Ambystoma barbouri

[sirus14]

I went herping today and found MANY streamside salamanders. i kept a male and female and put them into a setup much like the habotat i found them in. Just wondering what the likelihood of them mating are? i found them under the same log.
Thanks,
Taylor

 

[benw]

i would have thought they would have a better chance of mating if you had left them where they were.

Ben

 

[tylototriton]

Although Ambystomatids make great pets (in my opinion) they can be quite difficult to breed in captivity. They often require stimuli and conditions that are hard to replicate. They may be great pets but the chances of them breeding are slim.

Alex

 

[Jennewt]

I know someone who brought a pair of A. barbouri into captivity and has made a serious effort to get them to breed. No luck in several years. They seem like a good candidate for captive breeding, as they are generally more aquatic than most Ambystoma, but I agree with Alex - the chances are slim.

 

[Tim S]

If you keep them at room temperature the chances of them breeding drops dramatically with time. This is true for most Ambystoma. They are more likely to bred if they are in water that is the same temperature as the stream you located them at.

 

[sirus14]

Well they bred last night i have 101 eggs. will try to get pictures up. im going to have to get a non commercial wildlife permit if i want to keeep the larva but im going to try to donate them to the five nature centers in my county. i hope they hatch. a majority of the eggs were laid on land and are scrawny but they still show development.
Thanks,
Taylor

 

[oregon newt]

I'm not sure if I would call this captive breeding as you've had them for such a short period of time.

 

[Jennewt]

Congrats! This isn't captive breeding, as the animals were conditioned in the wild. If you can get the same pair to lay eggs again next year, you'll win the CB prize!

 

[sirus14]

What's the cb prize?

 

[ferret_corner]

LMAO thats not captive breeding!! She was gravid when you caught her, she had no choice but to lay the eggs she was already carrying.

Good luck.

 

[sirus14]

I understand since they bred the night i caught them, so since i cant have more than five legally im goint to apply for an educational or propagation permit so i can keep them till they exit larva stage. im going to try to donate them to the nature centers around my county since i cant relese them.
Taylor

 

[jelkins]

Hey Taylor!

Great you're interested in this species; they're one of my favorites as well.

Actually, as far as captive breeding A. babouri goes I spoke with James Petranka who did extensive research on this species and he said he DID get them to breed in captivity using large tanks in (I believe) an environmental control chamber.

My guess would be that if you cycled this particular speices through a 'normal' KY winter and then placed them in a large moderatly flowing tank with partially submerged limestone pieces you would have success.