Posts tagged newts as pets
The Best Diet for Captive Newts and Mexican Axolotls
Oct 3rd
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. I usually hesitate to recommend an “all purpose” diet for any group of creatures, as even slight differences between species can be greatly affect their nutritional needs. However, long experience with many newts has led me to a diet that works well for nearly all those that one might encounter. The following feeding recommendations can applied to Eastern Spotted, Ribbed, Japanese Fire-Bellied, Alpine, Paddle-Tailed, Crested and Marbled Newts, as well as to Mexican Axolotls. With a bit of fine-tuning, other species can be accommodated as well…please write in if you need further information.
Basic Diet
Newt-feeding is simplified by the fact that nearly all species will take non-living foods…this is in sharp contrast to terrestrial salamanders, which generally consume live prey only. More >
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Loading ...The Eastern Newt – the Many Subspecies and Hybrids of a Popular Pet – Part 2
Dec 10th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Quite a few subspecies of the Eastern Newt (Notopthalmus viridescens) have made their way into the pet trade. All are hardy, interesting and possible to breed in captivity. Please see Part 1 of this article for information on their care and feeding. The following descriptions and habitat information should help in identifying your newt. However, natural and captive-generated hybrids can complicate the process – please write in if you need assistance. More >
(+1 rating, 1 votes) Loading ...New Edition of Newts and Salamanders, A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual, is Published
Apr 26th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. I’ve recently finished writing a revision of my 1997 book Newts and Salamanders and would like to introduce it here and to thank everyone for their past support and kind comments.
Care and Natural History
Although technically a captive care manual, I’ve included a great deal of natural history information garnered from a lifetime of working with amphibians as well as research updates from technical and popular journals. Captive breeding is stressed, with specific advice given for each species covered. More >
(+1 rating, 3 votes) Loading ...The Natural History and Captive Care of Newts – Part 1
Feb 5th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Newts have long been among the most popular of all amphibian pets, and with good reason. Unlike most others, they are bold, active by day and readily accept prepared foods. Many are easy to breed in captivity and quite long-lived…a California Newt (Taricha torosa) in my collection reached 20 years of age. Today we’ll look at natural history and husbandry, and in part 2 I’ll cover individual species such as Eastern Red-Spotted, Fire-Bellied and California Newts. More >
(+1 rating, 1 votes) Loading ...Breeding the Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus – Part 2
Nov 2nd
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Male Great Crested Newts undergo an amazing change in appearance during the breeding season. In Part I of this article I introduced the natural history of this most beautiful newt, and discussed how to bring it into breeding condition. I’ll cover breeding details and raising the larvae here.
Courtship and Egg Deposition
Breeding male newts tend to fight and, although severe damage is rarely inflicted, less dominant animals may become stressed and cease feeding. Courting males position themselves near females and appear to direct pheromones towards them with their tails. Females thus stimulated follow the males, push against their tails, and eventually pick up the spermatophore that the male has dropped.
Several hundred eggs are laid, each being individually attached to an aquatic plant. Females use their rear legs to bend a plant leaf around each egg – quite an ordeal, and well-worth watching!
Adults may consume eggs and so should be removed from the aquarium after egg-laying has been completed. If prevented from returning to land after breeding, adult crested newts usually become quite stressed, thrashing about wildly. Some subspecies, however, can be habituated to a more-or-less permanent aquatic existence.
Raising the Larvae
Crested Newt larvae generally hatch within a month and transform into the terrestrial phase within 3 months, at which point they average 2.4 inches in length.
The larvae can be raised on chopped live blackworms, brine shrimp, daphnia and similar foods; new metamorphs can be offered 10 day old crickets, blackworms, termites and tiny sow bugs. Sexual maturity occurs in approximately two years, at which time they will re-enter water to breed.
An Even More Flamboyant Relative
A close relative, Triturus vittatus ophryticus develops an incredibly high crest that starts at the nose area and ends at the tail. This species is now showing up in the pet trade, and can be bred in a similar manner to the Crested Newt.
Further Reading
Please see a book I’ve written, Newts and Salamanders, for more on the care and natural history of Crested Newts and their relatives.
You can learn more about the natural history of each newt in the genus Triturus here.
Please write in with your questions and comments.
Thanks, until next time,
Frank Indiviglio
Larval Crested Newt image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Piet Spaans
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