The newsletter of the
Minnesota Herpetological Society
December Meeting Notice General Meeting December 2nd December Speaker Harlin Wall—Effective Strategies for the Captive Reproduction of Green Tree Pythons Kid’s Korner pp 12-13
December 2016
Volume 36
Number 12
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Misi Stine 952.217.1267 President@mnherpsoc.org Vice President Jim Soos 612.382.1920 VicePresident@MnHerpSoc.org
C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street Southeast Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0104
Recording Secretary Nancy Haig 763.434.8684 RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org
Or you can still leave us a Voice Mail: 612.326.6516
Membership Secretary Lavania Beguhl 651.274.8511 MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org Treasurer Rae Jacobs Ruber 612.366.9337 Treasurer@MnHerpSoc.org Newsletter Editor Ellen Heck 612.750.1649 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org Lois Hall 612.824.1447 MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org Rebecca Markowitz 409.740.0235 MemberAtLarge1@MnHerpSoc.org Members at Large Tony Beguhl MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.org
Stay informed! Join us on our forums!
The purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to: • Further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive propagation of reptiles and amphibians; • Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and amphibians; • Promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Membership is open to all individuals with an interest in amphibians and reptiles. The Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its members with information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging information, opinions and resources. General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holiday conflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check the MHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations. Submissions to the Newsletter
Chris Smith 612.275.9737 MemberAtLarge2@MnHerpSoc.org
Ads or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to be included in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows and should be in electronic file format if possible.
COMMITTEES
See inside back cover for ad rates. Submissions may be sent to:
Adoption Beth Girard 612.326.6516 Adoptions@MnHerpSoc.org Education Jan Larson 507.263.4391 Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com Fostering Rebecca Markwitz 612.326.6516 Fosters@MnHerpSoc.org
The Minnesota Herpetological Society Attn: Newsletter Editor C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St SE Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org
SNAKE BITE EMERGENCY HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER 800-222-1222
WebMaster WebMaster@MnHerpSoc.org © Copyright 2015, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be
Cover by Cartoons by Fran Frisch
reproduced for non-profit, non-commercial use only. All material must be reproduced without change. Proper credit will be given including the author/photographer and the Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.
General Meeting — Harlin Wall December 2nd, 7:00pm; 6:30pm Social Hour Social hour begins at 6:30pm. This is a time for people to catch up before the meeting starts. The speaker for December will be Harlin Wall. His first presentation, at the general meeting Friday December 2nd, will be "Effective Strategies for the Captive Reproduction of Green Tree Pythons. (Morelia viridis)". His presentation Saturday December 3rd at the Holiday Banquet will be Second Presentation, Techniques for Acclimation and Treatment of Imported Emerald Tree Boas (Corallus caninus).
Letter from the President Holiday Greetings! We have come to the end of another year, and the end of my second term as President. As I reflect on the last two years as your President, and how fast time has gone, I look back and appreciate the relationships I have built, and the accomplishments we have made on behalf of MHS. Through the process there has been many diverse opinions and much debate, and sometimes it has been extremely challenging, but I hope that we have been able to bring a perspective and a set of talents and experiences that have been a benefit to MHS. I leave the position knowing that you will be in good hands with your new President, and Board of Directors. They will continue to need an active membership to help them move the organizations work forward, as there is always much to accomplish on behalf of mission we support. Especially in the face of climate change, overabundance of common species of reptiles and amphibians, and the need for education of the incredible animals, as well as their captive care. It has been my great honor to serve as President of this organization, and to get to know all of you. I look forward to spending time with all of you at meetings and other events. Thank you for your commitment and passion for MHS and herps--today and as we move towards the future! Misi Stine President
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Looking for Herp Assistance Volunteers! Are you an experienced keeper of a particular type of herp? Are you willing and able to provide answers to others? We are looking to re-introduce the herp assistance program and need people willing to offer advice for all types of reptiles and amphibians. We are also looking for people who specialize in breeding (herps, that is) cage building, etc. Volunteers will be listed in the newsletter and on the website with a phone number and/or email address that people seeking advice can call you on. Please contact Ellen NewsletterEditor@mnherpsoc.org if you are interested in helping. For assistance with turtles/tortoises and crocodilians. Contact info: Mike Rohweder birdgitter@yahoo.com
Holiday Banquet The holiday banquet will be held at the VFW in Cottage Grove on December 3rd from 6pm to 10pm. It is potluck style with the board providing chicken, smoked pulled pork, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and a cupcake cake to celebrate the anniversary of our society. Tickets are ten dollars per person with kids five and under free. There will be sign ups at the next two meetings as well as available on PayPal. When you sign up you will be asked what kind of dish you will be bringing. There are limited dessert slots so if you are set on that sign up early, on that point there is no dessert option when signing up on PayPal. We limited the amount of desserts so there is a good variety and enough side options. There is one drink ticket included in the price as well as a door prize ticket. Beyond that there will be a cash bar available. We look forward to seeing you there. The address is 9260 E Point Douglas Rd, Cottage Grove, MN 55016 https://www.google.com/maps/place/VFW+Post+8752/ @44.7956681,-92.913691,13.5z/data=!4m5!3m4! 1s0x0:0x93555143d2cf7fc6!8m2!3d44.810091!4d-92.9206368
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
MHS Fall 2016 Photo Contest Beth Girard If you were unable to attend the November meeting, you missed seeing some great photographs! This month’s cover photo is from the People’s Choice winner, Bradley Wilson! The other winners are listed below. Herps in the WILD 1st Place 2nd Place 2nd Place 3rd Place
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Beau Larson Cooper Crose Emily Roberts Emily Roberts
Mixed Media 1st Place - Caitlin Larson 2nd Place - Caitlin Larson 3rd Place - Beau Larson
Herps and Humans 1st Place - Bradley Wilson 2nd Place - Dawn Martinson 3rd Place - Emily Roberts Selfies 1st Place - Emily Roberts 2nd Place - Caitlin Larson
Start taking photographs now if you would like to be a part of this long-standing MHS tradition in 2017!!! People’s Choice: 2 Newts by Bradley Wilson
Cooper Crose, Herps in the Wild, 2nd Place December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Caitlin Larson, Selfie, 2nd Place
Caitlin Larson, Mixed Media, 1st Place
Caitlin Larson, Mixed Media, 2nd Place
Beau Larson, Herps in the Wild 1st Place
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Emily Roberts, Herps & Humans, 3rd Place
Emily Roberts, Selfie, 1st Place
Emily Roberts, Herps in the Wild, 3rd Place
Emily Roberts, Herps in the Wild, 2nd Place
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule Harry Potter Event—Ramsey County Library—Shoreview Branch, February 4th 2-3:30pm. Since this is a Harry Potter event, snakes only! (how often do we get to say that?) Harry Potter Event—Ramsey County Library—White Bear Lake Branch, February 11th 2-3:30pm. Since this is a Harry Potter event, snakes only!
Here’s the deal- Bring your herp(s) to one of the shows listed above, and talk about them. That’s it! You don’t have to be an expert, you’re not giving speeches. Most of the time you will find that people are more than open to hearing about our misrepresented critters.
Contact Jan at Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com for details or if interested in signing up. Or sign up on the website.
Herp First Aid Emergency kits, whether they be for earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods or fires, share a lot of commonalities. The basics, of course, such as food and water, are mandatory. A close third is an adequately supplied first aid kit. (yes this is a repeat but important) http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptiles-Magazine/The-Vet-Report-Herp-First-Aid-Kit-Checklist/
Hands-on reptile museum opens in Escondido Behind the painted windows of the EcoVivarium in downtown Escondido, a living museum of lizards, dragons, turtles, snakes, chameleons, frogs and tarantulas has opened for business. The 1,800-square-foot educational center at 163 S. Juniper St. is now hosting walk-though visitors and school groups for up-close, hands-on encounters with creatures like Lemony Snicket, a 6-yearold red-tailed albino boa constrictor, and Hank, a 17-pound Argentine black and white tegu lizard. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-eco-vivarium-20161115story.html
Road salt can change sex ratios in frog populations Naturally occurring chemicals found in road salts commonly used to deice paved surfaces can alter the sex ratios in nearby frog populations, a phenomenon that could reduce the size and viability of species populations, according to a new study. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161122122900.htm
Malaysian turtle hatchery releases 5,000th batch of hatchlings A turtle hatchery at Pulau Mabul near the diving haven of Sipadan in Malaysia is celebrating a milestone with the release of the 5,000th batch of hatchlings recently. The eggs were collected from 66 turtle nests and brought to the hatchery run by dive operator Scuba Junkie and the Sabah Wildlife Department. Malaysia’s Wildlife Department officer Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said the hatchery’s milestone was remarkable, given the declining numbers of sea turtles worldwide. http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/ article/2049235/malaysian-turtle-hatchery-releases-5000thbatch-hatchlings December 2016
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MHS Reports and Announcements October 2016 Treasurer’s Report Submitted by Rae Rueber
Beginning Balance
$27,241.85
Income Raffle Donation-Public-Turtle Fund Donation-Public-Hands On Donations-RenFest Income-Renfest Membership Rodent Sales Banquet Sales Interest on Savings Total Income
$169.50 $45.00 $155.00 $493.68 $1,375.00 $280.00 $372.00 $10.00 $0.15 $2,900.33
Meeting Dates for Next Year Jan 6th Feb 3rd March 3rd April 7th May 5th June 2nd
July 7th August 4th September 8th October 6th November 3rd December 1st
Notice to All Committee Chairs 2016 volunteer hours are due January 2017. Please start gathering your data and compiling your year-end report!
Expense Program Rodents Ren Fest Supplies Insurance Paypal Fees Square Fees Website Service Charge Total Expense Cash Increase/Decrease
Ending Balance
$306.26 $199.00 $246.91 $283.25 $6.15 $4.19 $2,094.35 $0.00 $3,140.11 -$239.78 $27,002.07
Placement of Cash Holdings Checking Savings Paypal Cash on Hand Total
December 2016
$8,225.00 $17,489.11 $1,097.96 $190.00 $27,002.07
Board Meeting There will be no board meeting in December, as Saturday is the Holiday Banquet. The next board meeting will be held January 6th, location TBD.
Volume 36 Number 12
MHS Reports and Announcements MHS Adoption Report for December 2016 The MHS Adoption program dealt with 31 animals this month. This included 21 new animals at the meeting, 1 returning foster, and nine animals that were adopted/outsourced through-out the month. Three of those adopted outside of the meeting (2 sulcatas and an alligator snapping turtle) were new animals, bringing the new animals total to 24. The returning foster was the white-sided bullsnake that was surrendered to us in October. At intake, we decided to keep it in foster care one more month to ensure that the mite problem has been successfully treated. It should be available at the December meeting. Three of the nine that were adopted/outsourced through-out the month included an alligator snapping turtle and two large male sulcate tortoises. All three were adopted by MHS members. Our new policy is to try to find homes (foster or adoption) for large, hard-to-place animals before the meeting. This eliminates the need for scrambling at the end of MHS meetings to find proper housing for low-demand animals that can be difficult to make foster arrangements for. The other six included the spiny soft-shell turtle that was transferred to Dodge Nature Center (for their education display), and two smaller red-eared sliders that were transferred to another facility. The remaining three animals were adopted by their fosters mid-month., The 21 new animals at the meeting were … Six bearded dragons A house gecko Three leopard geckos A water dragon (picked up from a pet store because it had been abandoned there) Two ball pythons Two common boas A Honduran milksnake A Puebloan milksnake A large common snapping turtle A Russian tortoise A large male sulcate A Three-toed box turtle At the meeting (with 21 animals) 13 were adopted 8 were placed in foster homes Over the course of the month (with 31 animals) … 19 animals were adopted 3 animals were outsourced 8 animals were placed in foster homes 1 animal was presented but held back (the white-sided bullsnake) due to mite concerns. The Adoption Committee is working hard to continue to help the public with unwanted animals, to provide members with animals at no cost, and to maintain a balance between the two without putting the strain of adding unwanted animals to our adoption program. The Adoption Program is meant to be a BENEFIT to MHS members and not an unwelcome drain. We don’t want to have our members taking animals they don’t want, need, or can care for. The members of the adoption committee are MHS members as well. We, and our amazing fosters, do not have unlimited time, space or resources. We would love to hear from you! Send your questions or comments to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org or talk to us at the meeting! December 2016
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Kid’s Korner
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Kid’s Korner
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
MHS Reports and Announcements
MHS Foster Agreement Thank you for volunteering to foster animals for the Minneapolis Herpetological Society. While fostering an animal you will be expected to provide a temporary home for the animal until the next MHS general meeting. During that time, you agree to: Provide proper housing, food, lighting and temperature requirements for the species, and if needed, provide health care for those with special needs. House the animal in a quarantined area to protect both your personal collection and the fostered animal. Inform the Adoption Chair adoptions@mnherpsoc.org if you have any questions or concerns in regards to the health of the animal. If you decide to adopt an animal, or have found an alternative home for it, please let us know as soon as possible. Please contact the Adoption Chair 3-5 days prior to each general meeting as to the status of the animal/s you are fostering. (Health, status, and whether you will or will not be returning it at the general meeting.) ___________________________________ Name & Date (Please print)
___________________________________ Signature
Contact information: Name: ________________________ Member #: _________ Exp. Date: ____________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________ If I am not at the meeting, you may contact me about housing the following species: ________________________________________________________________________ __________ Initial here if we may call you midmonth for help transporting an animal. __________ Initial here if we may contact you about transporting intake items.
When an animal is taken home to be fostered, its travel enclosure and the paperwork (label and attached 3�x5� card) should be kept intact so they can be returned with the animal. This helps the Adoption Committee maintain accuracy with its paperwork. The animal should be housed in a quarantined area to protect you, your family, your personal collection and the fostered animal. These animals should not be used for educational purposes as their health status and temperament are questionable. If a situation should arise and the animal you are fostering needs medical care, please contact the Adoption Chair. MHS reimburses for medical care on a very limited case-by-case basis. Please send an email to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org 3-5 days before each meeting to let us know your intentions. Do you intend to bring the animal back to the meeting? Have you, or someone else, adopted it? Do you intend to keep fostering it, but are unable to attend the meeting? If we do not hear from you in 60 days (two meetings), the animal will be considered to be adopted by you. When returning a foster animal to a meeting, please make every attempt to do so before 6:40pm. We would like all members to have the opportunity to view the animals prior to the start of the meeting. Thank you again for agreeing to foster animals for the Minnesota Herpetological Society! We could not continue the adoption program without members willing and able to care for those waiting to be adopted. Beth Girard MHS Adoption Chair Email: adoptions@mnherpsoc.org Cell# 612/616-8431 December 2016
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MHS Reports and Announcements IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE FOSTERING AN MHS ANIMAL Due to the requirements of the new MHS insurance policy, more complete records need to be maintained concerning the animals “owned” by MHS. This refers to those taken in at Intake and not outsourced or adopted. To this end, we are updating our paperwork and have created a new FOSTER AGREEMENT. If you are currently fostering an animal and have not turned in the new form, please complete the one in the newsletter and email it to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org or return it at the August meeting. If you are currently fostering animals for MHS, please send a list of the animals you are currently fostering and the date you began doing so. The list can be sent to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org Any animals not reported by the AUGUST MEETING (August 5th) will be marked as “adopted” by you. You may still surrender those animals to the adoption program at a later date. Only animals that have been reported to us by August 6th as “fostered” will be covered under the MHS insurance policy. Animals fostered at the July meeting are already listed. The two-page FOSTER AGREEMENT includes the following restrictions. When an animal is taken home to be fostered, its travel enclosure and the paperwork (label and attached 3”x5” card) should be kept intact so they can be returned with the animal. This helps the Adoption Committee maintain accuracy with its paperwork. The animal should be housed in a quarantined area to protect you, your family, your personal collection and the fostered animal. These animals should not be used for educational purposes as their health status and temperament are questionable. If a situation should arise and the animal you are fostering needs medical care, please contact the Adoption Chair. MHS is reimburses for medical care on a very limited case-by-case basis. Please send an email to adoptions@mnherpsoc.org 3-5 days before each meeting to let us know your intentions. Do you intend to bring the animal back to the meeting? Have you, or someone else, adopted it? Do you intend to keep fostering it, but are unable to attend the meeting? If we do not hear from you within 60 days (two meetings), the animal will be considered to be adopted. When returning a foster animal to a meeting, please make every attempt to do so before 6:40pm. We would like all members to have the opportunity to view the animals prior to the start of the meeting. The form also has a place for you to note if you may be available to transport and/or house animals and/or husbandry items that are surrendered between meetings. When a need arises, an email will be sent to all fosters residing in the area where assistance is needed. You are under no obligation to respond. Thank you for your willingness to be part of the MHS Adoption Program. If it were not for our amazing fosters (LIKE YOU!) we would not be able to help over three hundred animals find forever homes each year!!!
December 2016
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QUARANTINE PROCEDURES One of the snakes from this month’s adoption was found to have mites. Although we do keep contact to a minimum between animals and enclosures, we want to remind everyone to follow proper quarantine procedures!!! DO NOT put new animals in the same space, or share enclosures or cage furnishings, with your collection! MHS has included a page of Quarantine Suggestions for several months now. Unfortunately it was written 20 years ago for zoos and other groups with large collections and the equipment and knowledge necessary for evaluating fecal exams. The one I like can be found at http://www.herpcenter.com/reptilearticles/quarantining-reptiles/ QUARANTINING REPTILES Quarantining your new acquisitions is done so that you can monitor the animals behavior, appetite, stool, and activity. It is also done to protect the animals you currently own. This is a step that can actually save your entire colony of animals, save you money, and save you time. Quarantining new animals should become an instinctive behavior by both new and experienced enthusiasts, though it is often overlooked at one time or another by all. It is a crucial step in the prevention of colony infection. Diseases like Cryptosporidium can destroy an entire collection if introduced to your reptiles. WHAT IS QUARANTINING Quarantining is the process in which you isolate the reptile you are bringing home. This is the time period in which you monitor the animal and note or treat the animal for any illness or injury that it has. Quarantining ensures that you will not spread any contagious illness or parasites to your current collection. REPTILE QUARANTINE BASICS Keep the set-up simple Keep the set-up clean Keep the setup isolated Monitor the reptile Save it for last TIME FRAME Your new reptile should be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days. Ideally, 60-90 days would be better. Once a reptile has finished the quarantine period and is deemed fit, they can be introduced into their permanent enclosure in the proximity of other reptiles. QUARANTINE SET-UP A setup designed as a quarantine tank should be very simple in design and extremely easy to clean. The goal is to use the quarantine tank as an observational area. For reptiles, the quarantine tank should consist of the bare essentials. The enclosure itself should be made of solid plastic or glass. Old fish tanks are great quarantine tanks. Avoid wooden enclosures as quarantine tanks as they are difficult to clean. QUARANTINE TANK The best substrate to use for a quarantine tank is either no substrate, or paper towel. This makes cleaning a breeze, allows complete visibility to monitor the reptiles feces, and is a complete risk free substrate from impaction. The rest of the enclosure should be limited to a hide, a water bowl, and feeder dish (If required.) A calcium dish should be part of a leopard geckos quarantine tank. Climbing branches and other decor should not be in the quarantine tank. Continued next page December 2016
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The tank above is an example quarantine setup for a leopard gecko. The tank is a 32 quart Sterilite tub heated with a human heat pad. It contains a hide directly over the heat source, a moist hide/cool hide, a calcium dish, a mealworm dish, a disposable water dish, and paper towel as a substrate. The example shows how simple the enclosure can be for the quarantine period. This setup is easy to clean and maintain. Holes have been drilled into the sides of the Sterilite for air circulation, and the cover also has holes drilled into it. CLEANLINESS Your quarantine tank should be cleaned daily. Remove any feces (after looking it over) from the enclosure, change the water, remove any dead insects, and make sure the tank itself is clean. You want to be able to monitor the animal as closely as possible. The cleaner the tank is, the easier it will be to monitor the reptile. ISOLATION It is best to isolate the reptile from the rest of your collection. This is best done by placing the quarantine tank in a separate room from where you house your other reptiles. It doesn't stop there however. You should also be isolating what items come into contact with the quarantine tank. You should never use the same cleaning materials between a quarantine tank and those that house the rest of your collection. The same is true for water and feeding dishes. This could result in indirect contact with a parasite or illness. MONITORING Make sure you spend some time watching the reptile in quarantine. Watch how he hunts/eats, make sure he isn't lethargic, and ensure that he is alert when you disturb him. Reptiles in general are experts at hiding illness. This is how they survive in the wild. Make it a point to ensure that the animal is behaving normally and that its stool appears "normal". THE LAST STOP When cleaning your enclosures, save the quarantine tank for last. This will help reduce the chance of indirect contact. Also save the quarantined animal for last when you are working with your collection. You want to limit any possible exposure between the new reptile and your current collection. By making the quarantined reptile the last stop, you are placing distance between any accidental exposure. PERSONAL HYGIENE It is always a good practice to use an antibacterial soap to wash your hands after every handling session you have with a reptile or its enclosure. It is especially important to maintain proper hygiene protocol when dealing with an animal in quarantine. The accidental spreading of a disease or parasite could come from direct or indirect contact with another animal, or its supplies in your collection. Avoid this by washing your hands every time you leave the quarantine area. It is crucial that you maintain strict protocol when quarantining. A single parasite that has been introduce to your collection could cost you extreme amounts of money in vet bills, delayed breeding programs, and could even result in the death of one or more animals in your collection. Quarantining is very simple to do and can save you a great deal of headaches. Be vigilant and quarantine all new reptiles!
If you do find mites, take the proper steps to avoid having it move to other animals. Many of us use Provent-a-mite if we believe an animal may be infested. It can be purchased many places, such as at LLL Reptiles on-line. They have a video which describes the process at http:// www.lllreptile.com/products/391-provent-a-mite Proper quarantine procedures should ALWAYS be used when introducing a new animal into your collection! This includes enclosures, furnishings, substrate, cleaning materials, feeding tools, and YOU!
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Quarantine Suggestions (Editor’s Note—this was run last month as well, but we consider this to be such an important topic we are running it again) Miller, R.E. 1996. Quarantine protocols and preventive medicine procedures for reptiles, birds and mammals in zoos. Rev. Sci. Tech 15(1): 183-189 QUARANTINE PERSONNEL Ideally, a keeper should be designated to care only for quarantined animals; otherwise, a keeper should attend quarantined animals only after fulfilling responsibilities for resident species. Equipment used to feed and clean animals in quarantine should be used only with these animals. If this is not possible, then equipment must be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant (as designated by the veterinarian supervising quarantine) before use with post-quarantine animals. Institutions must take precautions to minimize the risk of exposure of animal handling personnel to zoonotic diseases which may be present in newly-acquired animals. These precautions should include the use of disinfectant footbaths, the wearing of appropriate protective clothing and masks (in some cases), and minimizing physical exposure in some species (e.g. with primates, by the use of chemical rather than physical restraint). A programme of tuberculin testing and surveillance must be established for zoo/aquarium employees, to ensure the health of both the employees and the animal collection. QUARANTINE PROTOCOL During the quarantine period, certain prophylactic measures should be instituted. Individual faecal samples, or representative samples from large numbers of individuals housed in a limited area (e.g. birds of the same species in an aviary or frogs in a terrarium), should be collected, on at least two occasions, and examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Treatment should be prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Ideally, release from quarantine should be dependent on obtaining two negative faecal results at a minimum interval of two weeks, either initially or after parasiticide treatment. In addition, all animals should be evaluated for ectoparasites and should receive appropriate treatment, if necessary. Vaccinations should be updated as appropriate for each species (1). If the animal arrives without a vaccination history, it should be treated as being immunologically naive and should be given an appropriate series of vaccinations. Whenever possible, blood should be collected and sera stored in a freezer (not frost-free) at either - 70ÅãC or - 20ÅãC. Such sera could provide an important resource for retrospective disease evaluation. The quarantine period also presents an opportunity to identify permanently all unmarked animals, when anaesthetized or restrained (e.g. tattoo, ear notch, ear tag). Also, whenever animals are restrained or immobilized, a complete physical examination, including dental examination, should be performed. Complete medical records of all animals should be kept, and should be available for consultation during the quarantine period. Necropsy should be performed, under the supervision of a veterinarian, on all animals which die during quarantine; representative tissues should be submitted for histopathological examination. QUARANTINE PROCEDURES Evaluation of faecal samples for parasites is required for each species. Ideally, at least two negative results should be obtained from samples taken with a minimum 14-day interval, although other protocols are necessary for some parasite infestations. As noted above, all appropriate vaccinations should be performed. Recommendations and suggestions for appropriate quarantine procedures for several animal groups are presented below. This is extremely important. ALWAYS work with newly acquired animals last. Rubber gloves are cheap! Discard between use (don’t try to re-use them).
December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Online Classifieds In addition to ads in the newsletter, MHS provides online classifieds via the forums. A valid login (provided to current members) is required to both post and read ads. http://www.mnherpsoc.org/forums/members/classifieds December 2016
Volume 36 Number 12
Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application New
Name
Renewal
Address
Membership #
City, State, Zip
Type
Phone
List in MHS Directory? Yes No
Check # Herp related interests
Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year)
Contributing ($40/year) Basic ($20/year)
Corresponding Memberships: Commercial ($25/year, 2 business card ads/year) Required check info. Drivers Lic #
State
DOB
Please enclose the proper payment with your application. Make checks payable to MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Membership is for 12 months from the date of approval. A receipt will be sent only upon request. Mail To: Minnesota Herpetological Society, C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.
Rodents! Order your MHS Rodents today! Ordering by phone? See the new phone number below. Mice Pinkies Fuzzies Hoppers Adult
Weight 2-3 grams 5-7 grams 8-11 grams 25-30 grams
Price $7/dz $8/dz $9/dz $11/dz
Rats Small Adult Med. Adults Large Adult Jumbo
Weight 50-60 grams 125-150 grams 200-240 grams 250-350 grams
Price $35/ 20 rats $23/ 10 rats $15/ 5 rats $9/ 3 rats
Advertising Policies MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health or legality of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHS Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to space limitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission. Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of charge as space permits. Ads may be
For pickup at monthly meetings only. Orders may be placed via: 1. At the meeting for the following month 2. Online at www.MnHerpSoc.org
run three (3) consecutive months, after which time they may be resubmitted. Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Membership Secretary at the general meeting or mailed to: Minnesota Herpetological
Orders MUST be placed 10 days in advance of the meeting to guarantee availability. We no longer keep an inventory of rodents on hand, so if you attempt to place an order after the deadline, there is no way to fill it.
Society, C/O Bell Museum of Natural History. 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is the night of the General Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checks payable to: Minnesota Herpetological Society. Advertising Costs Size Cost Business Card Sized $5/month or $55/year* 1/4 Page $10/month or $110/year* 1/2 Page $20/month or $220/year* Full Page $40/month or $440/year*
MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET SE MINNNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104
Next Meeting:
Save the dates!
Friday December 2nd - 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall U of M St. Paul Campus
Friday December 2nd—General Meeting Saturday December 3rd—Holiday Banquet Friday January 6th—General Meeting
MHS Voice Mail:
MHS Web Page:
612.326.6516
www.MnHerpSoc.org
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