The newsletter of the
Minnesota
Herpetological
Society
August Meeting Notice General Meeting will be August 1st, 2014
August Speaker Jim Gerholdt— The Search for Sila
Day of the Zonata by Jim Gerholdt
More on Ethan page 6
August 2014
page 3
It’s Fair time! page 5
Volume 34
Number 8
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Chris Smith
612.275.9737
President@mnherpsoc.org
Vice President
Peter Tornquist
952.797.6515
VicePresident@MnHerpSoc.org
C/O Bell Museum of Natural History
10 Church Street Southeast
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0104
Recording Secretary
Heather Clayton
612.886.7175
RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org
And, you can still leave us a Voice Mail: 612.326.6516
Membership Secretary
Micole Hendricks
651.356.1669
MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org
Treasurer
Nancy Haig
763.434.8684
Treasurer@MnHerpSoc.org
Newsletter Editor
Ellen Heck
612.750.1649
NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org
Members at Large
Kelli Bornholdt
612.710.5919
MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.org
Rebecca Markowitz
409.750.0235
MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org
Terry Odegaard
612.840.7674
MemberAtLarge1@MnHerpSoc.org
Misi Stine
952.217.1267
MemberAtLarge2@MnHerpSoc.org
COMMITTEES
Adoption
Sarah Richard
RealSarah@aol.com
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
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.
See inside back cover for ad rates. Submissions may be sent to:
612.781.9544
Education
Jan Larson
507.263.4391
Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com
Fostering
Nancy Haig
763.434.8684
NancHaig@CitiLink.com
WebMaster
Kimber Anderson
WebMaster@MnHerpSoc.org
Cover by Jim Gerholdt
Cartoons by Fran Frisch
The Minnesota Herpetological Society -or- newslettereditor@mnherpsoc.org
Attn: Newsletter Editor
C/O Bell Museum of Natural History
10 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104
SNAKE BITE EMERGENCY
HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER 800-222-1222
© Copyright 2014, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be
reproduced for non-profit, non-commercial use only. All material must be reproduced without
change. Proper credit will be given including the author/photographer and the Minnesota
Herpetological Society Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.
General Meeting — Jim Gerholdt
Friday July 11th, 7:00pm; 6:30pm Social Hour
Social hour begins at 6:30pm. This is a time for people to minge and catch up before the meeting starts.
In May of 2012 Jim Gerholdt met up with Barney Oldfield in Colorado and after a quick look at the local Collared Lizards
they headed to California in search of the Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia sila). This is a species that is listed as
Endangered by both California and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jim has this to say about his trip: “We headed for the Carrizo Plain National Monument west of Bakersfield, a vast reserve of almost 250 thousand acres that is the largest single native grassland in the state. Barney had been there the
previous year but the weather was cool and he found none. This time, after a slow start, we were successful. We then
headed east and found some interesting species along the way but a bigger surprise awaited us back in Colorado at the
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. In summary we ate way too much Mexican food, drank way too many
beers, and along the way we found a few lizards. “
Chris Carille -husbandry & history of Candoia and Chilabothrus
Submitted by Heather Clayton
Chris Carille has herped in many places around the world,
and has a special appreciation for the boa constrictors
found on the Pacific Islands. The Candoia genus is distributed through Papa New Guinea to Samoa and are quite
isolated from other boas. It is believed their closest relatives are the Madagascar Ground and Tree Boas, more
than 6,000 miles away. There are many theories about
how these animals got to these remote locations, most of
which are either invalid or improbable due to the distance.
One thing that is distinctive about these boas is that they
undergo wide color changes within 24-hour periods. They
accomplish this through pigment trans-location, which
means melanin is distributed in varying degrees of density
to either lighten or darken the snake.
lately there have been more black and white animals showing up in the trade. Lastly, Chris talked about Isabel Island
Boas, which used to be grouped with the Waigeo Island
Boas, but the Isabel Island boas get larger and thicker. It
used to be thought that these snakes only came from Isabel Island, but they come from several islands in the area.
The normal coloration for these snakes is pink, orange,
etc., but there are several colors. The white animals are
being sold as Isabel Island Boas now.
The husbandry practices for Candoia is dictated by snake
size, but they all need appropriate cage size, temperature
gradients, and micro-habitat options. They generally need
temps around 84 degrees, with a hot spot at 90 degrees.
Feeding these animals can be teChris covered a few species of Candious, as they really like geckos,
doia, starting with the “Viper Boa.”
and can be so small at birth that
This snake got its common name due
they may only eat the tails of prey
to its superficial resemblance to the
animals. They should be fed roDeath Adder, which may often get it
dents very sparingly to avoid fatty
killed by people afraid it is a venomfood issues. To breed Candoia,
ous snake. This snake is becoming a
multiple males should be used to
little more common in the pet trade
encourage the female to choose
due to normal color variations. Chris
the best male. Gravid females
also discussed the Solomon and Fiji
usually go off feed and give live
Island Boas, with two subspecies.
birth. The offspring are cannibalisThese are the largest of the Candoia,
tic, so they must be separated at
getting up to 7ft in length. These snakes have variable col- birth, and they are smaller than a pencil so they must go in
ors and patterns, aiding in identifying their geographic
very secure housing. There is large variation in how many
origin. The New Guinea Tree Boas were also covered,
offspring each species has, ranging from just a few neowhich are very distinctive. They are only 24-30 inches long nates to up to 60 in the Solomon Island Boas. Male Canand only as thick as a pencil; they have a stripe on their
doia have obvious cloacal spurs, while most females have
tail as well. These animals are becoming more common in none or very small ones. A common trait is keeled scales,
the pet trade, and their price is rising. Another group is the which may be for climbing. Some morphs are beginning to
Waigeo Island Boas, which tend to be more striped, and
come up, such as albino and calico, and anerytheristic.
August 2014
Volume 34 Number 8
Page 1
Next Chris talked about the Chilabothrus genus, found in
the Caribbean and Greater Antilles. This is a newer genus,
rewritten in 2013. They were grouped with Rainbow Boas
before and are believed to have rafted from Central and
South America. Their closest relatives are the Rainbow Boas and Anacondas. Puerto Rican Boas are only
found on that island and
live in cave systems.
They have become specialized in eating bats,
and grow to lengths of 67ft. The Cuban Boas can
be quite large, up to 13ft,
the largest of the genus.
This snake is one of the
first to have moved out
to the islands and establish populations which
then evolved into other
smaller species, a common trait among island animals.
The Jamaican Boa is now listed as an IUCN Vulnerable Species, and has an onto-genetic change, which means their
color changes as they mature. They tend to start as orange, and turns rusty red and possibly yellow. These
snakes are being killed because many people believe they
are venomous, but there are no venomous snakes in Jamaica, so more educational outreach needs to be done.
The newest species in the genus is the Bahama Boa, which
can reach 8ft. It can now become eligible for protection,
something it could not do before under its old classification. The Haitian Red Mountain Boas are the most commonly kept species in the hobby. This snake may be 6ft
and change change color. They naturally have some color
variation among individuals, which separates them in the
minds of the public.
Braulio Carillo and Monteverde are cloud forests with lots
of diversity, hundreds of herps and more than 500 species
of birds. This is the only place you can find the Night
Ground Snake, which eats Poison Dart Frogs. A more
“domesticated” destination is Parque Reptilandia, which is a
reptile park, which has an amazing diversity and gives night tours
of the park.
Some advice Chris gave for
herping in general includes getting out more, going with a
group, checking everywhere, and
bring a snake stick. If you don't
get out, you won't see anything.
And going with a group will help
ensure everyone is safe. Checking everywhere will increase your
chances of finding more herps,
and the snake stick is for safety.
Another good point is to get a guide, someone who knows
the areas and wildlife. There are lots of destinations and
activities in Costa Rica, so let him know if you are interested in going!!
For breeding Chilabothrus, start in February through May.
They have a 6 month gestation and live birth. An interesting note is C. exsul was born for the first time in the United
States, with hopes of a program in which they may be released to the wild. There are no true color morphs for this
snake, except for the calico, which comes with age. The
snake is born red and changes to speckled or white as it
matures.
Chris has spent lots of time in Costa Rica, and plans trips
for himself and other people, often at less expense than
through a travel agency. Costa Rica is very dense with
herps. Some great places to go visit are the Osa Peninsula
and Drake Bay, which have many species like glass frogs
and a cool bright yellow variation of the yellow-bellied sea
snake. Manuel Antonio National Park is family friendly and
has lots of wildlife that is acclimated to people, so you may
see several animals. Another national park is Tortuguero,
which is great for viewing sea turtles as several species
nest there. Arenal National Park is a volcanic island with
lots of cool species, like Eyelash Vipers and Coral Snakes.
Page 2
Volume 34 Number 8
August 2014
Day of the Zonata
Submitted by James E. Gerholdt
I saw my first Coral Kingsnake (Lampropeltis multicincta), as they were then known, way back in the early 50's. I was a
member of a small nature club at the old Henry Snow Museum in Oakland, California. The club was run by a museum
employee, a wonderful lady named Mildred
Arnesson. She always had a few native snakes on display, which we were allowed to take for “walks” on the lawn in
front of the museum. These were usually Pacific Gopher Snakes and California Kingsnakes. But one day she was given a
Coral Kingsnake for the museum. It was the most beautiful snake I had even seen. I was enthralled with it, and vowed
to someday have one of my own. I read what I could find about them, but there wasn’t much known about them at that
time.
I became a confirmed herper, and spent some time looking for them in the Santa Cruz Mountains, south of the Bay Area. My Boy Scout troop would camp at the Mission Springs Conference Grounds every summer. I found Pacific Gopher
Snakes, California Kingsnakes, Pacific Ringneck Snakes, Santa Cruz Garter Snakes, and even a Rubber Boa, but the
snake now known at the California Mountain Kingsnake eluded me. The closest I came was one day when I was at the
swimming pool and the younger brother of a friend hollered and asked if I wanted a snake. I replied, what kind? He
then held up an absolutely beautiful adult zonata that he had just shot with his BB gun. I don’t know to this day if he
realized how lucky he was that a high chainlink fence was between us. The day was June 18, 1960. Even though the
papyrus is now old and brittle, I was able to decipher the date from my old collecting records.
I made some more futile trips to the area before a 4 year tour of duty in the Navy sidetracked me from my quest. While
I was at NAS Miramar north of San Diego, I always kept a copy of Stebbins’ Amphibians and Reptiles of Western North
America in my locker. No, not the Peterson field guide .I predate those. While I was there, I did collect a nice hatchling
of the striped phase of the California Kingsnake. I kept it in my locker for a while, and would catch lizards to feed it. I
named it “Clyde”, although it later laid eggs. I had the snake for over 19 years.
In January of 2005 I attended the Biology of the Rattlesnakes symposium in Loma Linda in California. Dr. Stebbins was
there and I asked him to autograph my copy of his book. I like to think he was pleased to see a copy that had been obviously used so much. I now keep it in a ziploc bag in a file cabinet.
After I left the Navy, a regular springtime ritual was to go to the Santa Cruz Mountains in search of the fabled California
Mountain Kingsnake. I searched well lit rocky streams in wooded areas with rotting logs, as suggested by Stebbins in his
books. I turned many rocks and logs, always replacing them of course, and peeled some bark. I found lots of herps, but
no zonata. Often the best part of the trip was a cold beer at the end of the day. Such is the life of a herper.
In the early 70's my wife and I and some good friends stumbled across an abandoned rock quarry near Ben Lomond in
Santa Cruz County. While the elusive zonata was always on my mind, it had kind of been placed on the back burner.
This area was chaparral, mostly Manzanita, with scattered rocks and logs. We found lots of herps here. Northern Pacific
Rattlesnakes were quite common, and we also found Pacific Gopher Snakes, Blue Racers, and Pacific Ringneck Snakes.
There were also lots of lizards. We found Western Skinks, California Alligator Lizards, and of course, Western Fence Lizards and also Sagebrush Lizards. One day, while sitting on the ground eating, one of us got up to investigate the movement under a discarded paper bag that was just a few feet away from us. Under the bag was a very gravid Northern
Pacific Rattlesnake. We were all relieved that she had apparently read the book and realized she was a mellow species.
Because of the prevalence of these snakes, I always used a short crowbar to turn rocks and logs.
It was now 1971 and springtime. Once again the trip was made to the Santa Cruz Mountains, to the abandoned rock
quarry. My wife, Pam, and our friends Dave and Kathie Sisson were with us.
It was April 3, and already the days were hot.. We spent a lot of time flipping rocks and logs. We found Western Skinks,
a California Alligator Lizard, a cute little Pacific Gopher Snake, and many Fence and
Sagebrush Lizards. In those days, I kept all of those we could catch for future
snake food. Many more escaped than we caught. Just before 11:00, we headed
back to the car for some food and a cold beer. Kathie went on ahead, and the rest
of us straggled behind. Being the ever incurable herper, I spied a likely looking log
up on the hillside, near a cluster of smaller logs. The log was about 3 feet long and
18 inches in diameter. Never say die. I scrambled up the hillside and reached with
my crowbar to turn the log. I was tired and it hit the top of the log, and it broke
open. I thought, wow, that’s pretty. (continued page 4)
August 2014
Volume 34 Number 8
Page 3
Minnesota Herpetological Society – 2013 Volunteer Awards
Some Statistics:
150 volunteers donated 5,247 hours of time! 74 individuals donated ≥ 10 hours of time! We would thank to
thank ALL of those that volunteered in 2013!
A special thank you and gift goes to those donating 10 or more hours of time If you have not already done so, please
pickup your volunteer award at the general meeting.
Sincerely,
MHS Board of Directors
Kimber Anderson
Owen Bachuber
John Bachuber
Mike Backer
Sage Backer
Marla Backer
Corinne Barrett
Chris Barrett
Shawn Berg
Linda Bittner
Kelli Bornholdt
Robin Bornholdt
Liz Bosman
Fred Bosman
Harlee Braucks
Andrea Braucks
Sally Brewer
Angie Cairl
Frank Cairl
Donna Calander
Heather Clayton
Brandy Danaki
Christina Danathar
Claire Dorton
Bob Egerer
Holly Egerer
Katlyn Fink
Anestasia Fink
Kendra Fink
Linnea Fink-Bittner
Jim Gerholdt
Beth Girard
Jason Girard
Jessica Girard
Nancy Haig
Nancy Hakamaki
Wendy Harmening
Ellen Heck
Mici Hendricks
Scott Hendricks
Nando Hots
Amber Husted
Glen Jacobsen
Dav Kaufman
Sonja Koolmo
Marit Lang
Mariah Lang
Jan Larson
Merle Larson
Jeff LeClere
Serrianna Likness
Ben Lowe
Rick Lucas
Rebecca Markowitz
Rose Maunu
Jacob Mee
Bill Moss
Terry Odegaard
Anthony Patterson
Alex Perry
Sarah Richard
George Richard
Rae Rueber
Mark Schmidtke
Casey Sievert
Chris Smith
Kamy Snell
Bill Tefft
Peter Tornquist
Renee Valois
Max Vasek
Crystal Welle
Nysa Zierhut
Brandon Zimmerschied
Day of the Zonata (continued from page 3)
And then it dawned on me what I was looking at. I was blinded by the sudden flash of bright colors. It was a zonata! I
started to scream at the top of my lungs, “I got one, I got one”. Dave and Pam looked at each other in disbelief with
their mouths open and eyes wide. Could it be? They scrambled up the hillside to join me. I honestly do not remember
picking up the snake, only turning around with it in my hand to show them. It was 18 inches long and absolutely beautiful. And yes, I even let them hold it too. We continued back to the car. Kathie had heard the screaming and met us on
the way. She agreed that it was a very pretty snake. I placed it in a plastic gallon collecting jar and sat in the shade of
the car looking at it. I had a beer, and then another, and another. My wife claims I was babbling incoherently the whole
time, and not from the beer. I reached into the jar and it bit me. Pam commented later that I didn’t even swear when
this happened. Actually it was an honor to be bitten by my first zonata. They were all ready to look for more herps, but
by then I was way past any more herping. Especially with the prevalence of rattlesnakes in the area. So we headed
home.
On the way, we stopped by a friend’s house to show him the snake. He wasn’t home, and his wife, not being a snake
person, was not impressed. But right after we got home, Walt called, with wonder in his voice. Yes, I said, it was true.
He had been with us on many trips, but had missed this one.
The snake was a male, and thrived. It fed readily on lizards, but showed no interest in mice. When I still lived in California, this was not a problem, as they were easy to find. But later, when
I moved to Minnesota, it did become a concern. I had always tried dangling a dead mouse in front of the snake from
time to time, with no reaction beyond a little curiosity. But one day, when I did this, he almost took my hand off. Okay, a
slight exaggeration. After that, he fed regularly on mice. This snake was found dead on October 7, 1987, and had lived
in my care for 16 ½ years. Even now, in the teaching collection of one of the University of Minnesota campuses, he continues to dazzle. And as seems fitting, I have never found another.
Page 4
Volume 34 Number 8
August 2014
MHS Reports and Announcements
It’s the end of summer, which means it is fair time!
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
It is time once again for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. For seven weekends starting August 16th and running
through September 28th, we have to opportunity to educate the public at Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN.
Volunteering at the Renaissance Festival allows us the unique opportunity to reach thousands of people that would otherwise never come in contact with MHS. It also gives you the unique opportunity to show off your favorite animals
while dressed up in funny costumes.
In order to volunteer at the Renaissance Festival you must work two two hour hands on shifts. As a perk, the rest of
the day at the Festival is yours to spend as you wish. Enjoy the food, the comedy acts, the music and the shopping
when you are not working at the cottage. Additionally, volunteers get breakfast in the mornings and can take part in a
volunteer potluck dinner on Sat evenings.
MHS’ work at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is also one of its largest fundraisers every year, providing the Society
with funds to further their other programs.
For more information on volunteering please contact Rae Rueber at Cottage@mnherpsoc.org. You can also contact her
via the MHS forums.
Minnesota State Fair
This will be our second year in the new exhibit space, so we will be exhibiting ten species of snakes instead of six. We
are still looking for a plains garter snake to use. We will also be contributing turtles to be used in the larger tanks.
Heather Clayton and Jim Gerholdt will be our venomous handlers. Volunteers need to check on the animals several
times to ensure they have water and clean any messes but do not need to handle them or present information on them.
Anyone who would like to volunteer for a shift, or with an animal, should contact Beth at 612/616-8431 or
beth_girard@msn.com
Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule
Chuck & Don’s—Saturday August 2nd, 2014. Plymouth, MN
Take a Day Off—Saturday August 2nd, 2014. 10am-5pm. Rice, MN
Chuck & Don’s—Saturday August 23th, 2014. Edina, MN
3M Teacher’s Workshop—Friday October 3rd, 2014. 3pm-6pm. 3M Center, Maplewood, MN
3M Family Day– Saturday October 4th, 2014. 11am-3pm. 3M Center, Maplewood, MN
Sherburne Wildlife Festival—Saturday October 4th, 2014. 10am-3pm.
Chuck & Don’s—Saturday October 4th, 2014. Mahtomedi, MN
Fields Leadership Day—Monday October 6, 2014. 8am-2:30pm. McColl’s Pond, Savage, MN
Plymouth Pet Expo—Saturday October 25th, 2014. 9am-4pm. Plymouth Creek Activity Center, Plymouth, MN
Here’s the deal- Bring your herp(s) to one of the shows listed above, and talk about them. That’s it! You don’t have to
be an expert, you’re not giving speeches. Most of the time you will find that people are more than open to hearing
about our misrepresented critters.
Contact Jan at Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com for details or if interested in signing up. Or sign up on the website. Contact Jan or check online for the latest hands-in opportunities!
August 2014
Volume 34 Number 8
Page 5
MHS Reports and Announcements
Treasurer's Report for June 2014
Ethan
Last month it was announced that a young man named Ethan
was foregoing his birthday party and presents to raise money
to help toads, frogs and turtles.
He and his family hope to attend this month’s meeting to present a check for the money he has raised.
Do you really like Rats?
The MHS is looking for someone to take over processing the
rodent orders for the Friday meeting pick-up. The job involves
storing and repackaging the frozen rodents into the members’
orders and delivering them to the Friday night meeting. Comes
complete with a 50” x 34” x 22” chest freezer. For more information please contact Nancy Haig treasurer@mnherpsoc.org
July Membership Report
Prepared by Micole Hendricks, Membership Secretary
Summary Counts
Basic
Contributing
301
10
Sustaining
7
Commercial
3
Totals
Lifetime
9
Gratis
8
Exchange
26
321
43
Paying memberships
July 2014
Basic
June 2014
July 2013
218
212
203
Contributing
9
9
9
Sustaining
7
8
10
Commercial
3
4
4
233
226
Totals
226
Monthly Net Gain (Loss) (7) Net Loss of Paying Memberships
Total New Members-
6
Total # of Renewals-
17
Beginning Balance
$
7,629.73
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
52.00
150.00
243.80
160.00
987.00
1,592.80
Income:
Raffle
Adoption
Hands Ons
Donations
Membership
Rodent Sales
Total Income
Expense
Grants/donations
Adoption
Newsletter printing
Newsletter postage
Program
Rodent cost
Renfest supplies
Picnic
Insurance
Vol awards
acct debit
Total Expense
$
$
1,000.00
60.00
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
100.00
759.75
20.00
95.13
775.00
319.00
15.54
3,144.42
Cash Increase/Decrease
$ (1,551.62)
Ending Balance
$
6,078.11
$
$
$
$
$
6,078.11
17,211.02
754.76
175.00
Placement of cash holdings
Checking
Savings
Paypal
Transfer to checking
Cash on hand
Total
$ 24,218.89
Board Meeting
The board meeting will be held 6pm August 2nd in
the St Paul Student Union.
---------------------Number of Printed Newsletters- 23
Number of Email Newsletters- current members = 184
- expired members = 23
Page 6
prepared By Nancy Haig
Everyone is welcome to attend the board meeting. If
you think you may be interested in running for a position, we encourage you to come check it out.
Volume 34 Number 8
August 2014
Upcoming Elections
The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN organization that only exists because of the commitment
of its members. I strongly encourage you to consider taking an active role in keeping MHS the vital organization it has
been for last 32 years. If you are interested in running for an office, or if you know someone who may be, please feel
free to contact me at your earliest convenience by phone (612-616-8431) or email (recsecreatry@mnherpsoc.org). A
detailed list of duties assigned to each office will be included in the September newsletter.
This year’s elections will be held on Friday, November 7th. Want to know more?
According to the Minnesota Herpetological Society By-Laws …
· MHS Administration. MHS shall be administered by a Board of Directors comprised of the elected officers, and four
active members at large, all of whom are eighteen (18) years of age or older and whom shall be members of MHS in
good standing.
· Officers. The officers of MHS shall be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and Newsletter Editor, all of whom shall be members of MHS in good standing.
· Term of Office. The officers and members-at-large elected at the Annual Meeting of MHS as hereafter provided, shall
serve for a period of one (1) year commencing January 1. Board of Directors may serve only four (4) terms consecutively.
· President. The President shall perform the duties of such office including chairing monthly membership meetings and
Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all special and standing committee chairs subject to the approval of the
Board of Directors. Also, the President may establish such ad hoc, standing and special committees as may be required
to further the work of MHS.
· Vice President. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President, serve as program coordinator, and
perform such duties as designated by the President.
· Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of
the proceedings of all the meetings of the members in appropriate books.
· Membership Secretary. The Membership Secretary shall give and serve all notices of MHS, shall keep the names and
residences of the members, and maintain membership notices.
· Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds and assets of MHS, payment of authorized accounts, present financial reports at Board of Directors meetings and the Annual Meeting, and submit the records for audit.
· Newsletter Editor. The Newsletter Editor shall edit and produce the Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society
on a monthly basis.
If you are interested in running for any position, contact Heather Clayton RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org or any board
member. If you have questions regarding a particular position, feel free to contact the current MHS member who holds
that position or join us at a board meeting. See page 6 for time and location.
Midwest Herpetological Symposium
It’s that time of year to start planning on attending the
nest Midwest Herp Symposium. This year it will be hosted
by the Hoosier Herpetological Society in Indiana, October
17-19, 2014. Mark the date on your calendar and check
www.hoosierherpsoc.org for a list of speakers and programs
http://www.hoosierherpsoc.org/pdf/SymposiumBrochure.pdf
August 2014
Volume 34 Number 8
Page 7
Article on the use of Snakeskin in the Fashion Trade
Not only the furred are sacrificed to “fashion”. Whether it is bags, belts, boots or even t-shirts, reptile hide and skin is a highly-prized commodity.
http://webmail.q.com/service/home/~/July%202014.pdf?auth=co&loc=en_US&id=41039&part=2.4
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
Page 8
Volume 34 Number 8
August 2014
Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application
New
Name
Renewal
Address
Membership #
City, State, Zip
Phone
Type
Check #
Email
List in MHS Directory? Yes No
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
Weight
Price
Pinkies
2-3 grams
$7/dz
Fuzzies
5-7 grams
$7/dz
Advertising Policies
Hoppers
8-11 grams
$8/dz
MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY
Adult
25-30 grams
$10/dz
Jumbo Adult
45+ grams
$14/dz
Rats
Weight
Price
Weanlings
40-45 grams
$17/dz
Small Adult
50-60 grams
$18/dz
Med. Adults
125-150 grams
$22/ 10 rats
fied ad, run free of charge as space permits. Ads may be
run three (3) consecutive months, after which time they
Large Adult
200-240 grams
$17/ 6 rats
may be resubmitted.
Jumbo
250-350 grams
$16/ 5 rats
Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to
the MHS Membership Secretary at the general
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
3. Call the MHS Voicemail: 612.326.6516
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.
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 classi-
meeting or mailed to: Minnesota Herpetological
Society, C/O Bell Museum of Natural History. 10
Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is
the night of the General Meeting for inclusion in the next
newsletter. Make checks payable to: Minnesota Herpetological Society.
Advertising Costs
Size Cost
Business Card Sized $5/month or $55/year*
1/4 Page $10/month or $110/year*
1/2 Page $20/month or $220/year*
Full Page $40/month or $440/year*
MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY
C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
10 CHURCH STREET SE
MINNNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104
Next Meeting:
Friday August 1st - 7:00 pm
Room 335 Borlaug Hall,
U of M St. Paul Campus
Save the dates!
Friday September 5 —General Meeting 7pm
Friday October 3—General Meeting 7pm
Midwest Symposium—October 17th-19th
MHS Voice Mail:
612.326.6516
MHS Web Page:
www.MnHerpSoc.org
This newsletter is printed on recycled paper