vol. 25 (2005), no. 5

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2005 Photo Contest Winners!

Invasive Frog in Guam

Controversial Snake Snare

Researchers Show Shield-NosedCobra Can Burrow

and more!

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Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis Minnesota 55455-0104

The Minnesota HerpetologicalS o c i e t yMHS Webpage: http://www.mnherpsoc.orgMHS Group Email: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/mnherpsocVoice Mail: 612.624.7065

May 2005 Volume 25 Number 5

Board of Directors

PresidentRandy Blasus

Vice PresidentSean Hewitt

Recording SecretaryBarb Buzicky

Membership SecretaryNancy Haig

TreasurerMarilyn Blasus

Newsletter EditorAsra Halvorson

Members at LargeTony Gamble

Fred Bosman

Mike Bush

Jodi L. Aherns

CommitteesAdoptionSarah Richard

EducationJan Larson

LibraryBeth Girard

WebmasterAnke Reinders

[email protected]

The Purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to:• Further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captivepropagation of reptiles and amphibians;• Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles andamphibians;• 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. TheMinnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its memberswith information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging informa-tion, opinions and resources.

General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of theUniversity of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holidayconflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check theMHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations.

Submissions to the NewsletterAds or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to beincluded in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows andshould be in electronic file format if possible. See inside back cover for ad rates.Submissions may be sent to:

The Minnesota Herpetological SocietyAttn: Newsletter EditorBell Museum of Natural History10 Church St. SE.Minneapolis, MN 55455.0104

Copyright 2005, 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 MHS Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society May 2005 Volume 25 Number 5

March Speaker Reviewby Barbara Buzicky, Recording Secretary

GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Dan KeylerPROGRAM: Venomous Snakes, Snake Bites:Medical Treatment

Dr. Dan Keyler was our guest speaker for ourGeneral Meeting, and he has been a member ofMHS since 1983. He is well renowned in the fieldof toxicology and venomous snakes being both anational and international consultant on ven-omous snakebites. He is a clinical toxicologistwith the Hennepin County Medical Center and aClinical Professor at the University of Minnesota.His research interests focus on immunology, toxi-cology, natural toxins, nicotine and smoking ces-sation strategies, and medical management ofsnakebites. He is also a dedicated member of thestudy and conservation of the TimberRattlesnake.

Dr. Keyler is a well-published author, and he hasjust authored an occasional paper for the MHS onthe history of venomous snakebites in Minnesota.The Society welcomes him with open arms due tohis speaker magnetism and his great sense ofhumor.

The topic of venomous snakebites is a very seri-ous one though, as there are approximately 7,000venomous snakebites reported annually in theUnited States alone. This does not account forothers in foreign countries. Dr. Keyler said thatthere were one million snakebites alone in Africain 1998 with a high fatality rate. South Americanand Asia also have a high number of bites alongwith a gruesome fatality rate. Most of thesedeaths in foreign countries are attributed to thefacts that they occur out in the bush many hoursaway from medical treatment centers, those treat-ment centers are not equipped with the appropri-ate matching anti-venom to treat the bite, andlastly, the people do not have money to pay for the

expensive treatments nor health insurance thatwould cover their treatment.

After these heartfelt facts, Dr. Keyler told a storyabout a person who was going to outsmart a ven-omous snake by holding it down with the butt ofhis shotgun. But, in fact, what happened was typ-ical of how an animal reacts, because the snakewhipped around with its tail trying to grab somestability, and it slipped into the trigger mechanismof the gun. The hunter was shot in the hip fromhis own gun by the snake he was going to out-smart. He didn’t get bitten, but the gunshot injurywas just as damaging if not more than asnakebite.

Venomous snakebites by the timber rattlesnakeusually have a seasonal distribution due to thefrequency of when they bite. Bites mostly occurduring the months of April through October duringthe year, mostly because there are more peopledoing outdoor activities during those months, andthe snakes coming out of hibernation in April.Timber Rattlesnake bites during one season num-bered 27, with 15 in Minnesota, 5 in Iowa, and 7

Want more info on snakebites? Google it!(Barb’s key words for GOOGLE.COM):

American Family PhysicianUniversity of FloridaNational AG Safety DatabasePalm Beach Herpetological Societyenvenomationvenomous snakebiteWorld Surgical JournalNew England Journal of MedicineAmerican Association of Poison Control CentersAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine HygieneAmerican Association of Immunologists

(Speaker Review continued on page 9)


News, Notes & Announcements

March Raffle Donors

U of MNStuffed Goldie & U of M cup

with treats

Jan AndreasenSnake pendant

Adoption Programvarious supplies

Laurie MahlingLizard pin

Cover Photo ©2005 by Asra Halvorson

Critter of the Month

Jon PetersonWood Frog

April Adoption ReportBy Sarah Richard, AdoptionChairThe following animals foundhomes this month. A specialnote: One of the Iguanas founda home at the Mall Of America atUWA. They joined the societyand are interested in fosteringrelations with us.

Ball Python2 Bearded DragonsBurmese Python3 IguanasLeopard GeckoUromastix

I want to extend a specialthanks to those of you thatopened your homes to theIguanas. When I walk out of themeeting empty handed I feel sogreat! I can’t say this oftenenough. Those of you that takehome the “leftovers” and givethose special need critters yourtime, money and attention,deserve a special pat on theback.P.S. We did not, nor probably

ever will have a Komodo Dragonup for adoption. It was AprilFools Day, OK?

From the Editor

Well hello again! The weather’sfinally warming and we can stopbeing envious of our scalybeasts basking in their tropicalenvironments all winter. At lastwe can get outside and do somebasking and fun in the sun our-selves!

Hold on a minute though! Iwould like each one of you topause and give me an hour ofyour time. I’m giving each andevery MHS reader a challenge.It’s beginning to be a pretty dryseason for submissions, so Ithought I’d remind you that eachand every one of you has valu-able knowledge to share! Thismay come in the form of a bookyou’ve recently read, a trip

you’ve taken, something you’vepersonally taken upon yourselfto study, life experiences, andmore! It could be your innerartist striving to release him/her-self (See the photo/art contestwinners in this issue! This couldbe you-- if it’s not you already!).

So, draw/doodle a picture, writea herp book review, tell a tale ofa herping adventure, relatesome tricks of the trade to anewbie! You, yes you, areinvaluable to our society. Let’sshow you off!

You see, it’s our own memberswho give our newsletter sometrue flavor! Thanks for your time!

Asra


Minnesota Herpetological SocietyBoard Meeting Review for April 2, 2005By Barb Buzicky, Recording Secretary

Board members present were Randy Blasus,Barb Buzicky, Fred Bosman, Sean Hewitt, MarilynBlasus, Asra Halvorson, and Mike Bush. Absentwere Jodi Aherns, Tony Gamble, and Nancy Haig.Non-board members present were Liz Bozmanand Jeff LeClere.

Meeting was called to order at 6:12 PM CST atthe University of Minnesota Student Center,Room 202.

Minutes from the October and November 2004Board Meetings are outstanding.

Minutes from the January, February, March, 2005,Board Meetings were approved with changes.

Treasurer’s Report for January, February, andMarch 2005 are outstanding, short versions ver-bally read.

Membership Report for March 2005 is outstand-ing.

General Meeting April 1, 2005, had an atten-dance of 139.

President’s Report:Randy continued his series on BoardDevelopment, and there were no questions on thelast segment, Understanding Board Reports. Thenext in the series is Organizations Missions andPurpose. Randy read a synopsis from the hand-out to the Board.

Vice President’s Report:May Anita (Sea Turtles)June TBDJuly TBD

Committee Reports:There were no committee reports.

Old Business:A librarian was found, Tim Banobitz, and an assis-tant. The next Midway Symposium Meeting willbe held on Thursday, at the St. Paul StudentCenter, at 7:00 PM CDT. Barb gave a short syn-opsis on the last meeting, the logo was selected,the animal sale will be captive breed animals only,and the particulars of the hotel contract were dis-cussed. The resignation of the current Treasureris on hold until the May Board Meeting. Asra isworking on the reasons for the delay of thenewsletter to members. There were over 12K atthe Pet Expo, and MHS had 12 volunteers. Nounclaimed items from the WSS were picked up atthe meeting. The items will go into the raffle perthe Board. Volunteer awards were handed out atthe General Meeting, 65 out of 106 were pickedup. Activity matching idea tabled.

New Business: The Mexican Land Purchase presentation reviewwas tabled. Randy read the letter addressed tothe society. A chairperson is needed for the StateFair Exhibit this year. The Holiday Banquet alsoneeds a chairperson, Liz Bosman volunteered.The DNR Comment on Rules was discussedbriefly. The Board says we need more informa-tion from them. Further discussion tabled until thenext meeting.

Last Minute Items:Asra says that Herp Digest is now charging foraccess to its website through a membership. Shewill check into the actual costs for the society.

The next Board Meeting will be held on Saturday,May 7, 2005, at the University of Minnesota, St.Paul Student Center, Room 202.

Meeting adjourned at 7:39 PM CST.


First Place People’s Choice and First PlaceHerps in a Natural Setting: Liam Bonk

First Place Miscellaneous Herps: Liam Bonk

2005 PhotoContest Winners

The award-winning artist himself, Liam Bonk.


First Place 16 and Under: Sam Rausch

Second Place Herps in a Natural Setting: BillMoss

Second Place 16 and Under: Liam Bonk

First Place Herps with People: Bill Moss

Second Place Herps with People: Bill Moss


Second Place Miscellaneous Herps: RichardBonk

Third Place Miscellaneous Herps: Craig Renier

Third Place 16 and Under: Liam Bonk

Third Place Herps in a Natural Setting: Bill Moss


in Wisconsin. During this time, 5 or 19% of thebites occurred in Metropolitan areas, and theother 22 or 81% occurred in rural farm areas.Unfortunately, the human factor is the cause ofapproximately 27% of the bites through the use ofalcohol. Other bites occur while the person washandling or molesting the snake. 85% of naturalbites are below the knee.

Some of the bites are dry which means that thesnake was not pumping a large dose of venomthrough the fangs, but just traces of venom fromthe fang. This type of bite causes the leastamount of damage, which is mostly very localizedaround the wound without systemic infiltration.The snake’s action of squeezing the venomglands is a voluntary reflex when it bites andabout half the time no venom is injected. PitVipers for example, have dry bites half the time,while on the other hand, the Coral Snake’s bite isdirectly proportional to the size of the snake andthe length of time the snake holds onto the victim.The ages of people bitten are mostly between theages of 16 and 40, with 22 or 81% of the bitesbeing attributed to male victims and 5 or 19% tofemales. Further, the United States Military sta-tioned over in the Middle East is having problemswith snakebites due to military operations beingconducted out in rural areas where many ven-omous snakes have set up habitation.

Snake venom consists of proteins, polypeptides,and many enzymes that cause necrosis of tissueand hemolysis or destruction of blood compo-nents. It is a very complex compound. Eachsnake has a different mixture of these compo-nents, which is why different anti-venom is need-ed for different species of snakes. The first per-son recognized as having started the process ofmaking anti-venom was Dr. Henry Sewell, whowas an American physiologist and physician. Hetook snake venom and started injecting low

dosages into pigeons that were serving as thehosts to make the anti-venom. Today, drug labo-ratories use other animals to make anti-venom,and the process is very complicated and slow. Ittakes a long time to make AV, which is why it is socostly. Snake venoms are classified two ways.One is hemotoxic (those attack the tissue and theblood), and the other is neurotoxic (those thatdamage or destroy nerve tissue). Pit Viper snakevenoms are hemotoxic, and these bites are notimmediately fatal unless the venom is directlyinjected into a vein. Most crotalid venoms attackand damage the capillary endothelial cells whichdestroy the blood plasma and extravasation oferythrocytes that destroy the white cells. Childrenare the most serious victims of snakebite as theyare generally very small in body size so theamount of venom has a greater effect on theirbodies than on an adult. The symptoms ofsnakebite envenomation are different for hemo-toxic and neurotoxic. The symptoms for hemotox-ic snakebite are intense pain, edema, weakness,swelling, numbness or tingling, rapid pulse,ecchymoses, muscle fasciculation, oral paresthe-sia, unusual metallic taste, vomiting, confusion,and bleeding disorders. The symptoms for neu-rotoxic snakebite are minimal pain, ptosis, weak-ness, paresthesia (numbness at snakebitewound), diplopia, dysphagia, sweating, salivation,diaphoresis, hyporeflexia, respiratory depression,and paralysis.

In case you get bitten, stay calm. Venom can besucked out or squeezed. The venom is proteinand taken orally will not have harmful effects. Themost benefit would come from having an extractorif it is applied within five minutes and left in placefor 3 minutes. Remove all jewelry due to anyswelling that will take place, and keep track of thetime. Get to a medical treatment center or hospi-tal quickly and note symptoms. Keep the victimquiet and still as moving around will circulate the

(Speaker Review continued on page 12)

(Speaker Review continued from page 3)


Coqui Frogs Wanted Pacific Daily News, Agana, Guam, 3/31/05 byKatie WorthReprinted from HerpDigest, Volume 5 Issue 38

Find a fugitive frog infringing on your facultieswith its fulminating fracas? Flip your phone andfile the fact with enforcers for free.

In an effort to stem a problem before it hops outof control, the Guam Department of Agricultureand GUAMCELL Communications yesterdayunveiled a hot line for people to call if they hearthe ear-splitting call of the tiny coqui frogs.

Two of the frogs, no bigger than a quarter whenfully grown, were found on Guam last year, andagriculture officials are worried that more of thePuerto Rico natives could be on the way.

And that could be a big problem for Guam,because the frogs are so noisy — their call rivalsa bushcutter in volume — that when they form achorus, it can become unbearable to sensitiveears and rob the sleep of residents and tourists.

The frogs, named after their unmistakable noctur-nal love song that goes “ko-KEEE”, managed toimmigrate to Hawaii some years ago and havewreaked havoc there. According to theDepartment of Agriculture, the frogs have so farcaused an estimated $20 million in damage toHawaii’s visitor and real estate industries.

Last year, biologists think two male frogs hitcheda ride on ornamental plants from Hawaii, becauseboth were found in nurseries. Agriculture WildlifeBiologist Diane Vice said that after the two frogswere found here on Guam last year, Hawaii’s biol-ogists advised Guam biologists to immediately goto the public and get help in curtailing the prob-lem.

That is just what biologists did yesterday, launch-ing an official campaign to keep the invasivespecies from colonizing on Guam.

GUAMCELL has donated a cell phone and freeminutes for the project’s hot line, which residentsare encouraged to call if they think they may heara coqui frog.

Biologist Dave Gee warned that if a residentbelieves they are hearing a coqui frog, theyshould check the pitch of the call. The coqui frog’scall is piercing and high pitched, he explained,and it is not to be confused with another invasivefrog species, locally known as the “barking frog,”which has a lower, bark-like call.

The frog’s sleep-interrupting call is top concern,but a second concern is that the frog could poten-tially serve as another food source for an invasivespecies — the brown tree snake, Gee said.

In addition to establishing a hot line, Gee saidbiologists will be training plant importers and cus-toms officials to recognize the frogs and theircalls. He said the Department of Agriculture willalso be running a series of advertisements featur-ing the frog’s call.

GUAMCELL President Mark Chamberlin said res-idents will be able to download ring tones featur-ing the call or photos from the company’s Website.

Whom To Call: If you think you hear the piercinglove song of the tiny coqui frog, call 687-FROG.The call is free if made from another GUAMCELLphone.


Researchers Prove Cobra Can Burrow(Shield-Nosed Cobra)Bismarck Tribune, Minot, North Dakota, 3/28/05 Reprinted from HerpDigest Volume 5, Issue 27

Snake experts previously believed the venomoussnake couldn’t burrow because of its body type,said Alexandra Deufel, an assistant biology pro-fessor at Minot State University.

Deufel said scientists have speculated that theshield-nosed cobra, which lives underground inits native Africa, might burrow, but there was noevidence of it.

Most snakes that live underground find naturalcrevices or burrows created by other animals, shesaid.

Her snake of study, named “Spike,” doesn’t havea reinforced head like other species of snakesand other legless animals that burrow in the dirt.The shield-nosed cobra is small with large eyesand a nose that is only loosely connected to therest of its head.

“When you look at the anatomy of this, it doesn’tlook like it would be able to burrow,” Deufel said.Deufel and undergraduate student Shawn Bruceput Spike in an aquarium filled with a few inchesof moist sand and aimed a video camera on himto see what he would do.

Deufel said it was thrilling when they saw Spikeburrowing to the bottom. To begin burrowing,Spike arches his neck, lays his shield flat on thesand and moves his head from side to side.

“It’s like a shovel, really,” Deufel said.

Further research revealed that the shield-nosedcobra burrows using modified muscles thatsnakes use to swallow their prey and to controlthe movement of their wiggly noses, she said.

“That’s never been seen in any snake,” Deufelsaid. “It’s a totally new anatomy.”

Deufel presented the results of her research tothe Society for Integrative and ComparativeBiology in January.

Bearded Dragon Eye. Asra Halvorson, 2004.


Snake Snare Snaps Spines: Device Designedto Decapitate

NEWS RELEASEThe Center for North American HerpetologyLawrence, Kansashttp://www.cnah.org

Submitted byDean Alessandrini, Vice-President, The GreaterCincinnati Herpetological Society

As if the general public’s view on snakes were notalready bad enough, a company calledSnakeSnare, LLC, in Iowa has taken it to the nextlevel.

“SnakeSnare” is a device designed to intentional-ly decapitate wild snakes.

“SnakeSnare” is marketed on the internet andpromotes use in areas like neighborhoods andgolf courses, “Where gunfire is impractical or ille-gal.” The website mentions that the product “can”*capture a snake for relocation, but is actuallydesigned for “instant decapitation.”

The marketing of the product seems to promoteextermination of wild snakes, and the site actual-ly quotes the old adage “a good snake is a deadsnake.”*

If you would like to voice your concerns about thisproduct and its marketing objectives, please seetheir website at www.snakesnare.com and voiceyour concerns.

*Editor’s note: These quotes may have been onthe website previously, but have been removedsince this article has been written.

venom through the system faster. If the snake isa Coral Snake, pull it off as quickly as possible tokeep the venom amount low. Lastly, take digitalpicture of the snake or have someone write downa complete physical description of the snakeincluding approximate size and diameter. Thismakes matching anti-venom with the snake easi-er for treatment.

Things that won’t help a bite include the following:cutting the wound, tourniquet, use of alcohol oral-ly or topically, use of ice (it will not stop theswelling).

The most practical means to prevent getting bittenby a snake is to not play with snakes, keep thebushes and weeds down around your home, wearshoes outside, wear gloves while weeding, wearhigh boots in snake country, and watch closelywhere you step while out hiking.

(Speaker Review continued from page 9)

Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application

Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year) Contributing ($30/year) Basic ($15/year)

Corresponding Memberships: Commercial ($25/year 2 Business Card Ads/year)

Required check info. Drivers Lic # State DOBPlease enclose the proper payment with your application. Make Checks Payable To: Minnesota Herpetological Society. Membership is for12 months from the date of approval, a receipt will be sent only upon request. Mail to: Minnesota Herpetological Society, Bell Museum ofNatural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.

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MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health or legali-ty of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHSNewsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to spacelimitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission.

Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of charge as spacepermits. Ads may be ran three consecutive months, after which time they may be resubmit-ted. Corresponding members are allowed a complimentary business card advertisementmonthly as space permits. Due to federal restrictions on Non-profit mailing permits, we arenot allowed to run ads for travel, credit or insurance agencies.

Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Editor, Bell Museum ofNatural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is the night of theGeneral Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checks payable to: MinnesotaHerpetological Society.

MHS AD RATESBusiness card $5/Month $55/Year*1/4 Page $10/Month $110/Year*1/2 Page $20/Month $220/Year*Full Page $40/Month $440/Year*

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Next Meeting:Friday, May 6, 2005 7:00PMRoom 335 Borlaug Hall, U of M St. PaulCampus

MHS Voice Mail:612.624.7065

MHS Web Page:www.mnherpsoc.org

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