Minnesota Herpetological Society

The newsletter of the

Contents

Speaker: Dave Crawford—Knee-deep in Bullsnakes

December Speaker Recap: Mike Pingleton on field Herping in Kansas

January Meeting Notice—General Meeting will be January 11th, 2013

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Chris Smith 651.315.7760 President@mnherpsoc.com Vice President Dāv Kaufman 612.669.4567 VicePresident@MnHerpSoc.com Recording Secretary Beth Girard 612.616.8431 RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.com Membership Secretary Heather Clayton 612.886.7175 MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.com Treasurer Nancy Haig 763.434.8684 Treasurer@MnHerpSoc.com Newsletter Editor Ellen Heck 763.593.5414 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.com Members at Large Micole Hendricks 651.356.1669 MemberAtLarge2@MnHerpSoc.com Rebecca Markowitz MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.com Terry Odegaard MemberAtLarge1@MnHerpSoc.com Peter Tornquist MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.com COMMITTEES Adoption Sarah Richard 612.781.9544 RealSarah@aol.com Education Jan Larson 507.263.4391 Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com Fostering Nancy Haig 763.434.8684 NancHaig@CitiLink.com

C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street Southeast

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0104

Stay informed! Join us on our forums! And, you can still leave us a Voice Mail: 612.326.6516

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 organiza-tion. 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 Cam-pus 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: The Minnesota Herpetological Society -or- newslettereditor@mnherpsoc.com Attn: Newsletter Editor C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St SE

© Copyright 2013, 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.

SNAKE BITE EMERGENCY HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER 800-222-1222

Cover by Jeff Leclere

The speaker in December was Mike Pingleton, talking about 

field herping in Kansas.  Mike has been involved with herps and 

field herping for almost 40 years.  He has bred many species of 

rep les and amphibians over the years and has wri en a book 

on red‐foot tortoises, the subject of his last talk for the society.  

He can also be seen in the first Herpers movie. 

Kansas has many species of na ve rep les and amphibians, alt‐

hough it can some mes be bleak and is generally windy, some‐

mes incredibly so.  This is demonstrated by the number of old‐

er buildings that have are knocked down, not by age or design 

but simply blown down by the wind.  On the plus side, collapsed 

buildings are ideal cover for herps.  Of course, they are also hos‐

pitable to other animals, such as skunks. 

Mike has made a total of 7 trips to Kansas, the first in 2005, and 

suggests May and September as the best  mes to go.  In general 

the state tends to be hillier and more verdant in the eastern 

parts, becoming fla er and drier to the west.  It is even more 

important in the drier areas to search near a water source. 

The sides of the roads are good places to look – when the roads 

were built, rocks were pushed off to the side and le .  Flipping 

rocks is a large component to field herping, although it can be 

hazardous.  Scorpions can be found under the rocks as well as 

herps, although they tend to be less amenable to being dis‐

turbed and can deliver a painful s ng.  There are also large cen‐

pedes, which although brightly colored, tend to bite. 

A less threatening creature is the ring‐neck snake.  Mike es ‐

mates there are about 11 billion of them in the state.  Although 

this figure may be a bit high, they are s ll a very common and 

colorful snake.  

Groups of them 

can be found un‐

der the rocks, with 

adults reaching 

about 15”.  Slightly 

larger but s ll as 

common is the 

Great Plains rat 

snake.  These tend 

to be light gray or 

tan with typical rat 

snake blotches 

and can reach up 

to 5’.  The black 

rat snake is also a 

Kansas resident. 

There are two species of milk snake to be found: the Central 

Plains milk snake and the red milk snake.  Both are handsomely 

marked snakes in the typical milk snake pa ern, although varia‐

ons occur.  Further west, specimens tend to be a bit paler and 

can have some speckling.  Speckled king snakes are found 

throughout the state and tend to be quite handsome, with many 

having high degree of yellow instead of the more common 

white.  Prairie king snakes are also found in some regions, usual‐

ly along railroad tracks. 

 

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 1

Ringneck Snake—BladeRunner8u, Wikipedia

Field Herping in Kansas Submitted by Ellen Heck

General Meeting Presentation—Friday January 11th, 7 P.M.

University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus Borlaug Hall, Room 335

Dave Crawford will be speaking on being “Knee Deep in Bullsnakes”

After 34 years as a Minnesota State Park Naturalist, Dave Crawford has retired in order to volunteer in and explore favorite areas of the Anoka Sandplain and St. Croix River Valley. Although not trained as a herpetologist, he finds snakes fascinating and has set himself a challenge to document the behavior of Midwestern snakes through photos, video and narrative. He has spent a fair portion of Minnesota's inter-winter intervals since his retirement in pursuit of this goal.

Photo by Jeff Leclere

Both the 

eastern 

and plains 

(or west‐

ern) hog‐

nose 

snakes 

may be 

found in 

Kansas.  

The east‐

erns tend 

to not be 

as darkly or vividly marked as in other regions, although they are 

s ll as likely to put on a drama c death scene as any.  Bullsnakes 

are very common.  As with specimens here, they can be quite 

docile when le  alone but have a tendency to “get all up in that” 

when approached too closely. 

The plains garter snake is another commonly found snake in 

Kansas.  Their pa erns can be almost checkered and they gener‐

ally hang out near water sources as its diet tends to include 

small amphibians.  Graham’s crayfish snake is another smallish 

snake – about 25‐30”‐ that, as its name implies, primarily lives 

on crayfish and can be found wherever they are.  They tend to 

be docile when found, as is the coachwhip. 

There are several species of venomous snakes in Kansas, includ‐

ing the massasauga, the  mber and prairie ra lesnakes and the 

Osage copperhead, found in the eastern part of the state.  There 

are also a number of quite small snakes, including the flathead 

snake, which eats spiders and scorpions, the lined snake, a semi‐

fossorial species that lives mainly on earthworms as does the 

Texas brown snake, 

and the worm 

snake.  Brightly col‐

ored as juveniles, 

they tend to lose 

some color as they 

age, and as Mike 

says, if they grew to 

6’, everyone would 

want one. 

 

Amphibians to be found include the Great Plains narrowmouth 

toad.  Despite the name, it is actually a small frog.  They get the 

name of toad because they can survive in a drier environment 

than most other frogs, living on a diet of ants and other small 

creatures.  They have a flap of skin behind their eye that can be 

pulled over the eyes for protec on.  Woodhouse’s Toad is a true 

toad found over most of the state.  Mike said they heard an 

American toad calling, although they did not actually see it; this 

is at the very edge of their range. 

Kansas has two species of leopard frog: the Southern and the 

Plains.  The southern tends to be a bit smaller than the northern 

leopard frogs we have here and to have fewer spots.  The plains 

leopard frog tends to live in the drier regions, although always in 

a body of water, such as a stock pond.  They are a bit bulkier 

than the southern and have a “broken” fold along their back.  

Western chorus frogs exist in abundance, calling from the water

‐filled ditches across most of the state.  Gray tree frogs are also 

found in Kansas, but as there are very few trees around, they 

tend to hang around the man‐made ponds and dammed creeks. 

Lizards include the prairie racerunner, a speedy lizard that that 

prefers the drier areas of the state.  Adults reach 6”‐10”, half of 

which is tail.  Eastern collared lizards tend to favor the eastern 

part of the state and are found wherever there are rocks to bask 

on.  They but can be posed nicely on cooler days but tend to be 

less coopera ve on warmer ones.   

The Great Plains 

skink, one of the 

largest in its genus, 

tends to be a bit 

grumpy.  Mike affec‐

onately refers to it 

as a “prairie tegu”.  

It lives on small bugs and nestlings.  The Western slender glass 

lizard is another denizen of the grasslands and open woodlands 

where the soil is looser and easier to burrow in.  They can lose 

and regenerate their tails and are diurnal.  The prairie lizard is 

basically a fence lizard without the fence.  It instead perches on 

trees and rocks 

Turtle species include the ubiquitous snapping and Western 

painted turtles, which lives in the ca le ponds and creeks. Or‐

nate box turtles sunning themselves on the roads are a common 

sight, the males easily dis nguishable by their bright orange 

eyes.  These can be quite aggressive despite their rela vely 

small size.  There are old records of alligator snapping turtle 

sigh ngs, but nothing recent. 

Mike’s field herping journals can be found on his website h p://

www.pingleton.com 

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 2

Worm Snake—Steve Prutzman

Red Milk Snake—Mike Pingleton

Great Plains skink—US Fish and Wildlife

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 3

2012 National Reptile and Amphibian Law Symposium Sept. 28-30, 2012; Houston, TX

Submitted by: Glen Jacobsen, J.D., Trustee, World Cheloni-an Trust, Minn. Herp. Society

Organized by Jeff Barringer, Founder and President of Kingsnake.com, the purpose of the symposium was to bring together, in one room, multiple stake-holders in the reptile and amphibian trade for the first time. At the con-clusion, Mr. Barringer claimed the symposium to be “a suc-cess”. The second National Reptile and Amphibian Law Symposium will be scheduled for the fall of 2013, in the Washington D.C. area.

Panelists for the symposium included representatives from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), various herpeto-logical societies and organizations, importers, zoos, Texas and Florida state wildlife agencies, university researchers, veterinarians, state and federal law enforcement, Pet In-dustry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), and the U.S. Depart-ment of Health and Human Services.

The primary focus for the majority of the attendees was the so-called ‘python ban’. That is, the recent listing by the USFWS of the Burmese and Indian Python (Python molurus ssp.), with three other snake species, as “injurious wildlife” using the definition found in the Lacey Act, 18 USC 42. This listing will prohibit the transportation of the listed animals, including the popular Burmese Python, across state lines. Sue Jewell, the Injurious Wildlife Listing Coordinator with USFWS, provided the gathering with a history of the issue, a recitation of the methodology used by the Service in making its determination and the current status, or lack thereof, of the remaining species on the petition, that are still under consideration to also be a part of the ban.

Dr. Elliott Jacobson, PhD, DVM, DACZM, of the University of Florida and representing the Association of Amphibian and Reptile Veterinarians (ARAV) was the most outspoken op-ponent to the methodology used by the USFWS and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), who did the predictive range maps, in determining that the Burmese Python posed a risk of establishing itself as an invasive and injuri-ous species if allowed to spread north of the Florida state-line. Dr. Jacobson has subsequently published a paper, Nov. 26, 2012, in Integrative Zoology, which contradicts

the findings of the USGS and USFWS. Additional topics dis-cussed by the panelists and audience included;

• The Lacey Act, its history and its current role and use by law enforcement and federal prosecutors.

• The Convention on International Trade in Endan-gered Species (CITES) treaty, which only regulates the international import or export of CITES listed species. Appendix I, no commercial trade in the listed species. App. I, an export permit is required, and App. III which is a unilateral listing by the country of origin, which can then require an export permit in order to better understand the numbers of particular animals currently in trade outside of the country. Of special note is that App. I animals, when they are bred in captivity by a Registered Facility, are treated as App. II animals for export.

• State and Federal Endangered Species Acts, how they interact, if they do, and how you need to be aware of both of them, as well as their interaction with the Lacey Act. To this end, review and read the Federal Register. It may well be the only source to find out what is proposed, when meet-ings are scheduled, when comment periods open and close of proposed rules and how you can con-tribute and comment on what the federal govern-ment is considering.

• State laws regarding both native and non-native species,

• Reptile diseases, parasites and pathogens,

• And finally, private reptile ownership, ethics and the law. Goals and aspirations from this session included: individual educational programs, take your herp out and educate people about it, this includes taking it to Petco and talking to prospec-tive buyers BEFORE they make that decision. PI-JAC has ‘Best Practices’ on their website for herp groups, wholesalers, retailers and private hobby-ists, check them out.

The symposium was a great start; it succeeded at its pri-mary purpose, which was to introduce the participants to each other. Discussions, even heated ones, provide a bet-ter give-and-take than do papers, or presentations which are best characterized as ‘preaching to the choir’, that is, when a pro-herp speaker makes a presentation to a herp

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 4

group. The information and discussions need to be con-ducted where, and when, all stakeholders can receive and comment. We need to do a better job of including every-one in the discussion, because they can and do make deci-

sions that affect our lives, our livelihoods and the world around us. We need to make sure we are educated re-garding both sides of the controversy, and speak out when necessary or the decisions will be made without us.

(continued from the previous page)

Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule

March 16 and 17th, 11-3pm both days The Eagle Center Wabasha, MN March 23rd 9-6pm and 24th 10-5pm Pet Expo Minneapolis Convention Center April 25th at 5:30-7pm Battle Creek Science Night 605 Ruth St in St Paul May 17th at 5-7pm Glacier Hills Science Fair Eagan, MN

Looking to meet other MHS members? Help assist the soci-ety achieve it’s goals of educating the public? Or just have a good time showing off your herps? Here’s the perfect opportunity! 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 hear-ing about our misrepresented critters. Sound fun? Great! There are just a few requirements: Bring only healthy animals. Make sure you know the basics about your animal; What they eat, how long they live, adult size, cage needs. There is no size limits as long as the as long as the handler can comfortably keep control. We do not let viewers pat them on the head and do not allow them to directly hold the animal. If the animals are very young, display in a cage is recommended. Children may participate as long as they have adult supervision.

DNR Proposed Changes for Endangered, Threatened and Special

Concern Species

The Department of Natural Resources is required, under Minnesota law, to maintain a list of species that are at risk of disappearing. The list was first published in 1984 and updated in 1996. A prelimi-nary draft of changes was drawn up in 2007. Public hearings will be held in January and February regard-ing the proposed changes in Rochester, New Ulm, Bemidji, Duluth and Plymouth.

For more information see the DNR website at h p://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ets/rulesrevision.html 

Beginning Balance $22,916.24      

Income:    

Membership $ 485.00 Raffle   $ 103.00 Adoption   $ 245.00 Renfest donations* $ - Rodent Sales $ 893.00 Total Income $ 1,726.00      

Expense    

Newsletter $ 27.90 Program   $ 50.00 vet costs   $ 145.00 Rodent cost $ 915.75 Student org fee $ 25.00 Renfest supplies $ 242.97 Total Expense $ 1,406.62      

Cash Increase/Decrease $ 319.38      

Ending Balance $23,235.62      

Placement of cash holdings   Checking $23,235.62 transfer to checking $ - TCF/paypal $ 1,335.89 Paypal $ 330.47 Cash on hand $ 175.00      

Total   $25,076.98      

Renfest income was deposited in Sept & Oct. $4,732.84 in donations & $2750.00 payment Grand total = $7482.84 Expense: Double order of rodents for Oct /Nov

Treasurer’s Report for November 2012

Prepared by Nancy Haig

Adoption Report for December 2012 Prepared by Nancy Haig

Adopted out were 3 red-eared sliders, one baby snapping turtle, 1 Chinese water dragon, 2 bearded dragons, 2 common boas, 1 large albino Burmese python, 2 ball pythons, 3 cornsnakes, 1 California kingsnake and a small American alligator.

THERE WILL BE NO INTAKE IN JANUARY! There will be return-ing fosters—6 common boas, 1 baby iguana, 1 baby painted tur-tle, 1 large alligator snapping turtle and several ball pythons and bearded dragons.

Anyone who is fostering an animal that will be returning in Janu-ary should contact Nancy Haig at (763) 434-8684 or Beth Girard at (612) 616-8431 prior to the January meeting.

Help Wanted! We are still looking for people to fill the position of webmaster. If you have experience with website maintenance and HTML, please consider stepping up for the society! Drupel experience is a plus. Contact Chris Smith with questions.

Upcoming White Snake Sale The annual White Snake Sale will be held April 5th, 2013. If you wish to volunteer to help with the sale or have items to donate, please contact Heather Clayton MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.com.

The annual photo and art contest will be held April 5th as well. More information will be posted soon!

Committee Reports Due

Committee Chairs should submit their year-end re-ports to the MHS President by February 1st.

Thanks

Chris Smith President@MnHerpSoc.com

MHS Reports and Announcements

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 5

Volunteer Awards If you have not yet picked up your volunteer award from 2011, please do so. Any left unclaimed will be sold on the black market to fund our reptile habits!

Missy Hicks Peter Kazeck Yvette Martin Ann Porwoll A. B. Sheldon Crystal Welle

Tom Bliese Skyler Bouley Sally Brewer Matt Carter Anne-Marie Carter Nels Erickson Kendra Fink

Tessa Fink Anastasia Fink Caitlin Fink Linnea Fink-Bittner Laura Galvin Robert Galvin Jennifer Hensley

Board Meeting The January board meeting will be held January 12 at 6pm at the Roseville Affinity Plus Credit Union. Chris can be called with day-of questions at (612)275-9737.

httpsL//www.affinityplus.org/locations/roseville)

January 2013 Volume 33 Number 1 Page 6

Random Notes Tony Gamble, a post-doctoral researcher at the Univer-

sity of Minnesota Department of Genetics, is looking for U of M undergraduate students for reptile care. Contact Tony at gambl007@umn.edu if interested.

On the subject of phenology, Jeff LeClere reports that live active frogs are still to be found in the field south

of the Twin Cities as of the end of November.

Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application  

Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year) Contributing ($40/year) Basic ($20/year) Printed Newsletter ($5/year plus membership)

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.

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone Email List in MHS Directory? Yes No Contact information only? Yes No

Herp related interests

New

Renewal

Membership #

Type

Check #

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 dis-cretion 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-fied ad, run free of charge as space permits. Ads may be 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 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 Herpeto-logical 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 BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET SE MINNNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104

MHS Voice Mail: 612.326.6516

MHS Web Page: www.MnHerpSoc.com

This newsletter is printed on recycled paper

Next Meeting: Friday - January 11th- 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall,