivers wind slowly-around great jade·green crags! Is the little county of Bama (pronounced· Bah·tnah), 'a 'Shan­grl-La made real In Guangxi province. With cool year· round temperalur~s, clean air and water andapUndant food,' few Ba' mans ever leave tlils paradise!, And; like Mr. Lan, they:seetjl'b)e~a~;:wlt~.Jopg ~JI'{e~~ ... """'F:""'C.~~,I(, ... ,A" !\,~.~ -', ~',. :

Snakes In the Grass •. Chinese demographers conflrtn that the

people of Bama county; though poor !n,ma· terlal things: do possesS 1M se~te! oUon· gevlty, or at least they, lIve a long time. Bama, according to prqlfered statistics, has a higher concentratlon of hundred­year'olds than any place else on earth, and most of them have clear minds and are In good health. Nlnety·year-olds abound, too, and "have the ,blood pressure 01, most 40· year-olds," claims a Bama doctor. Octoge· narlans, young whippersnappers relatively speaking, still work in the fields planting and harvesting maize and rice.

- Centenarians openly share their secrets of long llfe with the first foreigner some of them have ever met. The good news is that most of the old folks got that way de­spite heavy drinking, chain-smokll1g and overeating. And they aren't even fat.

Alas for the export market, however, county elders arso . a dletA,h In wild grass, snakes and lizards, as welw' as a bovine creature' they call the WIld Yellow Cow of the Mountains.

ConsIder the life, style of Luo Maz­heng, Bama's oldest inhabitant, who is said to be 130. Ms .. ,.I., Luo, who stilI cooks;" and does housework;" says she was born In , 1860, 'the year Lin· Lan Boping '. coin was elected ' . ' president. China at the tlme.was fighting opium wars against England and Franc~, and Emperor Hslen Feng sar~~:Beljlng s Imperial throne;-'1,3oo,mlleS'from here. '

Only three years ago did demographers realize the extent of the .Bama'.phenome­non, Officials found· In county ,villages 62, Individuals more than 100 years old. ThM works out to 23 hundred·year·olds per 100" 000 population, a fantastic figure, actuarl­,ally 'speaking, Most of the old people are l' aos, a polytheistic ethnic minority papu' latlng mountainous paris of southern China, Thailand and Vietnam.

It requlre~ a leap of faith to accept the age claims as true. But, iocal officials aren't-;t all skeptical. They cite old birth records and census data as proof that a disproportionate numbel' of Bamans truly do live long,

China hasn't given the Bama Longevity Phenomenon much publicity because Bama Is remote and ill-equipped to handle visitors. 8tlll, word has leaked out, and Chinese researchers have made the trek,

. seeking explanations. From Beijing, the trip takes three days, requiring a cross· country flight, a long train fide and an all­day drive over narrow mountain roads.

When they finally reach the hills of Bama, Intrepid researchers meet people such as Huang Masheng, a former seam· stress said to be 101. 8he lives in a yellow­brick house with a bare dirt floor In Pine Village, which Is inhabited by a clan of 797 people named Huang. The vlllage techn.l­cally is electrified, though Mrs. HUallg, s house has but one bare lightbulb, and It IS

burned out.

MRS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9

Dressed in a black tunic, black pants and black shoes with nowers embroidered on them. Mrs, Huang sits In a stiff wooden chair next to a makeshift altar, a shrine to departed' Huangs. Frail but detemllned, she fiercely clutches the arms of h~r chair and stares toward the doorway, ,the,only somce of light.

Mrs, Hnang's hear'lng Is failing, so an Inlerpreter IIInst screalllinto her eal' to get her attention. She tnl'lls slowly each tlllle and responds with ll1easun~d grace, HI plan to live untll 1'111 200." she says. How? "\ eat anything and everything." For years, she says, she subsisted on wild grass gathered frolll the surrounding 1II0nntalns. Wilen he Isn'l busy with his farlll chores, her son still climbs the steep crags to fptdllwr grass. Hp's stilj fit nt the ag-r of 7fl.

Uiven all tilt' tah's of long liftl, it is only natural that enterprising Chinese would be trying to find comlllercial applications for the purported Bama miracle, and they are. Trouble is, It's hard to figure oot exactly where the seCl'et resides, exactly what Is responsible for Bumans' having so much time on their hands between cradle and grave. The Bama Food Drink Factory, a joint venture of the provincial govel'llillent and a once-sleepy local brewery, Is one such attelllpt to cash In,

The factory hopes to popularize a wine with life-prolonging properties, For a year, factory directors and state officials went frolll village to village interviewing the very aid. hoping to figure out what they were eating and drinking that might have something to do with living so long.

They got sOllie sage advice. that Isn't ~~­actly marketable. Huang Majl, an arthritiC 102-year-old who married a younger ma~, now 95, told them: "If you're near the big river drink from the big river. If you're near 'the little river, drink from the little river,"

Other tips were more practicable, and have made possible "Spirit of Longevity" wines the main Ingredients of which are Red-spotted lizards, three kinds of poi­sonous suake, dog and deer penises and a secretbiend of wild grasses and herbs, These are new products. but they are based on home·brew Bamans have been drinking for years. .

The brewery's director. Wang 8hiying, asserts confidently: "The wines definitely prolong life. but only II you drink them all the time. If you drink them for a whIle and

PAGE 14

smelly and bitter. It has quite a kick, and Bamans can't get enough of It.

CHINA

:; }! "'1 drink a glass of lizard wine every night before bed," says Wang Qlllang, 50,

.' the 'retlred president of Barna's hospital.

.,. "I learned It from the old people. Then I fall right to sleep. It's very good."

Shen Jlquan, the brewery's Communist Party chief, explains: "Lizards help regu' late the lungs. And their tails are good for

. ~,,,. M;. . the kidney." He drops his scholarly man' . . ., !·h,;<;{· ./K·,:· :.;·ner, however; when an aide, scooping out a . GU~,!!.aXI . ,".: . ,,\~; +f:.;.,:.; .::;,lelit dozen lizards from a pot, drops several

.. ,./,,>". t . ':' !'ii,)i~~r.''}.'' i:;': on the Party chief's foot. Mr. Shen does a "') • I" ./i</{:" @i . little dance suggestive of the heeble·)ee· "",,,,,,,~B.m... .. ... ,,:,.':: '\. ,i,':'. bles, then regains his composure. "One Vlfo;TNAM ...... ;., !'~~":';:',f:"\'-:'-~::.:::'; TAiwAN more thing," he adds, I'the water we use

.. , .. ' . 200 . prevents cancer," L....3 The factory's assembly llne Is a group

l..a ..... oil.iiilOio .. _ ..... _ ..... _M .. ' .. '''_aI of young women who squat on the fIoor - cramming soaked, bloated lizards into

then stop, you lose any benefit.:' He wotildn't mind seeing the habit become in· grained. .

Like any line wine, Red Spotted Lizard Wine, the factory's main brand, Introduced In 1987, must be aged. For three months, the rlce·based ellxlr sits In' big earthen pots of branches and leaves. Then the lIq· uld Is strained Into one big pot, and 1,368 of the reptiles are added to the brew, which steeps for another six months.

The slx·lnch lizards are brought to the factory by local peasants, who get about S1.50 apiece for them, That Is a lot of money In Barna, and It makes the finished product rather expensive-about $3 for a small (750'gram) bottle.

The wine tastes like deat~; It Is strong,

empty bottles, which then are filled with the by now nlne·month·old wine. The fac' tory produces about 500 tons a year of liz' ard and snake wines, which are sold to would·be Methuselahs In Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, even New York and San Francisco.

Mr. Shen, who Is 49, confIdes that he doesn't drink much of the stuff himself. In' deed, he has his own pet theory about long ll/e that has nothing to do with llzards. It Is .based, rather, on the experience of his grandmother, who I, 95 years young. Her secret Is beans. She eats beans.

"Who knows why?" Mr. Shen says. "But I've been watching her eat beans all my lIle. It must be doing something for her. "

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9

LEAPIN'L1ZARDS! JAPAN'S NEW PETS II !\parlillcilllifc is so crampcd in '("kyo that Ihe IlIOSt com­mon pets arc tropical fish and parakeets. Bul as the Japancse get richer, their lasle Itl!' some­thing more exotic is rising. The current craze: reptiles.

Even though they can take up a mite more space-they're six inches to about three feet long-lizards are silent and un­likely to threaten the no-pet clause in most leases. Pet shop owners say young women ac­count for 30% of sales, Among them: Izumi Kihara, 24, who works in the new-products de­partment at Pol a Cosmetics. She owns a 20-inch giantskink lizard named Omaki. Says Ki­hara: "I used to keep grasshop­pers, but they're very difficult to pet. The lizard is nicer to hold,"

The hottest reptile: the igua­na. Japan imported about 2,000 last year from the US. and Honduras. They sell for about $150, but if you're a champion pachinko (pinball) player, you might get one free. A Tokyo pachinko parlor offers lizards, snakes, and turtles as prizes.

Hikaru Shiraishi, editor of Fish magazine, which has a reg­ular section for rcptilc fancicrs, predicts that the ncxt lizard likely to catch Japan's fancy will be the Bengal monitor, a flesh-eating 3-footer from In­dia. Says Shiraishi: "Iguanas are cute, but these lizards are larger, so it's easier to know where they are in the apart­ment." The Bengals, which go for up to $700, are an endan­gered species, however, and Ja­pan now bans their import. Possible result: a black market for the critters. - Emily Thornton

PAGE 15

• WHEN KERIUE WIG GAVE HER I : son a Ninja Turtle character I ; as a gift. she didn '( purchase 1 ' it from a toy store - she made it. From a real rat. The gift was an example of this Brooten native's hobby and burgeoning business -freeze-dried animals.

\Vig, a part-time nurse and former veterinary worker, began her rather unusual career after her husband died, and she had trouble finding daycare for her twO young children. While on a trip to Denver, she noticed a freeze-dried rattlesnake - and its price - in an air­port store, and came up with the per­fect solution to her problem: a home­based freeze-drying business.

Wig sought training from an experi­enced freeze-drYer in [he Twin Cities, bought her first' dryer and dubbed her new business Creature Features. She starts the freeze-drying process with a road-killed animal, or one that is brought in by a customer. After gutting and packing the body, she positions the animal in a desired pose and places it in her freezer. Three to five months later, depending on size, Kerrie ends up with a lightweight, brittle mount. "Then I take it oU[ of the freezer to see if it develops an odor," Wig says. "If it does, I pack it in camphor for a while.

. Skunks take quite a while."

\Vig hopes to find manufacturers and direct mail catalogs to help expand her business to include novelty items. "F ox ao"d chicken feet kevchains, stringers of game fish, trout ;nd sala­mander skin earrrings, that kind of thing," she explains.

Since the Associated Press ran a story about her in December, \Vig has received phone calls from across the region. She's been featured on St. Cloud and Eau Claire radio stations, as well as the Twin Cities' KSTP-TV. The new-found fame forced her to pur­chase a brand new double-wide freezer, and to move Creature Features Out of her home and into a separate building in Brooten along Highway 55.

The new equipment and the new location, coupled with Wig's abundant enthusiasm for her hobby. could trans­late into a thriving business. "I'll freeze-dry juSt about anything, as long as it's interesting," \Vig told the Associated Press. "I've had lots of peo-" pIe ask me to do their husbands." 0

TRANSPORTING HERPS DURING TEJoIPERATURE EXTRHIES

by

Terry Odegaard

Reptiles ahd amphibians can be moved about in very hot or cold weather if a little thought is given to the problem.

During cold weather small specimens can be put in a container and simply stuck ~nder your coat. A suitable container in this case might be a pint milk carton, plastic jar, or cloth bag. Of course when a bag is used "care must be taken to insure the specimen is not squashed accideotally.

Larger specimens may be carried in a picnic cooler. A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel will keep things cozy inside for the critter you Ire trying to keep warm. A thermometer might be used to keep an accurate check on the temp. Also, pre-heating the car when possible helps.

In hot weather our problem is keeping our specimens at a cool enough constant temperature. Once again, the picnic cooler is useful. Only instead of a hot water bottle, add a milk carton or coffee can full of ice cubes. Wrapping the ice container in a towel will avoid cold spots in the cooler. Keep the cooler out of the sun and if the cooler must sit in a car, the windows should be kept open.

In hot or cold weather be sure to check the cooler's temperature frequently to let yO" know if adjustments should be made. I have used these methods with great success on the. coldest Ninnesota winter days °and_ in the excessive heat of the r~exican desert.

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 16

AND NOW •••

tt\O"~~A\\"AS~N. ~ tJ\ MOMtNT~ ., iN lHt liFt Of A

FltL'D HI.R'PE.TOLOGlST: UI'\ ... I(EA~ .•. I:1) LIKE A

2I1G MAC ... LARG.l C11.1)f.9. O~ rRIE.CS ... AKtl A Sn~WSE.RRY MILK5NAKE. 'PLEASE..

~':lY- ~t~\f 'l\\£V GoT AliI' MOU5~ /'\</lU(,(,f.,S!

Article References

o

Poems by Judith l/iont, d~a'J\'ing..\ by Kirk Lytlle

Mother Doesn't Want A Dog Mother doesn't want And always let the a dog. strangers in )\I1other says they And bark at friends smell, instead, And never sit when And do disgraceful you say sit. thingson rugs,

, Or even when you And track mud'on the yell. , floor" ~ 'And when you come," And flop upon your . home late at night, ' bed at night And there is ice and, And snore their dog\lY snowr ~

, -;You have to go back : out becau$e .

The dumb dog has to go,

snore.

, Mother doasn't want a dog.

, She's making a mistake.

',Mother doesn't want Because, more than a a dog. dog, I think Mother says'thiiy' ' 'She wUl not want this &had,'! ';",'enai<.e.

The Freeze-Dry Woman, Minnesota Calls magazine, March/April 1993, page 9.

Secrets of Barna, Adi Ignatius, Wall Street Journal.

Leapin' Lizards! Fortune magazine, Juy 15th, 1991,

Transporting Herps During Temperature Extremes, Terry Odegaard, MHS Newsletter, Volume II Number 2,

MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 17

Centre for

Endangered Reptiles

Centre pour

reptiles menaces

347 rue Bourget Granby, Quebec Canada J2G 1 E8

(514) 372-9113 fax (514) 372-5531

20 August, 1993

Minnesota Herpetological Scoiety Bell Museum of Natural History 10 CHurch Street, SE Minneapolis, Minnesota USA 55455

Dear Members of the Minnesota Herpetological Scoiety,

In 1991, one of the most respected institutions in the world of herpetology and herpetoculture went through a major crisis_ Many people have been wondering what happened to the Reptile Breeding Foundation, of Picton, Canada. It has even been claimed that the non-profit organization has closed (which it has not). I

. would like to take this opportunity to explain what happened to the RBF, and what it is doing now.

The Reptile Breeding Foundation worked for the conservation of endangered reptiles through captive breeding for twenty years. In 1991, a serious conflict arose between the staff and the board of directors, which resulted in the staff offering their mass reSignation. This offer was made as an ultimatum and was accepted by the board.

When the experienced, full-time staff resigned, the board of directors realized that they had to move fast to prevent the animals from suffering and to keep the organization alive, too. The Metro Toronto Zoo provided temporary staff, and with board started to reorganize the foundation. They had to make several changes, which included finding a new name, finding a new location (the old one was far too expensive), and changing the collection of animals to focus on a few critically-endangered species rather than maintaining hundreds of interesting animals which were not endangered. And, of course, they had to find a new staff.

They were able to make progress very quickly. The name was legally changed to Centre for Endangered Reptiles. (The name Reptile Breeding Foundation remains legally protected, though). Many people and institutions came forward to take on caring for animals, and best of all, by the fall of 1991 a new home was being discussed. The Granby Zoo, in Granby, Quebec, had a modern reptile house built in 1984 for dramatic animal displays,

MRS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGElS

conservation work, and research, but because of the economy, the research and conservation side of the facility had never been developed. The Granby Zoo offered to let the Centre use space in the reptile house free of charge in return for helping the zoo to fulfil it's obligations to conservation and research. By early 1992 the animals and records were moved from Picton to Granby. I was hired as the new director in 1992 and arrived in Granby in 1993. Our animals are cared for by Mr. Laurent Guilbault, who has ten year's experience as a professional animal keeper, and for many years has specialized in reptiles.

The Centre for Endangered Reptiles has the same objectives that the Reptile Breeding Foundation pursued: to conserve endangered reptiles and amphibians through captive breeding and research, and to teach people about the importance, fragility and beauty of the animals we share our world with. As a registered charity in Canada, we work with private people, zoos, and universities on our programs. We obtain our financial support through public donations, special fund-raising events, and through the support of other foundations. .

If you want to find out more about how you can help to conserve endangered reptiles and amphibians, or want to find out what kind of programs we are working on, please drop me a line!

With best wishes,

David A. Galbraith, PhD. Executive Director and Curator

PS. Although we've been in Granby only a little while, we've already made some important progress, and we've been very warmly received by the local people. A lot of people care about endangered animals. I'm full of hope for the future of many species which seem in trouble now. Conservation success is not easy, but with so much good will and the participation of so many, it really is working.

MHS NEWSLETrER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 19

UPCOMING HERPETOLOGICAL EVENTS

Upcoming herpetological Events is a listing of herp related conferences, symposiums, shows, lectures, classes, and local MYS hands on events.

(JUIeK VIEW

September 93 October 93 Nov. & Dec. 93

* International Expo * MRS Holiday Party * Renaissance Festival San Diego 10/2 - 3 12/4

thru Sept 26th Guest speaker: * Midwest COnference Thomas Tyning

Des Moines 10/22 - 24 Where: U of M St. Paul campus

CONFERENCES & SYMPOSIUMS

See Registration forms in last month's issue for the 9TH ANNUAL MIDWESTERN HERPETOLOGICAL CONFERENCE in Des Moines, Iowa. Registration deadline is September 30th.

EXPOS & SHOWS

The 2nd Annual International Reptile Breeder's Convention will be held on October 2 - 3rd in San Diego. Admission $6.50, includes: icebreaker, slide show, Keynote speaker John Andy Phillips, San Diego Zoo, show and sales. Hotel Reservations: Bristol Court Hotel, (1-800-662-4477).

MRS EVENTS

Renaissance Festival: August 14th - September 26th. This is a great time, dressing up in costumes and acting crazy! Festival runs on Saturdays and Sundays, shifts are four hours long. Costumes are available or create your own, costume guide is available. After your shift you can roam the festival grounds and see the shows, crafts, etc. Your admission is free! Call Michele Stillinger for details and to sign up. Space goes fast, we only get so many passes a day so call right away if your interested. (224-7212).

The MRS Annual Holiay Party is on December 4th at the St. Paul Student Center on the University of Minnesota Campus. The guest speaker will be Thomas Tyning. Registration form will be in next months newsletter but mark your calander now so you don't forget!

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 20

C 1 as s i f i ed Ads 1.0.0 = male, 0.1.0 = female,O.O.l = ???

fOIl SALE:

1,0 Florida blue eastern garter snake, $15, 1.1.0 Western hognose snakes, $100 pr, 1,0 yearling black ratsnake, $35. Call Nancy or Dav 536-9783 days,

1,0 Albino banded Cal king, pinkish - lavander, with bright yellow bands, $100. Call Becky evenings at 612-699-8031,

0,1.0 common Okatee corn, 3 yr old, $35. 0,0,1 red albino corn, 3 yr old 145. Glass lab mouse cages, gravity feed with water bottles, size for 4 mice, 14 each, Call David at 612-444-9775.

1,0 Sonoran gopher snake, $40" ,0,0,1 savanah monitor, 3 ft., 1100,00, Call Jodi at 552-1545,

1,1 Burmese pythons, both 8 ft, $400,00 pro or best offer, 1.1 Peruvian red-tailed boas, 1-4 ft, M-2 ft, $850,00 or best offer, Lisa (612) 895-0242.

1,1 Ball pythons, captive bred, 30', $135,00 pr, Call Jeremy at (612) 871-1244,

Feeder Rabbits, $1,50 lb, Crickets, SO cents a doz, Call Dan 487-6302.

2.1 Bimini boas (Epicrates striatus fasted), nake offer, 1,0 Columbian rainbow boa, 1150, Call Greg at 612-533-7723.

Captive bred snakes at affordable prices, Delivery at MHS meetings available. Send stamp for 1993 price list, Plains Reptile, P.O, Box 5m, Fargo, ND m05, 1101) 241-9742,

1,15 Brazilian rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria cenchria) C,B, '93 - $225, 6,7 Columbian rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria maurus) C.B, '93 - 195, 1.1 D' Albert's pythons (Liasis albertisi) C,B, '92 - $400,00 pro Can deliver to the Twin Cities, Contact Mark or Kathy Wendling at (319) 857-4787,

Veiled chameleons, $100, Boas, $75, Ball pythons, $40, Green Iguanas, 125, Niles, $50, Tokay Geckos, $15, Cages, heat tape & misc accessories, Contact Hans at (715) 425-8888,

Solomon Island boas, Candoia cadnata paulsoni, 18 Bonths to 3 year juveniles, All captive bred and feeding well on dead nice, Price: $75,00 - $150,00, Unrelated pair (3 yrs, old) available, $300,00, Call Steph Porter (612) 690-2589, St. Paul, MN.

VAKfEO

Butterfly Agama - will trade, Call Nancy or Dav at 536-9783 days.

SECORD'S EXOTIC ANIMAL HOUSE BILLY SECORD (612)-920-4502

SPECIALIZES IN CAPTIVE BREEDING OF FINE EXOTIC MAMMALS. HEDGEHOGS, FENNEC FOX,

AND MANY OTHERS! USDA LICENSED!

MHS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9

Hamster habitat or cage, good condition, cheap! Call Becky at 699-8031 evenings,

All the shed snakes skins in the world, always, to use at hands-on programs, Bob Duerr 541-9417,

RIse:

SNAKE SKINS TANNED, Call Jane for more info at 724-7437,

BOA SURVEY: Please write for my questionaire on Boa constrictor reproduction, Even if your animals have not reproduced, please respond if they are least 4 yrs old and have had the opportunity, In return for a completed survey you viII receive a chart showing the subspecies, their scale counts and range, William Joy, P,O, Box 821433, Dallas, TX 75382-1433, INTERNET: 72223,220@COMPUSERVE,COM

FAURA CLASSIFIKDS: Monthly classified publication for reptiles, amphibians, food items & supplies, literature and more, Excellent information source, worldwide circulation, Subscription $14,00 year, Free sample & info, Write: FAUNA, 2379 Maggio Circle Unit C, Lodi, CA 95240,

1993 HERPETOLOGICAL DIRECTORY: A valuable information source containing private & commercial breeders, foreign exporters, U, S, & foreign herp societies, wholesalers, sources for rodents & other food items, supplies & equipment, and publications, Send 115,00 to FAUNA, 2379 Maggio Circle Unit C, Lodi, CA 95240,

PAGE 21

Featuring, . , lAMS. , , KT, , • ProPlan, , . Sclence Diet Tetra . .. Toppers . . . Other Specialty Foods

VIVARIUM PETS A Full Line of Pet Supplies &

Unusual Pets

6519 Nicollet Ave. So. Richfield. MN 55423

Gloria Anton 612·861·8888

Largest Selae"on of Reptiles & Amphibians in Minnesota Cages, Books, Feed & Supplies

540 Winnetka Ave. No. Golden Valley, Mn 55427

Sal 10-5 Sun 12-5

(612) 593-0298

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A HUGE SELECTION OF

CAPTIVE PRODUCED GEMS.

CALLAND

JOHN & RUTH MELTZER RESERVE YOURS (612) 263-7880 NOW!

MHS NEWSLETIER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9

your of non-poisonous

clutches reptiles.

ANIMALS WANTED: (Partial List) Albino King-snakes * Milk-snakes * Rat-snakes Albino 8. Regular Corn-snakes * Boa Constrictors

* Albino & R.gula:t Burmes, PythOIlll

Leopud & Sulcal. Tornises * Beuded Dragon' Em.rald Tree Boas * Poison krow I'r<Igs

AIllIcondas * and * Geokos

PAGE 22

MHS Classified Ads

All proceeds from the sales of MHS merchandise and donated items goes towards the operating costs of the society such as; speaker fees, books for the library, herp related charitable donations, newsletter printing, etc. MHS is a non -profit organization and is volunteer run.

Rat and Mice Sales

MICE

Pinkies - $6.00 doz. Fuzzies - $6.00 doz. Adults - $9.00 doz.

RATS·

Pups - $10.00 doz. Adults· - $12.00 for six

$24.00 doz.

Orders taken by Terry Scheiber only! Must be made at least one week before the general meeting where they will be delivered.

Phone: (612) 440-7482

***** Mice and rats must be .purchased by the dozen except for adult rats which can be purchase in allotments of six. Rat pinkies unavailable. ***** Cage Sales

Cages come pre-built but unfinished with the following; laminate interior, hinged mitered door, glass window, latch, incandescent light fixture and cord. A 7.5 watt bulb will be included. Some cages are available for immediate purchase at the meetings.

*** MHS does not take responsibility for any injuries to animal if purchaser uses a higher wattage bulb or other hardware. *** Specifications I x w x h

small: 24 x 18 x 12 $ 50 large: 48 x 18 x 18 $ 75

MHS also offers an assortment of other general meeting. These include:

Books T-shirts Posters Note cards

herp related items for sale at the

MHS stickers MHS buttons Assorted Donated items

Look for sales of MHS merchandise and items at the far right hand side of the meeting room. Items will be for sale during the break and before and after the meeting if time permits. Please have sales final before the meeting begins so as not to disrupt the meeting proceedings.

The new MHS T-SHIRTS are now in!! And they look great. They have a multi colored dart frog on the front of a white shirt and our logo on the sleeve. The shirt is 100% preshrunk cotton. Sizes are in kids and adults. Price is $12.00. Hurry, they're going fast!

MRS NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 9 PAGE 24

At last! Three that really express your interest in reptiles. Shirts are 100% white cotton with vivid 10·color designs filled with ass!. reptiles.

Rljin orosi design

This Anniversary design is also available in a 24" x 33" print for $20 + $4 S/H. (Unframed). ~ T-Shirt sizes are: M, L, XL, XXL. $15ea + $3 S/H. Add $1 S/H each additional shirt. International

orders add $5 S/H per shirt. U.S. funds ONLY. White Tank Sizes L & XL ~ T-Shirts not sold to general public in California.

California residents call for store in your area. ~ California Zoological Supply does not sell

reptiles to the general public. Reptiles only sold to retail pet shops & zoos.

; We;are ~aJw?¥s intllre~!e1j, inH5u¥Log ~1I~of y~ur,,; -caRti\le·ralseo 'IlRtiles. Rlease sena or call _ _ with your availalJilify list. Ask for-Tyrone,

Saint Gertrude Santa Ana, CA 92705-5311 USA

Phone: 714/641-1597 Fax: 714/549-8859 PAGE 23

CLASSIFIED AD INSTRUCTIONS: Ads are run as a free service to paid members. Ads for venomous species, illegal species, or sick animals will not be run. MHS takes NO responsibility for legality or health of animal advertised here. Ads may be run for three consecutive months at which time ads may be re-submitted. The editor reserves the right to omit ads when space is limited so as to allow all members a chance to advertise. Size of ad is limited to four (4) typed lines or one (1) standard size business card. DEADLINE for all newsletter items is the date of the general meeting.

NON MEMBER & EXPANDED SIZE ADS: Line ads:$.l0 per word. Business Cards: $5.00 per month.

Quarter page ads: Half page ads: Full page ads:

One month only $10.00 per month $20.00 per month $40.00 per month

Three or more months $7.50 per month $15.00 per month $25.00 per month

Six or more months $5.00 per month $10.00 per month $15.00 per month

Send all newsletter items to: Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter Editor, 234 West George Street, St. Paul, MN 55107.

MEMBERSHIP AND T-SHIRT ORDER FORM

MINNESOT A HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

NAME(S) ______________________________________ -----------------------

ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________ __

CITY ________________________ _ STATE ______ _ ZIP CODE

PHONE __________________________ __ LIST IN MRS DIRECTORY? YES NO __ __

HERPRELATEDINTERESTS: ____________________________________________________ __

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP? NEW ____ RENEWAL __ __

MEMBERSHIP LEVEL? ____ SUSTAINING ..... $60.00

____ CONTRIBUTING ..... $30.00

----.-INSTITUTION .... $25.00

____ .DBASIC. ... $15.00

Are you currently ( or will be) a University of Minnesota student? __ (check if yes)

HOW DID YOU HEAR OF MHS'! ____________________________________________________ ~

OFFICIAL MHS T-SHIRT ($7.00 includes postage)

KIDS

Indicate how many of each size SMALL

ADULTS: ---MEDIUM X-LARGE_

NEW POISON DART FROG T-SHIRT

($14.00 postage included) Indicate how many of each size

SMALL___ LARGE __ _ KIDS __ _ ADULTS:

MEDIUM___ X-LARGE_

Please enclose payment. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Minnesota Herpetological Society. Membership is for 12 months from date of joining. A receipt will be sent only on request. Allow 6-8 weeks for processing. MAIL TO: Minnesota Herpetological Society, Bell Museum Of Natural History, 10 Church Street South East, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104

-4,

MINNESOTA

HERPETOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET S. E. MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104

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DELIVER BY SEPTEMBER 22, 1993

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+

Non-Profit Bulk Rate

U. S. Postage PAID

Mpls. MN Permit No. 2275