We did a medical exhibit in the fall of 2000.  If you
send a letter of intent to Leeches USA on your
museum's letterhead, they will send you 6 leeches for
free.  We had some die in shipment, so we got another
set of 6 for free.  I called ahead to get their fax
number, etc. so they knew what I was doing when they
got the letter.

They come fast -- they are distributed for medical
purposes in an emergency medical package.  So don't
order them too soon, if you don't want them living
with you in your office until the opening!  (Mine
lived on a shelf in my office for 6 weeks before they
debuted in the gallery...)

Also, they are shipped in sterile water, which will
kill them if you keep them there.  Remember, they are
designed for medical purposes and once they are used,
they are thrown out as medical waste.  They aren't
meant to be pets, kept alive for a long time.

I displayed mine in a glass candy jar with a lid.
They were quite popular.

They only need to be fed once every 5 or 6 months --
and they do eat raw chicken livers.  Just be sure to
remove the liver and change their water immediately
afterwards.  That is how mine finally met their
maker... (after the exhibit closed, fortunately)

One more thing -- they come with a great glossy color
brochure that shows graphically detailed photos of
post operative leech therapy.  We used the photos in
our exhibit, but I put them under doors with a little
warning.  Not everyone wants to see a severed ear with
leeches sucking it.  The brochure was also very
helpful in writing labels.  It explained how leeches
are used today, and gave advice for doctors on how to
talk patients into accepting them as legitimate
medical practice.

I found Leeches USA to be very helpful, and I think
they got a kick out of what we wanted them for.
They're used to dealing strictly with hospitals!

Good luck!

Kim Kenney
Curator
Historical Society of Rockland County
New City NY

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