The Monitor

July, 2008

From the Editor's Desk

Newsletter Material

This is YOUR club. The more you give into it, the more you will get out of it. Your opinions, suggesions and submissions are welcome. You may submit articles by email before the 10th of the month to luvcatz5@aol.com

President: Logan Randolph
Vice-President: Michele Patton
Secretary: Carrie Gardner Treasurer: Doreen E. Saccardo
Chairman of the Board: John Soto
Editor: Carrie Gardner
Co-Editor: Doreen Saccardo
Field Trip Chair: Doreen Saccardo
Webmaster: Carrie Gardner
Administrative Assistant Alexander Peters

NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
JOHN SOTO ON SNAKE BREEDING AND INCUBATION
7:00 p.m.
Moccasin Lake Nature Park
Clearwater, FL 727-462-6024
~~~~~~~~DON'T MISS IT~~~~~~~~

Alton of Smelt Feed and Pet Supply is donating a #15.00 gift certificate every month for our raffle. His store is located at 4116 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605, 813-248-2359

Web Page info: Calendar page is updated all the time as is Adoptions and Advertisements.

If you would like to receive updates on the website via email, please scroll down to the bottom of the home page and join Yahoo! Groups. Choose to receive email or daily digest. I send out an email to the list every time a change is made.

If you have photos you would like added to the "Club Photos" page, please email Carrie to have them added. *The Club Photos page is still up, but I haven't put any recent photographs up because I'm trying to come up with a more conveinent way of displaying the photos*

Carrie's Notes

Hidey Ho fellow herpers!

I have a friend on myspace that likes to put in his updates to remember that he NEVER repeats himself. Well, I'm claiming that for my big boo boo in last month's newsletter. A couple of paragraphs were repeated in Doreen's column. So you see, I didn't repeat myself, I repeated Doreen! And I repeated the most important part...where she thanks me!!

I would like to thank Vera McGregor for inviting us to the National Guard event on July 13th. I'm sorry that it didn't make the newsletter the last month or two. I've been a bit scatterbrained lately. I would also like to thank Vera for giving me the excuse to buy a Dale Jr. National Guard T-Shirt!

Senator Bill Nelson is coming down on the side of the people who would like to ban large pythons. He has taken the USGS map to heart and is in the process of contacting the other states where "Burmese pythons can live" together with the ban. Please feel free to write or e-mail Senator Nelson, as I have done!

RED-EARED SLIDERS: As of right now, there is no rescue for red-eared sliders. However, I spoke to Jenny Novak from FWC and they are working on an adoption network for hopefully the beginning of next year. As of right now, they only option available for unwanted turtles is euthanizing.

Doreen's Column

Hi there~~~

*****Last month our own Bill Murray was our guest speaker and he talked about lizard keeping. Bill raises all kinds of reptiles and does a great job. He has had great success with his breeding collection and is willing to share his information. See Carrie's recap

*****Sunday, July 13, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM we will have a table at 2801 Grand Avenue, Pinellas Park, FL 33782. Carrie said that about 14 people volunteered to represent the Suncoast Herp Society and we have two tables for display. I am not sure what this event is for, but they said they would feed us, that's why Sportie and I are going. The coordinator's name is Vera McGregor and her phone number is 727-568-5349, if you have any questions. If you plan on being going, try to arrive before 9:30 AM. See you there!!

*****In keeping with the reptile spirit, our church's Vacation Bible School is called Dino Detectives…Digging for God's truth. Pastor made the mistake of asking me which program I liked best, so the reptile theme it was. Anyway, my Dad finished the projects at my house and was looking for something to do. I volunteered him to build a 24 foot dinosaur which is now hanging over the rail by the road at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 1700 Klosterman Road, Palm Harbor in case you happen to be driving by. Our marquee advertising VBS says "Live Dinos" because I plan to bring a couple of iguanas with me. (I hope they don't think the people of our congregation are the "dinosaurs"!) So if you know any kids who would like to attend Vacation Bible School with a reptile flare, from July 28, 2008 to August 1, 2008 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM call 727-934-7132 to register.

*****Luckily, I found someone a little more interesting than me to speak in July. Since my house is still upside down from the new flooring, I am not as organized as I would like to be, John Soto helped me out again by agreeing to put a talk together for this month. He will be speaking on breeding snakes and the incubation of their eggs. His talks are always fun and informative and interesting.

*****August will be our election month and we have at least one person running for every office. When I was soliciting a candidate for President, I mentioned that the president doesn't really do much and that position is basically a figurehead. Xan said, "In that case, why doesn't Sportie run for office"? So, by popular demand, I have a sample ballot below so you can start thinking about the election in August. We will have paper ballots at the meeting, and you can vote as long as your membership is paid up.
President: Buzz Burchill or Sportie Saccardo
Vice President: Michele Patton
Secretary: Carrie Gardner
Treasurer: Doreen E. Saccardo

*****August is also when we hold our scavenger hunt where we walk the trails of Moccasin Lake to eyeball as many of God's creatures we can and we get points for each. Members who participate will be in for a special treat. So another reason why it would be wise to make sure your membership is paid up and you join us for a fun evening of environmental awareness. Bring the bug spray and maybe a flashlight.

*****I was lucky enough to stop at Aminah Grefer's house after the meeting and picked up about four boxes of reptile stuff. There are so many little things. I wrapped about 500 figurines in newspaper, one….by….one. There are too many items to shlep around to the shows. I asked my boss and I am allowed to put a few items at a time in our little store at the hotel. This way they would be displayed nicely on a shelf, they way they were intended to be sold.

*****Continued thanks to Donnetta Hester who agreed to make the monthly calls. This really helps me a lot. Thanks again.

*****I just want to add continuing thanks to Carrie for keeping up with the website, I know that takes a lot of work with many frustrations. But she does an excellent job and it shows. Thanks Carrie

July 9 ~~ Chris Abraham R.I.P. (I still think of him often)
July 12 ~~ Bill Murray
August 2 ~~ John Plutchak
August 6 ~~ Laura Vandervoort
August 8 ~~ Logan Randolph

(I have my birthday book boxed up so I had to look at last year's newsletter. If I forgot yours, sorry, I will write it twice next month).

Happy Birthday to you!

*****I know we have new people attending our meetings, but I have not received any new birthdays. You can drop me an email at iguanadoreen@hotmail.com and let me know so I can add the list.

*****Thank you to all who do their part for this club. That is what makes our society the GREATEST in the league.

*****Have a herpy day!! Doreen~~

Speaker Recap By Carrie

Last month Bill Murray was our speaker . . . but not on the topic you would think he would talk about (that would be tortoises), but on lizards instead. He brought some of his little four-legged creatures with him and we got to see one of his blue tongue skinks, one of his veiled chameleons and a couple of hatchling bearded dragons that his friend was selling.

The first lizard talked about was the blue tongue skink. And yes, they do have blue tongues!! There are several subspecies that come from different countries. The one that Bill had with him was from New Guinea - one of three that he owns. I know that they are also found in Australia and Iran. They make neat pets and live to be 16-20 years old. They seem to like meat over everything else (soft dog food is a good food for them), fruits over vegetables, and mixed vegetables over leafy vegetables. One thing going against them, if you want to breed is that they seem to have a short window for breeding.

The next animal that was talked about is a personal favorite of mine as well. The Komodo dragon. Unfortunately they got a bad rap recently when some divers were taken off course and ended up on an island where Komodos live. Apparently they threw rocks to keep one from "getting them." However, whether or not the Komodo was just showing some interest in these strange people on the island or whether or not he was being aggressive remains unclear. My guess would be that the lizard was curious and the divers, knowing that the Komodo could kill them, threw rocks at him. Why they didn't go into the water until the dragon left would've been another option. I don't think I would want to tick off a Komodo dragon like that though.

Originally, it was thought that Komodo dragons killed their prey by the bacteria in their mouth causing infection. Komodo dragons have been found to have 28 Gram-negative and 29 Gram-positive bacteria with Pasteurella multocida being the most deadly. These bacteria kill the prey through septicemia, a blood infection, within a week of the bite. Studies conducted at the University of Melbourne in 2005 have suggested that the Perentie (another monitor lizard), lace monitor, Komodo dragon, spotted tree monitor and certain agamids may have venom glands in their lower jaws. In Komodos, they appear to be the shape of macaroni. Bites documented in humans have produced rapid swelling within minutes, localized disruption of blood clotting, and shooting pain up the elbow (the humans were bitten on the hand). The rapid onsets of these symptoms suggest a venom is also in their saliva, along with the deadly bacteria . . . since bacteria cannot produce symptoms that fast.

Louisiana Zoo was one of the first zoos to breed the Komodo dragon successfully. However, it is illegal to own a Komodo dragon as a pet, since they are so critically endangered. They are listed on Appendix I on CITES, making it illegal to export them from their Indonesian Islands, except for zoological or scientific purposes.

The next picture shown was of a Mexican beaded lizard. This is one of two lizards officially listed as venomous, the other being the Gila monster. Both lizards are found in North America and both require a venomous permit to keep. It should be noted that the venom in these lizards isn't as potent as found in snakes, since they mix it up with saliva and swish it around their mouths before biting. However, I'm not saying you should hop, skip and jump to the American Southwest to go and find these cute little critters and pick them up, unless you have experience in catching them.

Our next lizard talked about was actually in the room with us . . . a veiled chameleon. Bill has kept them for years, however the ones he has currently are wild caught from the exotic locale of south Florida. When he kept them before, he kept them in green tubs where they couldn't see one another. If they caught a peek at another chameleon . . . or their own reflection in the glass, they would become stressed out and darken their color. He got three chameleons around Christmas, but one male died shortly after. After about two weeks, he noticed that the female was dark and scratching around. He took a container, filled it with potting soil, and pounded it down with a two-by-four. He does this so the soil is compact and the female can dig her hole for the eggs without it collapsing on her and causing suffocation. This little girl layed 14 eggs for him. Because the eggs don't require a lot of heat, Bill clears off the top of his bathroom closet and keeps them there. He writes down the date the eggs were layed, the hatch date, the number of eggs, the species and finally a "Do Not Touch" sign for those who might think it would be fun to take down the eggs and shake them up. The eggs will hatch in about 5-6 months. The eggs do not need saturation and are incubated in vermiculite.

Female veiled chameleons can breed at eight months old. However, that is a little too soon, and will shorten her life. It is best to wait until she is around fourteen months old. Waiting will not only make it healthier for her, but will produce healthier eggs and stronger offspring. Breeding goes on until the chameleons pass on. The maximum number of eggs a female can produce in her lifetime is around 250 eggs. It is important with chameleons to dust their insects, especially when feeding a female that is laying eggs. Calcium becomes very important when she is gravid and right after because of the calcium loss created by egg production. It is easy to tell between males and females because of the large crest the males have. These guys have relatively short life spans of 3-4 years.

Next up is the basilisk lizard, known in Costa Rica as the "Jesus Christ lizard" for their ability to run on water. Bill has added another name for them . . . the "psychotic lizard." He got a couple for his friend, and had to use big welders' gloves to handle them. The second one bit down and would not let go. Inside the bag, they spent their time flipping, jumping, and twisting the whole time (maybe they had "Twist and Shout" running through their heads?). The brown ones found in Costa Rica are bigger than the green ones in captivity. They are very light and can run very fast.

Out of the monitor family, the ones that make good pets, if you handle them regularly, are Savannah monitors or water monitors. Bill has a pair of Savannah monitors. These guys love heat . . . around 100 degrees with a ten-degree drop for the cool temperature. He keeps them in an enclosure outside with a screen where they get plenty of sun and Florida heat. They are a dark color in the night or early morning and turn to a lighter color as they warm up. In the winter, he places a cover on the cage with a 150-watt bulb that they stay under to keep warm. Monitors have a high metabolism and need to be fed regularly. They are completely carnivorous and it is best to feed them separately. If you don't, then they will share their food, tearing it apart and you will be the one cleaning up little rodent parts everywhere.

The next picture was another favorite lizard of mine (I have too many favorites), and that was the red tegu. It was Cayle's "little" dude . . . one of our other members. Red tegus eat a variety of foods and are not just strictly carnivorous - as what was once thought. The red tegu is one of the nice tegu species out there, and the male develops a huge head. Some of you might remember the red tegu that Croc Encounters brought last time. The poor guy had been fed nothing but hot dogs from his previous owner, and was seriously overweight. They have slimed him down quite a bit and have him on a more tegu -friendly diet.

There was a series of photos that Bill showed from his reptile excursions. First was Big Bend Park in West Texas. Night time is the time for herping there, where the snakes come out to eat the lizards who come out to eat the bugs. There he saw many collard lizards, thorny lizards that shoot blood out of their eyes (COOL!), and different species of geckos. The reticulated gecko looks similar to the leopard gecko. And there is another gecko that runs around with the tail straight up in the air, mimicking a scorpion. He also saw a road runner (BEEP! BEEP!) there. In Costa Rica he saw the green iguana, which they are reintroducing into the wild there (they can collect some from here!), the spiny iguana, who was very tame and took melon from their hand. It's also interesting that the spiny iguana is terrestrial, having a hole near the driveway of where they were staying. And of course there's the poison dart frogs and red-eye frogs.

Thank you Bill for another interesting talk and excellent pictures!

Michele's Musings

Reptile Heatlh: Knowing What is Normal

Most reptile species that are kept as pets are subject to predation in the wild. As potential prey, they have adopted the survival strategy of trying to appear fit and healthy to avoid being eaten. This evolutionary startegy is sensible in nature since an animal that appears to be sick or weak or abnormal in appearance is easier to catch.

To make matters more complicated, reptiles have a limited number of ways to show that they are ill. So, the most important thing to remember when evaluating the health of your pet reptile is that he doesn't want you to know that he is unwell. Consequently, by the time you are suffciently concerned to seek veterinary advice, your pet may have been ill for a relatively long time, and disease may have progressed further than is immediately clear.

Good preventive health care should be the goal of every reptile owner. This involves researching the natural environment of the species - its habitat, diet and particular requirements in captivity. Regular veterinary visits are strongly recommended where examination for parasites and husbandry reeviews can be performed. In spite of the best care, however, some pets can becomeill and early recognition of a problem is often crucial to the outcome of the case.

What is Normal?

The most important thing for you to know as owner of a pet reptile is what is the normal appearance and behavior for its species. Only when you know what is normal will you be able to recognize what is abnormal. To educate yourself about the normal appearance and habits of your reptile species: subscribe to hoppy magazines, visit zoos and reptile shows, join a local reptile club, and refer to updated books that have good color illustrations. Nature programs on television often have excellent foootage of animals in the wild. Observing your species of reptile, reading and speaking to experienced reptile keepers will greatly improve your ability to recognize a problem quickly. A good reptile veterinarian is also an invaluable source of current and practical advice.

Do not rely on a pet store for assurances as to what is normal. While many pet shops are ethical, they often have employees with no knowledge than the average customer. Remember that you don't need to know anything about animals to be allowed to sell them.

Once you have a sound knowledge of your pet's environmental, nutritional, and medical needs, you can begin to assess his health. Record the following on a regular basis:

Activity level: increased or decreased? An unusually docile or aggressive lizard or snake may be ill or in pain.

Hiding: A stressed or sick repitle or one in pain may spend more time in hiding. Instinct tells him not to show himself to potential predators.

Posture and responsiveness: When you enter the room, does your lizard notice and stand? Does your tortoise wander to the cage side for a scratch? Does you snake or turtle seem aware of you? Since most of these animals are vulnearble to predation in the wild, they should be aware of movement and activity in their environment. Eyes should be bright and alert, and those species with eyelids should seldom have them closed. Reptiles that lie in one spot all day, that seem relucant or unable to move, or that acnnot hold their legs, tail, head, or body in a manner normal for the species, may be ill. Some species, especially snakes, may normally be relatively inactive, but again, you must know what is normal for your pet.

Gait: Is your lizard, turtle or tortoise using all its limbs normally? Watch nature programs on television and observe the normal movement patterns of reptiles in the wild.

Color: Some species display a wide variety of normal color variations, but generalized or patchy changes may indicate a problem.

Shape: Is your snake or lizard swollen in its body or limbs?

Appetite: Has your pet's appetite increased, decreased or become selective (i.e. picky eater)?

Drinking: Drinking habits vary with species, but increased sthirst may point to a variety of possible problems, particularly with tortoises and some lizards.

Urine and stool production: Generally speaking, reptile waste has three components: a clear liquid urine, a chalky white urate (both products of the kidney), and a blackish-brown fecal material. In most cases they are emptied together. When reptiles are housed in relatively unchanging captive conditions, are fed at regular intervals and are kept in an optimal environment, their bowel movements can become highly predictbale.

When clearing away feces and urine, take some note of the appearance. Is there more or less than normal? Is the stool of the usual consistency? Is the urine and the urate chalky white? Does either have a yellow, green, orange, or brown tinge to it? Is there any blood? Does the animal appear to have difficulty in passing feces or urine, such as straining, passing only small quantities at one time, or passing waste with increased or decreased frequency?

Skin: Genreally, snakes should be smooth, without wrinkled scales or retained skin. Check your snake after each shed. There should be no evidence of retained eyecaps, raised or blistered scales, or red, sore appearing areas. The underside should appear healthy, not red or inflamed or moist. Burns to this area are common when hot rocks are used and they are not recommended.

Tortoises and turtles should have hard shells, without swellings, lumps, soft spots, or areas of white or pink discoloration. Lizards, snakes and the soft parts of tortoises and turtles should be free of swellings under the skin, sores and areas of discoloration. Mites appear as very small spots between scales on the head. Species with toenails should be check for proper wearing; constricting bands of unshed skin can accumulate around the toe, leading to strangulation of the digit.

Eyes, ears (for those who have them), nostrils, mouth and vent: There should be no discharge or bubbles from the eyes or nose, although a salt-like discharge is normally sneezed from the nose of some reptiles, such as the green iguana. There should be no sores or scabs on the nose - this is a particularly common problem of captive lizards and snakes. There should be no foam or red/discolored patches in the mouth.

YOur reptile should breathe quietly - wheezing or a squeak or whistle may indicate a respiratory disease and should be investigated. Distinguishing between abnormal respiratory sounds and those related to an aggressive display is not always easy, but your lockal reptile club or veterinarian will be able to help you.

Swellings in the are of the ear are often seen in turtles and tortoises. These can be caused by absecesses.

Nurtritional problems often cause the animal's conformation or shape to be abnormal. For example, a herbivourous reptile, such as the green iguana, oftern develops a swollen jaw when it is malnourished. The jaw of a healthy iguana should be firm, not rubbery. In the case of tortoises and turles, beaks can overgrow and become deformed. The vent should be clean on the outside - soiling may indicate diarrhea or another condition.

Body condition: Obesity is as dangerous toyour pet as being underweight. Be familar witht he appearance of a well-fluched member of your pet's species and have your veterinarian explain assessment of body conditon for your particular species. Weigh your pet regularly and record the number.

References

www.petplace.com

Ciao!

Carrie

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