vol. 8 (1988), no. 11

14
ETOLOGIC SOCIETY NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER DEX:»mER MEE'l.'Iro Friday, DEXDmER 2, 1988 7:00 1M ROCM 335, BORIAUG HAIL St. Paul. C'anpus, University of Minnesota VOLUME VIII NUMBER 11 Our guest speaker for the December meeting will be Richard S. Funk D.V.M. Dr. Funk will speak on basic veterinary cary and diagnosis of health probleJT1s in arrphibians and reptiles. Dr. Funk teaches at the Uni versi ty of Tennessee where he specializes in herp rredicine. Dr. Funk has been keeping herps for a nurriber of years. One reason he went to Veterinary school was because he could not. find adequate vet care for his collection. There will be a quest.ion and answer period after Dr. Funks slide illustrated presentation. This is a chance to get your veterinary questions answered by an expert. The IIcri tter of the rronth II for Deceniber will be YaJR RECXJVERED HERP. Any herp that is current.ly healthy, but had a health or injury problem in the past.. This can be a herp that survived· vet care, or an anirral that you cared for at hane and returned to nonral health. If you cared for the animal on your own, tell the menibers what you did to bring the herp back t.o a heal thy condition. 00 NO!' BRING ANY SI<X ANIMALS! Any menber who brings an animal that appears sick will be asked t.o rerrove the aninal from the room! UPCOMING M.H. S. PROGRAMS The following is a list of planned speakers for future M.R.S. meetings: Jan. 6 - Video Night; showing several new herp videos Feb. 3 - White Snake Sale! Mar. 3 - M. R. S. Election Night Please mark your calendar for these meetings. Any changes to the date or speaker will be announced at the monthly meeting or in future newsletters. SNAKEBITE EMERGENCY Minnesota Poison Control System 221-2113 (outstate) Hennepin Regional Poison Center (612) 347-3J.4J. BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET S.E. iii MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

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Page 1: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

ETOLOGIC SOCIETY

NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

DEX:»mER MEE'l.'Iro Friday, DEXDmER 2, 1988

7:00 1M ROCM 335, BORIAUG HAIL St. Paul. C'anpus, University of Minnesota

VOLUME VIII NUMBER 11

Our guest speaker for the December meeting will be Richard S. Funk D.V.M. Dr. Funk will speak on basic veterinary cary and diagnosis of health probleJT1s in arrphibians and reptiles. Dr. Funk teaches at the Uni versi ty of Tennessee where he specializes in herp rredicine. Dr. Funk has been keeping herps for a nurriber of years. One reason he went to Veterinary school was because he could not. find adequate vet care for his collection. There will be a quest.ion and answer period after Dr. Funks slide illustrated presentation. This is a chance to get your veterinary questions answered by an expert.

The IIcri tter of the rronth II for Deceniber will be YaJR RECXJVERED HERP. Any herp that is current.ly healthy, but had a health or injury problem in the past.. This can be a herp that survived· vet care, or an anirral that you cared for at hane and returned to nonral health. If you cared for the animal on your own, tell the menibers what you did to bring the herp back t.o a heal thy condition. 00 NO!' BRING ANY SI<X ANIMALS! Any menber who brings an animal that appears sick will be asked t.o rerrove the aninal from the room!

UPCOMING M.H. S. PROGRAMS

The following is a list of planned speakers for future M.R.S. meetings:

Jan. 6 - Video Night; showing several new herp videos Feb. 3 - White Snake Sale! Mar. 3 - M. R. S. Election Night

Please mark your calendar for these meetings. Any changes to the date or speaker will be announced at the monthly meeting or in future newsletters.

SNAKEBITE EMERGENCY Minnesota Poison Control System 221-2113 (outstate) 1~800-222-J222

Hennepin Regional Poison Center (612) 347-3J.4J.

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET S.E. iii MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55455~0104

Page 2: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

NOVEMBER SPEAKER OF THE MONTH

At the Nov€m1:>er meeting we were gi ven an inside look at the Tortuguero Research Station and the Sea. Turt.le recovery program being aone there through the slide illustrated presentation of Bill Allen. The soft recorded sounds of frogs calling, surf and thunder in the background rrade you alnost feel like being there as Bill described were Tortugas de Tortuguero (The place of t.ortugas) is located. Access to the research st-ation is by SlTB.ll airplane, do to it.s rerrote location. The slides taken from the plane were inviting, and the plane taxies right to your doorstep. The research station and the sma.ll village, 2-3 miles away, are very primative (the village just recent.ly has installed electricity). The research station consists of two buildi.ngs - donn area and kitchen/research building. Very little privacy is available.

Bi 11 first explained with slides the charact_eristics and di.fferences 'bet_ween Sea Turtles - Chelonia, Eretrrochelys, & Dermoch€·lys. Most research work at Tortuguero is done with Green Turtles do to the large amount of nest.ing act.ion there. Hawksbill and Leatherba.cks nest in the area, but not_ as much as the Green Turtle. Sea Turtle nesting habits consist. of: t.urt.le lands on beach; decides on nest site; digs body pit.; digs egg chaniber: deposits eggs: covers eggs; returns to ocean. It is irrportant to know at what point do you int.erupt this process to t.ag t.he t_urt.le. At night wi th no lights (lights will scare turtles off), it becomes difficul t. Volunteers are shown in the day time hON to determine turt.le trails - ascending & descending. They are also shawn J:xx1y pits (big enough to fall into at night) and what direction turtle lays in. The shape of egg chambers and how to count. t.urtle eggs as they fall into the nest are also explained. The actual tagging of the Sea Turtle is done by trained research staff. Turtles are me..asured (width. & length) and weighed. This is done while turtle is on its back.

Data is collected from felT'ale turtles nesting, so no data on population or genetic stock or migration of rna.le turtles is available. Where turtles are nesting is what research staff is studying. Eight. mile sections are surveyed. Volunteers are given certain sections to survey. By t.agging, data shows these turtles nest 2 to 3 tiI*~s to lay approximately 100 eggs in 12 day intervals per nest.ing season. It appears that turtles nest every 2-3 years. Incuration of eggs is approximately 55 days. Temperature seems to determine sex - less than 28 degrees C. produce males, greater than 30 degrees C. produce fenales. Natural predators destroy eggs. Human poachers take eggs and sell at rrarkets. Commercial turt.le fishing and resort building are also effecting turtle population. Pollution is also ·taking a toll on population of both adult and young Sea Turtles.

Bill ended by saying it is a. great experience working a.t night as a volunteer with people who are all there with a (.'Omron goal. The days are yours to enjoy the flora & fauna which is abundant. Bill showed slides of txopica.l river-ways, reptiles, birds; and rramrB.ls native to the area. He concluded his talk by answering questions from members.

Thanks Bill for a very entertaining and informa.tive presentation. Hopefully rrore members will be able to volunteer next year and experience the work being done at Tortuguero.

Page 3: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

HELP A HAPLESS HERP

There were no animals up for adoption at thE~ Novemt:er meeting. 'Ihe Adoption C,anrnittee has a real "iffy" Decerriber meeting cry for help for a Python anel turtle. At. tbis writt.ing we are not sure if t.heSE> anirrc:] s will be at. the :C'€cerrlbE'~r meet.ing needing ? horne.

REFRESHMENTS

Thanks to Dennis Daly for the cookies at. the Novembpr meeting. There seemed t.o Ce pI enty to go around.

ORIGINAL RATrLE SNAKE IILUSTRATION RAFFLE

Decenlber 's nJeet.ing will be the last. chance to purchase tickets to win the frewed 2RIG1NAL Ratt.le Snake Illustration MoB.S. gave to Sustaining and Contributing rnerribers last, year. ThE~ price of the ticket. is $1.00, and Ann Forwoll will announce the person who will be selling t.ickets at. the meeting. Hopefully everyone has purchased at least. one ticket!

RAFFLE

The rronthly raffle net us $100 at the November meeting! SOIrIE:' of the i terns sterling silver turtle earrings, painted turtlE~ carving, frilled lizard pin, etc.

- really brought_ in ttl€' quarters. Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets!! The following is a. list of the wirmers: l\arorl, Fred Bozvay, To Braun, Jim Ellis, Pam Gerholdt, Mark Kelly, Ray Rainlx>lt., Tom Schmitz, & Jim Schneider. Thanks again to the rnerrbers who supply us with these great raffle it.ems! I was infonnec1 at. the last meet.ing that sorrlE-'one is bringing a "special" raffle i tern for the December n~eting, so have your quarters handy.

CRITrER OF THE fI.DNTH

November's critter of the month WClS CF~tI'FAL & SOl.l'IH AMERJe-AN TURlIES, 'IOPTOISES & TERRAPINS. Thanks to Chase Delles, John ~1eltzer, John Moriarty, Ann Porwell, and Ted Schave for bringing their herpso The following is a list of the herps shavm.: Red-footed Tortoise, South American 'IWist.neck Turtle, and Yellow Legged Tortoise. Noriarty brought a Green Sea Turtle shell, Olive Ric1leys shell, and Bawksbill Sea Turtle shell from the Bell Museum I s collection t.O shaw the differences to the members. The shells were of good size, but_ it was interesting to find out. that. they were not full grawn adult shells.

PRESIDTh'T VlCE:-PRESIDENT SECRE'I1\RY TREASlJRER NElvSLEITF:R EDI'IOF ~1flVlBEH -AT-LARGE: MF'MBFR-AT-lARGE fv<lEMBER-AT-LARGF MF1'1BER-AT-LAPGE

M.R.S. OFFICERS

Ann Porwoll ~Tohn Mori arty Kate Anderson Del Jones Tom Schnli tz Bruce DellE'S Bruce Haig Aaron Harrpton Jblm r,1e It zer

(612) 489-7853 (612) 647-1334 (612) 222-3500 (612) 938-8555 (612) 488-7619 (612) 374-5422 (612) 789-4637 (715) 425-7565 (612) 780-8561

Page 4: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums

DATE: November 8, 1988

REPLY TO: Jim Gerholdt Aruba Island Rattlesnake SSP Minnesota Zoo 12101 Johnny Cake Ridge Road Apple Valley, MN 55124

The Aruba Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor) is a small species found only on the island of Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles, also known as the Dutch West Indies. This island is off the coast of Venezuela. Resort development on the island has taken most of its habitat.

This species was designated an SSP (Species Survival Plan) ani­mal in 1984. Field research is currently underway on Aruba to determine its status and learn more about its natural history. This work is being partially supported by the Aruban government in the form of a 4-wheel drive vehicle and housing for the re­searcher. This is planned as a one year study. Other funding has come from the members of the zoo community that maintain this species in their collections. Due to a shortfall of funds two options are available at this time. Either we cut the study short, or we raise the needed funds to continue it for the full year.

In answer to a request for funding, the Minnesota Zoo has agreed to match, up to a maximum of $500, any monies raised in support of this project. The time limit on this is 45 days from November 1 .

If you would like to make a contribution, or if you belong to any groups that might, please give me a call at home at 612-652-2996. Any contributions, no matter now small, will be greatly appreciated. They are tax deductible! Checks should be made to: Houston Zoological Gardens - Aruba Island SSP. They can be sent to me at the zoo, or at home - P.O. Box 86, Webster, MN 55088.

This is a chance to really help one of nature's underdogs. For a small investment, you can make a difference.

Watch for an update on this project in next month's MHS News­letter. There will also be an update at the December meeting.

4 A. nonprofit, tax-exempt organizati1J"n dedicated tli the ndl'OllCcment ur z()%j:;ical

parks and aquariums for com;eruation, ('ducatiof!, 8cicnti(ic ,~Iudil'.'; and recrcution

Page 5: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

ILLUsrRATION CONTEST RESULTS'

M.R.S. is pleased to announce this years winner of the Illustration Contest - SARINA BREWER - with an illustration of a Grey Treefrog. Any member joining or renewing their rrerribership at Sustaining or Contributing levels between 6/88 and 5/89 will be presented with a print of this treefrog. The prints are limited I num}:)ered and signed. If you have already joined or renewed and would like to qualify for a print, you may cent.act Kat.e Anderson (MRS Secretary) I and have your membership upgraded.

FIVE-LINED SKINKPRINTS

Members that were Sustaining or Contributing during 6/87 & 5/88 will be present.ed with their signed and numbered print at the December meeting. 1he following members qualified for a print:

Ka.te Anderson Gloria Anton Bruce Delles Bruce Haig Karl Hermann Tom McKinley Jim Mead John Meltzer John Moriarty

John Podeszwa Ann Po:rwoll Paul Spencer Chris Thorson Don Wheeler Fred Bosman Jim Gerholdt Mark Wiesman

Your support of MeR.S. is greatly appreciated. grow and develope.

It has enabled us to continue to

M.H. S.. HOLIDAY BANQUET

DR. Richard S. Funk will speak on the Natural History and Care of Boas and Pythons. Rich has been working with and photographing these la.rge const.rict.ors for a nurriber of years. Many of the Boa and Python photos in the book Li ving Snakes of the World were rrade by Rich. This will be an opportunity to see a nurriber of photos of more unusual ooids.

Page 6: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

CAlLING AIL BOOKS! CALLING AIL BOOKS!

Due to a nUInl'.,er of long over-due library books, M. H. S. will suspend any library fines for simply ret.urning our books during the month of DeceniJer. The following is a list of over-due books and the person who la.st checked them out of the M.B.S. library. If your name is on this list., plea.se return t.he book a.t the December meeting. If you can I t atJ~end the meet.ing, books can be returned by mail to:

The Minnesota Herpetological E'cciety Library Bell Museum of Nat.ural History 10 Church Street S.E. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

If you know sorreone on the list., please remind them to return the book or offer to return the book for them.

TI'I'LE OF' BOOK FOI..J..aVED BY PERSON LAST CHEa<FD OUT TO:

sysrEMATICS & NATURAL HISI'ORY OF THE AMERICAN MILKSNAKE (\'villiaros) - wade Ericksen

INVEN'I'ORY OF LIVE REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS 1985 ( Sla.vens) - Mike Sehwartz

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS OF' MINN. (Breckenridge) - Steve Eastep

THEIR BLOOD RUNS COLD (Gibl::ons) - Pat Olsen

SNAKES OF THE vVORLD (Matt.ison) - Lisa Van Dyke

BIOlffiICAL & SURGICAL ASPECT'S OF CAPTIVE REPI'ILE HUSBANDRY (Frye) - Pat Thielen

HUSBANDRY, MEDICINE & SURGERY IN CAPI1IVE REPrILES (Frye) - )?at Thielen

NONVENCM)US SNAKES (TRUTNAU) - Courtney Anderson

CAPrJVE ProPAGATION & HUSBANDRY OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS (Gray) - Ron Moore

7th ANNUAL REPTILE SYMPOSIUM 00 CAPTIVE PROPAGATION & HUSBANDRY - Ron Moore

IJ\lTRODUcrION 'I'O BERPErOLCGY (Goin,Goin, Zug) - Jim Carlsen

SNAKES GIANT SNAKE & NCN VENOM)US SNAKES IN THE TERRARIUM (Klaus) - Deborah Carlsen

Page 7: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

A VENOMOUS SNAKEBITE by Ernest Plutko

A few years ago I went. on a tour of rural Northern South America. I was eager to collect snakes, but our time was linlited and I never saw a snake. I carried a snakehook and snakeba.gs for thousands of nriles and never had a. chance to use them. At one isolateD landing field, I wi tnessec1 the unforgett.able sight of a venonous snakebi t.e.

We flew in a t'NO-engined airplane to a very rerrot.E' area in the rorder region of Coluwbia and Venezuela. Our plane rrade an abrupt and rough landing on a gra.ssy airstrip which was much too small. I junped out of t.he plc.ne, surprised to be alive. We had stopped arout t.en feet. froIP the end of the clearing and the t.rees. I walked a short distance t.o a group of forest indians squatting in the sun. One indian was lying on the ground. Three other inc1ians were staring impassively at. him and ignored me. The indian on t.he ground was a short, muscular male dressed only in white cotton pants. His face and neck were grossly swollen and discolored. 'TWo fang punctures which rapidly oozed bloody fluid were clearly visible on his left cheek. He was breathing in labored gasps, but he never made a sound. In this lawless area where everyone is anned, it is prudent to mind your own business. The indians were holding shotguns and one also had a revolver. They definitely had a wild look in their eyes. I walked back to the plane and a.sked one of the loaders what. happened. In a confusing mixture of bad Spanish and bad English, he said that the indian had been bitten by a big snake shortly before we landed. He shrugged and turned away. Another load.er said t.hat indians were murderers and who cared what happened to them. I started back t.O t.he indians, but one of the field guards warned me t.O stay away from them. The plane cre'VV was heavily armed for protection, so there was litt.le reason to fear the indians. This was not the place, however, t.o argue with a drunken, half-civilized guard who was waving an automatic weapon at Ire and shouting. No one I asked knew- or s€E'lt1ed t.o care what kind of snake bit the indian or what happened. In a fevv minutes, the plane wa.s ready and we t.ook off. I watched the indians intently for as long as possible. They quickly disappeared as we circled over the trees. The two pilots mentioned that in this region it was connon to put insecticide in rum and leave the rottles for forest indians to find. Of course, I never heard the outcome of the snakebi te •

Recent.ly, I have watched several rept.ile enthusiasts playing with poisonous snakes. They put them on tn.e floor and laugh when the snakes st.rike at the1l1.. vllien I. warn them t.O be careful, they earnest.ly assure Ire that rattlesnakes aren I t really that poisonous. I picture the indian in my mind and just shrug ny shoulders.

1

Page 8: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

CRACKS, REPAIR AND DRILLING HOLES IN GLASS by David Wiener

'\

Figure 1 Figure 3

Figure 5

Figure 2 Figure 4

Figure 1: Spidered cracks can be repaired with bolting 2 washers, one each side in center of spidered crack. First do a dry run to see if belt is thin enough to go in center. If you need, use 2 sheets of plexy glass to bolt together for too many cracks or large aquarium. When dry run is done, coat. parts with aquarium silicone glue and. both sides of each crack. ~llien dry, soak aquarium 24 hours in hot water and rub glue to remove oils with a dry cloth.

Figure 2: Spidered cracks on ends can· be bolted or just 2 sheets of plexy glass can ~ used. You can also use one sheet of glass on the out.side. You can also chip one point off of a. point of a crack or drill a hole and put a drain hose in. Then you can use a substrate of rocks covered with rross and a drip system to flush and water terrarium. Moss is used so amnal does not swallow rocks when feeding.

Figure 3 & 4: Single cracks can be ei ther repaired with just silicone or by using one or two sheets of glass or plexy glass.

Figure 5: Holes can be drilled in glass with a. diamond drill bit and water. You can do a rough hole ,using a piece of car inner tube. ,Punch or cut the size hole needed in rubber. Use silicone to glue rubber. You might have to cut rubber off wi th a razor blade. Using duct tape or. strong packing tape, ,tape rubber to glass, fill hole with sand and water, set same size drill bit on top and run drill on slow to send fast, letting the sand drill the hole. One can also use heavy axle grease or lard to hold sand in hole or just keep refilling with sand. Hole will not be perfectly srrooth on edge but it will be round and a hole.

8

Page 9: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

THE BLACK CAItv1AN, Melanosu~hus --.!?.!ger by Gene ,E. Krey

The worlds crocodilians are in serious trouble, and rrost of the 21-25 existjng species are nov.T either endangered or threatened with extinction. The American alligator, because of protective legislati.on, has rrade a good comel:ack in the past. decade, and has actually become a pest in some areas tlrroughout its range.

'I\'i th an estimated 1,000,000 in Florida I three quarters that nurriber i.n Iouj siana, and with an additional range embracing parts of the Carolina's, Georgia, Alabarra, Mississippi, eastern Texas and southern Arkansas where t.here have been at.t.errpts t.o re-establish it, is it. not now concei.vably IDssible that. there could be close to 2,000,000 alljgators now inhabiting the southea.stern United St.ates?

The Philippj.ne fr€'shwater crocodile is almost. gone; the stat.us of the Cuban crocodile: is unknown, but it. is presurrec1 that it is on the verge of extinction. More let's crocodi Ie, because of a restrict.eo range (southern Mexico, Guatern.a la. and Belize) is seriously threatened, as is the larger and wider ranging American crocodile ( the only t.rue crocodi Ie found in the Uni t.ea States -- extreme southern Florida where it. is nov.T rare).

It is estirrated tha.t only 1000-1500 inoi viduals of the large Orinoro crocodile may exist. in the re.moter regions of it.s range in Venezuela and eastern Columbia. I could have iIr1[X>rted t.hern up to fifteen feet long in 19521

The caimans of Central and South America have not fared much bett.er, with the largest Il1f?.niber of t.he family, the black caiman having disappeared over much of it.s former range. The black cainan has been recordec1 from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, ColUJr1bia, Guyana and French Guiana.. There are no records that shov.T that. the black cairrans range ever included Surinam or Venezuela. This surprises me!

The black caiman apparently swarmed at one t-ime in the Amazon drainage, preferring quiet: backwaters and the bends of rivers, to places where the current is swift.

It has only been since the 1950's that its numbers have been so drastically decimated. Hide hunting is the principle reason for its decline, although incorrpat.ibility with rran and his oc:>rrestic livestock have also had a significant impact on their destruction.

The Amazon delt.a island of Marajo had a large population of black caiman until quit.~ recently. This is an island of vast grasslands (looking in some ways like the ~lorida Everglades) and subject to seasonal flooding. During the dry season, ther~ have been extensive Cainen drives by the local vaquero's in an atterrpt to eradicate a IDtent.ial threat t.O their livestock. It is IT1Y understanding that the black caiman is nov.T extinct. on ~arajo!

It has been est.irrated that 5,000,000 cainan skins had been taken each year during the early 1950's from Ana.zonia, and that even during the decade of the 1960's, several hundred thousand skins a year were still being renoved frOID. this vast area of Brazil!

The black caiman I cue to i t.s size I can be a pot.ential danger t.O man. In personal corresIDndence (Medem, 1958), he told roe of two deaths that were attributa.ble to the black cairran (Leticia, Colurribian Ama.zon, an area where there was considerable trade in wild anirrals and tropica I fish). t-1ales can excpea four meters, and t.here are rerorts that in the Kaw region, an inaccessable area of vast swamps in French Guiana, that there lTay be nore t-ban 1000 large individuals, some of which that have been refOrtec1 to have bE'en seen there that were 6-7 met.ers in length!

Page 10: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

THE BIACl< CAIMAN (continued)

Early explorers have re:rorted the black cairran as reaching a. lfmgth of twenty feet, but personally I doubt it. Yet I I remeooer seeing in a mens I magazine about 1950, the picture of a dead black caiman with a nan standing nE:xt to it, and if the picture was not sUpE:rimposed in any way, it looked like a beached whale!

In the past twenty-five years, I have had the opport.uni ty to observe the habit.s of juveniles and young adults of 17 of tlle worlds crocodilians. I have had all of the cairran species in my collection at. various t.imes except for the sub-species, apaporif''Dsis.

I have had three individua.ls of the black caiman, ranging in size from two to three feet. They are extremely impressivE." beast-s, with a glossy black lxxly color and varrOlN traversing yellOlN bands. The ventral region is entirely whit.e. The head tends to be of a tan color, with some bold black blot.ches around the jaws. Ridges that. raoiate from near the eyes t_o the anterior region of t.he snout, add to the black cairrans surly physiognomy. The orbit of the eye is the largest. of any crocodilian.

I received my first black caiman on Sept.ember 24, 1957 (ea.sily remenibered because of the birth of my son on that date), from an irrporter in Florida. It was two feet long, and for a short period of time, it refused all the food that I offered to it .. It voluntarily fed upon a mouse about a month. later, but. never eXhibited the ravenous feeding habits of an American alligator or a spectacled cairran that I had in my collect.ion at the same time.

At. most, it was a shy feeder that. preferred t_o take its food when there was no activity around its tank. A dwarf caiman Paleosuchus palpebrosus, that I raised from a hatchling to an adult., exhibited the same shyness when food was offered to it ..

In May, 1959, because of space lirrd.tations, I donatee my H. niger to the Como Pa.rk Zoo, where because of their lack of expertise, it. was dead wi thin three months.

The caiman had grov..rn to a lengt.h of forty inches in slightly more than 21 rronths, or a growth rate that would approxima.te eight inches a year. In c'Ontrast, a. saltwater of estuorine crocodile that was three feet long upon its arrival from the Philippines in September, 1958, had rea.ched a length of 46 inches in May, 1959. However, this crocodile grows to gigontic prorortions, and its growth rate is rapid.

A Paraguay caiman C. ya.care that I had in my collect.ion that I obt.ained as a ha.tchling in October -;- 1972, had grown t.O a length of five feet in twelve years. This caiman can reach a length of eight feet, and has some similarities to the black . cai.man: dark "body color, blot.ches around the jaws a.nd a large eye. Unquestionably , it is the best caiman for captj 've purposes. :My specimen was a ravenous feeder, but stjll had a slow rate of growth.

Another black caiman t_hat I obt.oined from an iIl!POrt.er in Florida, also included in the same shipment, was a 30 inch American crocodile. This particular black caiman was three feet. long and was pror:ort.ionately very heavy 1::oOied. Th.e crocodile looked quit.e srrall beside it, f'ven though there was but six inches djfference in their lenghts. As I had not yet finished building a tank for one of the specimens, I was obliged t.O keep them together for a short tirre, something that I abhorred doing. It. was a suitable large tank, \"ihich gave them both plenty of room. The following morning when I opened my "Reptile Room ll

, I found the black cairren dead having been badly bitten by the crocodile!

(0

Page 11: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

THE BLACK CAIMAN (cont.)

I have handled all of the rrejor crocodiles of t~e world, and all of them have varying degrees of temperament; the Est.uarine crocodile being the worst and the American crocodile the best.

The Arrerican crocodile that killed the black caiman grew to a lengt.h of five feet ~fore I donated it and rrost of my reptile collection to the Columbus, Ohio, Zoo. It became alnost tame, and enjoyed having its back scrat.ched. It would respond to my vocalization of "Yuk", with its own, Yuk, Yuki But, as I sadly found out, crocodiles are very t.erri torial.

I consider the black caiman to be one of t.he ITOst inpressive looking of·all the· crocodilians. Their fut.ure to surviva.l in nature is ble.ak indeed, along wi.th all of the worlds other crocodilians.

If these novies ever turn up on televisi.on don't mi.ss them, as theya.ll show black caimans and other reptiles that. inhabit the same regions:

JACARE (1942) - Frank Buck anima.l collecting expeclition to Brazil.

AMAZON QUEsr (1947) - Black caimans shown in such nurribers as they will probably never be seen again.

URUBU (1948) - Mainly aoout warring Brazilian Indian tribes, but some good reptile scenes.

STRANGE \'JORLD (1952) - Probably the best of the four for anima.l scenes.

Page 12: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

Carol & David Bellin Route 2 Harris, MN 55032 (612) 674-6321

John W. Burling 13 E Second Street Morris, MN 56267 No Number given

Karen Christopherson 3200 Rice Creek Terrace New Brighton, MN 55112 (612) 636-8329

David J. Merrell 1511 Chelmsford Street St. Paul, MN 55108 (612) 644-6056

\\\~\l~th j

Jllrht~()

Peter Radford 204 SE Bedford St Mi.nneapolis, MN 55414 (612) 379-0729

Beverly Schmidt 1203 S Newton Albert Lea, MN 56007 (507) 373-6772

Mary & Konrad Schmidt 8540 Jeffery Ave S Cottage Grove, MN 55016 (612) 458-3159

, \l a. ...

Page 13: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

eI.ASSIFIEDS

EDI'lOR1S NaI'E: PLEASE ~ AIL NFWSLEITER ARTICLES AND ClASSIFIED ADS TO: Tan Schmitz, 850 W.. Minnehaha, St.. Paul, MN .. 55104, Attn: MHS Editor. DO Nor send articles or ads to the MRS address. The deadline for all Newsletter items is the 15th of the month! All Classified ads are run in the MRS Newsletter as a free service to the membership. No paid ads are accepted from non-me..mbers. No ads will be run for venorrous species. While MRS will not run ads for knOlm sick or illegal animals, we accept no responsibility for the health or legality of any animal advertised here. Please LIMIT SIZE of ad to approx. four ( 4) lines. Business cards make acceptable ads.

MRS DELI

Remerriber: order frozen rats and rat pups no later than 7: 00pn the MONDAY before the meeting. Call Bruce or Connie at 593-0298 to place your order.

FRESH FROZEN' RATS - JUMBO SIZE - $2.00 EACH FRESH FROZEN RAT PUPS - $5.00 PER DOZEN

3 OOZEN PUPS or 6 ADUL'r RATS LIMIT!

FOR SALE: Guyanan Boa Constrictors B. constrictor ssp., capt.ive bred and born at our facili ties. $225 .00 each. Free periodic deli very to 'IWin Ci ties. Contact Terry, P.O. Box 878, Mil~ukee, WI 53201. Or call (414) 645-7347.

FOR SAlE: Used formica herp cages, front opening, 47" long X 23" wide X 20" high -$100/ea. Contact Dean Bownan at (612) 561-7842 evenings.

FOR SAlE: Frozen adult mice ($5 / dz ) I adult rats ($2 / ea ), & rued. size short hair guinea pigs ($1.50/ea). Call Vence or Nanette at (612) 825-8035 evenings.

FOR SALE: 1 .0 Adul t Praire King Snake L. calliga.ster calli gaster , approx. 2 1 , eating well, $30. call Greg Kvanbek (612) 533-7723 afternoon.

FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON: Arrber, amethyst, ci trine, quartz chanos and hand carved, with herpet.ological themes. Priced from $2 to $100. Cutler (612) 633-1428.

figurines, Call Bruce

FOR SALE: Wooden Cage, 4 1H. x 41W. x 2ID., doors on both sides, 41 x 41 plexi. front, caster wheels, $90/00. Call Matt Bray (612) 781-5871.

FOR SALE: Frozen reservation only, (612) 593-0298.

mice (pinkies, fuzzies, juveniles), 50ea/$26.50 sold by can be deli.vered to monthly M.H.S. meetings. Contact Bruce at

FOR SALE/TRADE: 'TWo complete wood cages (excellent), 3 1 X 2111, $25/ea. Call Larry Yank 436-6774 P.M. or 439-4796 A.M.

WANTED: 0.1 adult Eastern Box Turtle Terrfi.pane carolina carolina. Call Greg (612) 533-7723 afternoon. --.-.--.--.~,

13

Page 14: Vol. 8 (1988), No. 11

SOCIETY

BUl. MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET 5.l. .. MJNNEAPOUS. MINNESOTA 55455-1014

.J i m t"'le B.d 21 1- C 1 .;t. r' ~~ :::; t r' e e t Mankato, MN 56001

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND T ... SHIRT ORDER FORM MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY' 10 CHURCH STREET S.li • MINNEAPOUS, MINNESOTA 55455·0104

NAME(S) ______________________________________ _

ADDRESS, ________________ ~ ______________________________ __

CITY _______________________________________________ STATE ________ ZIP ______________________ _

PHONE INTERESTS'-____________________ _

DO YOU WISH THE ABOVE IN1;ORMATION LISTED IN THE MHS DIRECTORY DYES DNO

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP OFFICIAL MHS T-SHIRT o NEW 0 RENEW . S 0 MOL 0 XL 0 o SUSTAINING. ............................. $50.00 $7.00 each includes postage o CONTRIBUTING ........................... $25.00 o F AMIL Y ...............................• , •. $12.50 PLEASE ENCLOSE PAYMENT WITH APPLICA'nON. MAl<.E CHECKS

~~",_,_~.Admits an members of a family to monthly meetings . PAYABLE TO ~_~.ERPETOLOG~.~ ~~~'~, ·Y. MEMBERSHIP

................... $10.0.0~. ~~SFOR .. ' .~ .... ': .DATE~E .. J .. dU!r lTI.'l G. Ut.WILLRECEIVE DasH ~llTR'ME~RETU "? w.~ IPTWILLBESEN to; I . ..,.,. ~LYUP~. . .,,-::"d

V1d ~-~~~_~ . :c.~·;;·.2Z 86 AON ~ ____ ~:-": __ ~~~~~' \:J .