THE MONITOR. Volume 23 Number 11 November 2012

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1 THE MONITOR NEWSLETTER OF THE HOOSIER HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY A non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its membership and the conservation of all amphibians and reptiles Volume 23 Number 11 November 2012 Wednesday November 14th 7:30 p.m. Guest Speakers: Jim Harrison & Kristen Wiley, Kentucky Reptile Zoo Topic: Sri Lanka Working Adventure Butler University, Room #150 Pharmacy Building The Hoosier Herpetological Society is proud o welcome Jim Harrison and Kristen Wiley as this month's guest speakers. Jim and Kristen operate the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade Kentucky. This zoo houses over 1600 venomous snake species which they "milk" every two weeks for their venom. This venom once treated is shipped to hospitals to be used in producing anti-venom and to researchers to be used in the attempt to find cures for many different diseases. Jim and Kristen are recognized among the top authorities regarding venomous snakes and have appeared in numerous television specials such as "Snake Wranglers" on the National Geographic channel documenting their adventures around the world. Recently they traveled to Sri Lanka (the island country off the coast of India). Sri Lanka has a very real problem as various venomous snakes such as Russell's vipers, kraits and cobras kill or injure thousands of people every year. Jim and Kristen spent a few weeks to assist the local people in setting up treatment centers and training people to treat snake bite victims. ***A reminder that this month's meeting is the second Wednesday of the month November 14th instead of the third because of Thanksgiving Holiday coming early this year! New meeting time and venue for 2013 Starting in January of 2013, the HHS meetings will be held at the Holliday park nature center at a new time 7:00-9:00 PM

2 Welcome back members! RENEWALS Donald Nuetzman Mike McNeely Leonard Grey (Sustaining Membership) Chris and Mitchell Wehrle (Sustaining Membership) Robert Hansen (Sustaining Membership) NEW MEMBERS Tony Leone Indigo and Cribo Snakes By Holly Carter (Photos by Roger Carter) There are about nine subspecies of Drymarchon listed. Drymarchon corais cooperi (Georgia, Florida, Alabama) (Eastern Indigo) D.c. melanurus (Black Tail) (Central and South America) D.c. corais (Yellow tail) (South America ) D.c. margaritae (South America, Island locale) D.c. caudomaculatus (White tail newly designated) (Venezuela) D.c. erbennus (Texas Indigo) (Texas, Mexico) D.c. rubidus (Mexican redtail) (Mexico) D.c. Unicolor (also in black tailed group) (Central and South America) D.c. orizabensis (South America) These animals all share many traits, body style, scale structure, active hunters, food preferences, and ability to resist envenomation. They are medium to large snakes 6-11 foot, with racerlike bodies. Mostly terrestrial, but they are able to climb low trees and shrubs. They are not constrictors, nor do they possess venom. They have a powerful bite yet most are docile and exhibit this frenzied biting as a feeding or territorial reaction. Eastern Indigo I have kept many of this species for over 40 years and find them to be wonderful pets. They require less heat than boas or pythons, (70-80 degrees). Many can be hibernated over our winter months like other colubrid snakes. Supplemental lighting is fine but doesn t seem to be required, except by some females for the vitamin

3 D3. Feeding is easily done, as they eat mice, rats, chicks, quail, fish, snakes, lizards, amphibians and even baby turtles and eggs. I stick with the basic rodents and birds with occasional fish and snakes as food items. and it absorbs their messes better, but does get picked up with the food as they are eating, which can lead to mouth or intestinal problems. Texas Indigo Texas Indigo These are extremely active and messy animals as they feed more often and therefore defecate more often than other snakes. They need larger cages and/or frequent handling more often than some other snakes and like a hide box with lightly moistened sphagnum moss in it. A non-tip water bowl and branch with an escape-proof cover completes the cage furniture. Covers should not be wire as this can cause nose rubbing. I use newspaper substrate, but many people house these animals on aspen or pine shavings and do fine with it. The snakes do like to burrow in the shavings Handling these animals takes patience as the animals are very active and may, at first, be nippy or spray musk. Quiet handling does calm them down and they soon quit this defensive behavior and become, to me, very pleasant animals. They have definite personalities as they are alert and when first disturbed will rear up and flatten their necks and rattle their tails loudly. Once they are taken out of their cages and allowed to run a little, they calm down and are great animals. While the Indigos and Cribos are not for everyone, I personally think they are worth the extra cage cleaning and hope to always have at least one of these in my home. My favorite state park to visit for 'herping is Brown County State Park because I have a good chance of seeing a Northern copperhead, Agkistroden contortrix mokasen, and the slight possibility of encountering a timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus, my two favorite Indiana 'herps. I started my field trip at the park's nature center where I was planning on meeting a couple of friends. As I approached the center's entrance I noticed a flash of bright blue among the fallen tree leaves. As I looked closer, I saw a juvenile five-lined skink, Eumeces fasciatus! This attractive lizard had five cream to yellowish stripes running longitudinally down the back from its snout to its tail. The background color of its body was black and its tail was a brilliant shade of blue. Surprisingly the lizard stayed calm and I was able to approach quite closely to get a good look at this Herp of the Month Five-Lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatus by Ed Ferrer beautiful little animal. Unfortunately these bright colors fade as the lizard reaches maturity and they resemble a smaller version of the closely related broadhead skink, Eumeces laticeps. Adult forms turn mostly bronze or tan along the body with a dull grey tail and their stripes become much less distinct. However females of this species may keep some of the coloration into adulthood. Males show some orange-red color along their jaws during the spring breeding season. These lizards can be found throughout Indiana although they are much more common in the Southern half of the state. It prefers moist areas in wooded or partly wooded habitats and is absent in the Northwestern prairie area of the state. Wooded areas with many rotting logs and stumps, brush piles, outcrops, decaying debris are good

4 places to look for these lizards. They are diurnal and mainly terrestrial creatures although they may climb onto stumps and rotting trees in search of insects and basking sites. During the hottest part of the day they often take shelter under rocks or logs. Males are slightly larger than females and may grow up to eight inches long with over half of that length is the tail. Their limbs are short but strong allowing them to be accomplished borrowers. Their diet consists mostly of small invertebrates such as spiders, insects, millipedes and caterpillars. They may also eat snails and small vertebrates such as other lizards and newborn rodents. Male five-lined skinks will attack other males and smaller lizards but they will not attack lizards with blue tails. This allows both adults and young to feed on different size prey items in the same area and reduces the risk of juveniles being killed by aggressive adults. These lizards rely on speed to escape from predators such as hawks, crows, snakes, raccoons and foxes. However if they are caught, the skink can voluntarily break off its tail. The tail,which will continue to twitch, may distract the predator allowing the skink to escape. The tail will grow back but it usually is not as long as the original tail. Juvenile five-lined skink Photo Jim Horton Mating occurs from mid-may to late June. The female selects a secluded nest site such as logs, rocks or decayed stumps. As many as fifteen eggs may be laid where the area is moist. The eggs absorb moisture from the soil which enables them to swell. Incubation takes from 33 to 55 days depending on temperature. The female will wrap around the eggs and defensively bite at any wandering small predators. She also regulates the temperature of the eggs by moving them up or down in the nest site. After the young hatch, the female takes no part in looking after them. These attractive lizards make an excellent find on any 'herping adventure. KNIVES AND HERP ART (Part 23) Photos & text by Roger Carter Sources: Encyclopedia of North American Reptiles and Amphibians, Chris Mattison Peterson Field Guide of Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America, Roger Conant/Joseph T. Collins This knife is called RATTLESNAKE. The side of the box says FEATURES: STAINLESS STEEL BLADE WITH TONGUE ETCH - HORN HANDLE, DETAILED BRASS THROAT, SPACERS, AND POMMEL 17 OVERALL CUSTOM SHEATH. The blade is eight inches long to the snake s snout. Between the brass spacers are three wood inserts that are pinned to the steel that runs the entire length of the knife. The snake s head and rattle are also brass. This was made in Pakistan and the blade is not sharp. Don t forget that our November meeting has been moved up a week to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday. November 14

5 HHS live herp display at Garfield Park HHS members in attendance were Roger and Holly Carter, Jim Horton, Ed Ferrer, Rick Marrs, and Mitchell Wehrle. President s message Jim Horton I d like to thank Barbara Filtri and the staff at McCormick s Creek State Park for their hospitality during our presentation at the Canyon Inn Friday evening, October 26. They also gave the HHS a donation of $200. We had a crowd of over 200 curious campers and guests who seemed to enjoy the information we had provided. I d also like to thank the staff at the Conservancy at Garfield Park for accommodating us for our live herp exhibit on Saturday October 20. We had a nice crowd there as well. This month we will vote for HHS Board of Directors for the year We have a good presentation lined up with our friends Jim and Kristin from the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. Thanks to our new and renewal memberships. Another big Thank you to our sustaining members! Our holiday party is 7:00PM, December 8 th at Don Pablo s in Greenwood (more information to come). This will be our last newsletter for the year We will send out a one page edition with the Holiday Party information in late November/December. Please note this very special change!! Starting January of 2013, the HHS will be meeting at 7:00PM at Holliday Park Nature Center.

6 Life Changes and Farewells I have been blessed and thankful to have kept snakes for 45 yrs, opportunities to make friends in the hobby and breed my favorite herps, to travel and get to many reptile shows over the years, and was one of the first members of HHS, Have many fond memories of those early days of a herp club forming, the excitement and challenges. For over a year I had been giving thought to making a life change, to not keep any more reptiles, a month ago the decision was made and last week all my snakes were sold, have to admit when I walked into the snake room later that night I felt a sense of loss, a part of me just felt lost, gone...my wife came in and set with me, after all she had been around them and supported my interest for 38 yrs, setting there my find was flooding with many memories of the events and friends that happened along the way. My eyes got a little watery I just knew things would not be the same. Like others I just had reached a point that the husbandry, feeding & cleaning routine had finally went from fun to work and lost the desire to keep them. I still love the animals and plan on attending some shows, being a member of HHS, and visiting with friends, just no longer keeping them. I want to thank those over the years that I had the privilege to become friends with. We have seen many changes in the hobby and seen the growth from the early days on. If anyone has any questions, thoughts or opinions I will gladly respond to your s. To you my friends, thank you for being the good people you are, to the Creator, I thank him for the many years of happiness, fun and excitement I had with these interesting animals. I wish all of you many years of good health and happiness. Mike Wood 2bears@embarqmail.com Editor s note: Mike has been a great friend to the HHS a member for decades. He s been a great contributor to herpetology and the HHS over the years. I hope we ll still see him around with or without his herps. Mike, I ll bet you can t go a year without a herp HA! Jim EVENTS November 4, Indiana Reptile Expo, Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 10am-4pm, $6.00 admission Next show - December 2 nd. November 10, 2012 Lizards and Turtles and Snakes, Oh My! HHS live animal display at Eagle Library, (3325 Lowry Rd. Indpls). 1:00 4:00PM November 11, Midwest Reptile Show, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Southwest Pavilion, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis. $5.00 admission, reptiles, amphibians, books, cages, feeder animals, and other supplies. Sell your herps and dry goods free of charge at our H.H.S. information booth (HHS members only) November 14, 2012 HHS meeting at Butler University, Pharmacy Bldg. Guest speakers, Jim Harrison and Kristen Wiley, owners/operators of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. Topic - Sri Lanka Working Adventure.

7 Classifieds Cage units for sale: 2-28 quart 5 rack units built buy Jason's Jungle each 1-28 quart 5 rack unit built by Greg Maxwell caging sweater box unit with clear plastic sweater boxes, storage space, on wheels. Amish built Add a helix control to any units for All units and equipment in excellent condition, clean, ready to plug in and use. Mostly Reptiles Von cowper Ruth Cowper cvon24@hotmail.com cowperra@yahoo.com Snakehead Ed Ferrer Live hands-on snake programs Have snakes, will travel ph cell: Mike Wood twobears@embarqmail.com Black Magic Reptiles Hoosier Mouse Supply frozen/live rodents Chris Young (317) (Delivering to HHS meetings Pre-order only) BlackMagicReptiles@gmail.com (812) The Hoosier Herpetological Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its membership and the conservation of all reptiles and amphibians. General monthly meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Butler University, Pharmacy Building, Room #150. Membership is open to all interested individuals. No venomous animals are allowed at the General Meetings. Your HHS Board of Directors for 2012 PRESIDENT Jim Horton (317) Cell stardali84@hotmail.com VICE-PRESIDENT Ed Ferrer (317) Cell pythonpals1@msn.com SECRETARY Holly Carter (317) drymarchonzz@hotmail.com TREASURER/MEMBERSHIP Dave Mitchell (317) turtlelovin@att.net SERGEANT AT ARMS Will Brown (765) wrbrown15@aol.com Appointees for 2012 EDITOR Jim Horton (317) Stardali84@hotmail.com PROGRAM DIRECTOR Ed Ferrer (317) pythonpals1@msn.com WAYS AND MEANS Angela Thomas (317) necali@comcast.net WEBSITE COORDINATOR Barbara Filtri webmaster@hoosierherpsoc.org The Monitor is printed courtesy of: The Harding Poorman Group

8 MEMBERSHIP FORM New Member Renewal Name Date Address City State Zip Code Phone Address Individual/Family Membership $15.00 Sustaining Membership $25.00 or more Herpetological Interest(s) Hoosier Herpetological Society P.O. Box Indianapolis, Indiana, Dated Material Enclosed Address Correction Requested If this area is checked, it s time to renew your membership!