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

Volume 28 Number 2 February 2017

Hoosier Herpetological Society HHS Monthly Meeting February 15th at 7:00 P.M. Holliday Park Nature Center Guest Speaker: Kristen Wiley, Zoo Topic: Working with the Lancehead Viper in St. Lucia

The Hoosier Herpetological Society is proud to announce that February's guest speaker is Kristen Wiley from the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade, Kentucky. She and her husband Jim Harrison are two of the most experienced experts on venomous . The Kentucky Reptile Zoo has over 1600 venomous snakes which they "milk" every two weeks and send venom to various hospitals and labs for research on a variety of projects. They have also appeared on several television specials and worked with training other herpetologists who work with venomous . They traveled to St. Lucia this past winter to train members of their forestry department on the safe handling of their lancehead vipers.

Does have a State Reptile? Not yet.

We hope to change that. If you agree that we need a state reptile, please go to the HHS site and sign the petition. You may also sign petitions at meetings and other functions.

Help us introduce the KIRTLAND'S (Clonophis kirtlandii) as our official state reptile. www.hoosierherpsoc.org

President’s message Jim Horton As I stated at the Christmas party and the January meeting; my first order of business is to upgrade our website with pics of all Indiana herps and a new herp ID section. At our last board meeting we decided to work on our website. We felt that the site should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Many outdoor enthusiasts utilize their smart phones while in the field. Barbara Filtri has already adjusted the site to a more phone-friendly configuration. I’ve been working on range maps for every species in the state. Barbara will add these on an ID page. This will make identification easier for anyone. We hope you like it! Pease contact Barbara or me with your comments or concerns.

Later this month, we have our first live herp display at Garfield Park Conservatory, February 25,10AM-2PM. Hope to see some of you there with your favorite herps and your knowledge of them.

Early next month is another similar HHS program at the Eagle Library. This live exhibit is March 4 from 1PM to 4PM. Please bring clean enclosures with information labels describing the occupants.

This month, we welcome our friends, Jim Harrison and Kristen Wiley from the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. This is always a good show. HHS member, Sammy Stark will be showing his bearded dragon for the Herp of the Month. Come support your Hoosier Herpetological Society. See you there!

by Ed Ferrer

Large snakes have always drawn the interest of the their ability to adequately care for it. And then what do public one way or another. During the 1960's and they do? Hopefully they find an experienced person or 1970's these large constrictors became more popular as organization to take the now unwanted pet and give it a pets and exhibits. The trade of the Indian , python new home. This is exactly why the buying of any pet molurus molurus, was seriously restricted by the should be first be the subject of thorough research before Endangered Species Act in 1973 and the CITIES act in making such an important purchase. 1975. But there was still a large demand so a , the , bivittatus, became a popular choice for snake hobbyists who wanted a large snake. It was more docile than other large snakes available such as the African rock python, Python sebae, or the , reticulatus, which at that time were mostly available as wild caught individuals that were normally very aggressive. Burmese pythons were also easy to breed in captivity and their beautiful pattern of rich brown blotches on a milky white background made it an instant favorite and their popularity increased in the exotic pet trade in the early Burmese python – source: www.nature.org 1980's. Then the first albino Burmese pythons made their appearance and these yellow and white beauties Anyone who has even a passing interest in exotic pets caused a explosion of interest through the has heard of the problem of Burmese python taking over herpetoculture. Since then there has been other color the Everglades and possibly invading other parts of our morphs that added to the interest of these snakes. Of country. There have been some Burmese pythons that course, the size of an adult Burmese python could have been found in the Everglades since the 1990's but it become a problem if a person bought a cute two foot wasn't until a 2005 photo showing a dead Burmese baby as an impulse purchase and wasn't really prepared python with a 6-foot long alligator that seemingly for the needs of a snake that would end up 10 to 15 feet exploded from it belly that concern about the Burm's long. Many keepers find that their snake has outgrown presence in the Everglades swamp reached panic proportions. A more scientific study of the scene reached University found that of the 156 pythons of all sizes that a different conclusion. The scientists found the cause of were sampled were very closely related" Only four gator's death was from large conical shaped teeth marks specimens showed a genetic profile different from the that were made from a large alligator, probably a large rest. It is logical to assume that the rest came from one bull alligator that was protecting its territory by killing single introduction (the missing 700 pythons from the the smaller 'gator. The snake's head and front part of its destroyed facility) instead of being released from pet body were never found. It seems reasonable to believe owners. that the same bull alligator came upon the python who was trying to swallow the gator. When snakes are Because of all the misleading or downright false feeding they are extremely vulnerable to attack and it propaganda spread by the Humane Society of the United was probably attacked by the huge gator causing the States (HSUS) (not to be confused with your local gruesome scene. From this incident grew a media circus humane societies) and others in 2012 the federal that had the public convinced that the Everglades were government under the Lacey Act banned interstate being overrun by huge pythons that were taking over the transportation of Burmese pythons and a few other large swamp. snakes across state lines. Does this affect the pythons in Florida? No! What it does it cripples the exotic pet trade Adding to the media circus was "an infamous (and because most of the sales of these comes from flawed) study funded by the federal government and reptile shows where dealers travel from state to state or embraced and distributed under the auspices of the U.S. from interstate mail order sales. So now one of the top Geological Survey, predicting that Burmese pythons five popular snake species is hardly seen for sale because would eventually colonize most of the south-eastern of these unreasonable restrictions. (It is my opinion that U.S. , from Washington, DC all the way through most that was the HSUS's intent all along.) It also makes it of Texas and as far north as San Francisco." This just unlawful for a person who owns one and is transferred to doesn't stand up to science. To test the ability of another state for his job to take his pet python. That is Burmese pythons to survive outside of the tropical just unfair! Everglades, two facilities have experimented with keeping Burmese pythons through the winter outside of Burmese pythons will be a part of the southern Florida Southern Florida. One was in Gainesville, in northern ecosystem just as there are Nile monitors, green iguanas, Florida and the other in South Carolina. In both cases the feral pigs, birds and other exotic wildlife that have found snakes were provided with heated hide boxes or shelters a home there. But lets remember according to the law of and food. All the pythons either died or had to be survival in nature only a small percentage of these euthanized due to health problems from the colder pythons grow to become large adults. A majority winter temperatures. These results show that Burmese become food for other predators like raccoons, birds of pythons were not genetically capable of adapting to prey, herons, large fish just like baby alligators. Also, regions outside of southern Florida. Any person who has even in South Florida every few years there is a serious had kept these snakes knows that Burmese pythons are freeze that kills off 80-90 percent of these tropical sensitive to cool temperatures. animals. The restrictions of the Lacey Act regarding the Burmese python and other large snakes should be struck So the question was asked "How did the Burmese down. The Burmese problem is a south Florida problem python get established in the Everglades?" The press and should be dealt with like any other similar local wild assumed that they came there because distressed pet life situation. In Indiana we have too many white tail owners dumped their unwanted 'Burms into the swamps. deer. We have hunting season to keep the numbers at the Maybe a few came there by that method but that doesn't correct level. The same should be done with the seem logical. Actually the real cause most likely came Burmese pythons in South Florida, not an from 1992's Hurricane Andrew. South Florida has long unreasonable nation wide restriction that now is in force. been a center for breeding exotic pets and during the storm many of these facilities reported extremely heavy Are Burmese pythons for everybody? Of course not. I damage and "it was reported that about 700 baby always emphasize that in my educational snake Burmese pythons and the breeders disappeared from one programs. But for those who have the knowledge, facility that was destroyed." A 2008 DNA study done by experience and facilities to safely care for them they Everglades National Park and Florida International would make a fine addition to any snake collection.

References: "From Pet to Persecution" Bill Love, Reptiles Magazine, 2017, January/February issue, p.42-47 Personal experience keeping Burmese pythons for over 30 years. Talking with numerous other snake breeders and hobbyists. Road salt can change sex ratios in frog populations Naturally occurring leaf litter can also alter sex outcomes Source: Sciencedaily.com

Naturally occurring chemicals found in road salts For the experiment, conducted at the Rensselaer Aquatic Lab commonly used to de-ice paved surfaces can alter the in Troy, N.Y., the researchers created a series of water sex ratios in nearby frog populations, a phenomenon treatments in 500-liter tanks containing varying levels of road that could reduce the size and viability of species salt and leaf litter from maple and oak trees. Many of the populations, according to a new study by scientists at water treatments contained tree litter levels that mimicked natural leaf litter found in typical forest ponds. Yale and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). According to the study, frogs reared in oak leaf litter in the absence of salt exhibited a female-biased sex ratio (63 percent). But when salt was added it decreased the proportion of female frogs by 10 percent.

Meanwhile, within populations exposed to oak litter, developing female tadpoles were always larger than male tadpoles, which is fairly common among species that lay eggs. But when salt was added the female tadpoles decreased in size. "So you're not only seeing fewer females but smaller females that may not be able to produce as many eggs," Lambert said. "And the eggs are probably going to be lower quality." A metamorphosing wood frog. Credit: Max Lambert The scientists concluded that the "masculinizing" effect of salt The researchers found that the proportion of females within was likely the result of a mechanism known as "sex reversal" tadpole populations was reduced by 10 percent when exposed during development. Previous research suggests that such to road salt, or sodium chloride, suggesting that the salt has a outcomes could be caused by a phenomenon in which simple masculinizing effect. elements -- such as sodium -- can bind to a receptor in cells, They also found that exposure to fallen oak leaves also mimicking the actions of testosterone or estrogen. This, in significantly altered the sex ratios in the frog populations, as turn, can trigger masculinizing or feminizing functions. well as the size of individual females in some cases. Maple leaf litter, on the other hand, had no effect. "There is a very small testosterone-like effect with one salt molecule," Lambert said. "But if you're dumping lots and lots More than 22 million metric tons of road salt is applied to of pounds of salt on the roads every winter that washes into roads in the United States each year. Maple and oak trees are these ponds, it can have a large effect." dominant trees throughout temperate North America. The research built upon work done at RPI as part of the "Many scientists have studied similar effects from exposure to Jefferson Project at Lake George on the potential impacts of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, but now we're seeing it from road salt and leaf litter on the health of aquatic ecosystems. chemicals found in common road salt and leaf litter," said Max Lambert, a doctoral student at the Yale School of "The potential consequences to amphibian populations are Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) and lead author of interesting, including the continual masculinization of frog the paper. populations for many generations in habitats contaminated with high concentrations of road salt, which could potentially "The health and abundance of females is obviously critical for affect the abundances of frogs in these habitats," said Rick the sustainability of any population because they're the ones Relyea, director of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute at RPI and that make the babies," Lambert said. "So if you have a co-author of the study. population that is becoming male-based, the population might be at risk." "The research raises the possibility that many other aquatic species could be affected by road salts in sub-lethal ways, not The results were published in the Canadian Journal of only in terms of altered sex ratios, but potentially in many Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. Other authors included David other traits," Relyea added. Skelly, the Frank R. Oastler Professor of Ecology at Yale; Meredith Smylie, a research associate at F&ES; and scientists from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

HAND HELD HERPS Story and photo by Roger Carter

brighter in young snakes. These snakes are constrictors and, in the wild, will eat reptiles and amphibians and other small animals like mice. The snake seen in this picture was found on a sunny day under some old roofing tin in Johnson County in southern Illinois at the end of April, 2016. It was very skittish and wouldn’t stop jumping around so I could get a good picture. The first Red that I ever saw was found under a small rock in southern Illinois many years ago. The first one that I found was in western Tennessee under some loose bark of an old log. In southern Illinois, there was one place with stacks of roofing tin and The Red Milk Snake, Lampropeltis Triangulum as we peeled back each piece, we eventually syspila, is a relatively small snake that may average uncovered three of these snakes. These snakes are about twenty-four inches long and is found from pretty docile and rarely bite but they will musk and southwestern Indiana to southeastern South defecate on whoever picks them up. Dakota to eastern to northwestern . Their red blotches are bordered by black and white. The red is usually bright, being

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A useful ID on snake head scales Source: Google Images

2017 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Thanks to all members who submitted photos. They were all winners!

Wild Category

First Place - Pat Hammond Second Place - Heather White Third Place - Roger Carter

Captive Category

First Place - Heather White Second Place - Roger Carter Third Place - Heather White

Kid’s Category

First Place - Thomas Raymond Second Place - Ian Siabach Third Place – Robert Quigley

The Monitor is printed courtesy of: Harding Poorman

2017 HERPETOLOGICAL EVENTS February 15, 2017 – HHS meeting, 7:00 PM Holliday Park Nature Center. Guest Speaker – Kristen Wiley (Kentucky Reptile Zoo). Topic: Working with the Lancehead Viper in St. Lucia.

February 25, 2017 – HHS live herp display at Garfield Park Conservatory. 10AM-2PM

February 26, 2017 - 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) www.midwestreptile.com Other show dates: April 9, June 25, August 27, November 5

March 4, 2017 - Lizards and Turtles and Snakes, Oh My! At Eagle Library, Saturday, March 4, 1-4pm

March 24 & 25 - Amphibian Outing at McCormick's Creek State Park, Spencer, IN Live exhibit, talks, day and night hikes.

April 21/22, 2017 – Herpetology Weekend, Slade, KY. A weekend of presentations and field trips in search of amphibians and reptiles.

July 19-22, 2017 – 40th Annual International Herpetological Symposium, Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, NM. www.internationalherpetologicalsymposium.com

October 20-22, 2017 – Midwest Herpetological Symposium. Bloomington, MN, Hosted by Minnesota Herpetological Society

Your HHS Board of Directors for 2017

PRESIDENT Jim Horton (317) 443-4845 [email protected] VICE-PRESIDENT Heather White (765-404-2860 [email protected] SECRETARY Holly Carter (317) 873-6561 [email protected] TREASURER/MEMBERSHIP Roger Carter (317) 873-6561 [email protected] SERGEANT AT ARMS Neill Jones (317) 385-9763 [email protected]

EDITOR Jim Horton (317) 443-4845 [email protected] PROGRAM DIRECTOR Ed Ferrer (317) 787-7448 [email protected] WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR Angela Thomas (317) 882-5266 [email protected] WEBSITE COORDINATOR Barbara Filtri [email protected] MEMBERS AT LARGE Pat Hammond (317) 656-9496 [email protected] Rick Marrs [email protected] Dale Schoentrup [email protected] Will Brown (765)278-1480 [email protected] Mary Hylton (317) 966-4591 [email protected]

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 7:00 p.m. at Holliday Park Nature Center. Membership is open to all interested individuals. No venomous animals are allowed at the General Meetings. www.hoosierherpsoc.org