Ambystoma opacum vs. Ambystoma maculatum

[Kaysie]

I've not heard any legitimate (as in, they can prove it) claims of captive breeding of Ambystomatids in the US, other than a few people who have had sporadic success and produced only a tiny number of eggs.

Anyone who says they're breeding Ambystomatids on a large scale should be able to back it up (and should be writing scientific papers about it!!). If they can't prove it, they're harvesting them from the wild. Ambystomatids just do not breed that well in captivity.

 

[Terroricha]

I've not heard any legitimate (as in, they can prove it) claims of captive breeding of Ambystomatids in the US, other than a few people who have had sporadic success and produced only a tiny number of eggs.

Anyone who says they're breeding Ambystomatids on a large scale should be able to back it up (and should be writing scientific papers about it!!). If they can't prove it, they're harvesting them from the wild. Ambystomatids just do not breed that well in captivity.

Most certainly agreed. And it certainly would not be cost effective for someone to breed them commercially.

 

[Kaysie]

It's not cost-effective to breed any caudates commercially. I tried my hand at axolotls for a while. I broke even. There's just not enough demand for our awesome slimy friends.

 

[dragonwalker]

I have heard the only A. maculatum and opacum that have been bred in captivity have been bred 'outside' and it is very rare that it has happened. US zoos, especially Toledo have been trying for years. I was taking care of three and I was going to try but then I left to study, and found that all three died while I was away so there goes my chance even if I return there. Definitely something to try in the future though.

If they are to be collected, I would much prefer that larvae are collected. That way adults that have felt freedom are not stressed, and as the survival of larvae in the wild is lower, then taking a number of them and having one or two die would not be as big a loss as they would probably still have had a larger chance of survival. This way you may also end up with less stressed animals too!!!

 

[Terroricha]

I have heard the only A. maculatum and opacum that have been bred in captivity have been bred 'outside' and it is very rare that it has happened. US zoos, especially Toledo have been trying for years. I was taking care of three and I was going to try but then I left to study, and found that all three died while I was away so there goes my chance even if I return there. Definitely something to try in the future though.

If they are to be collected, I would much prefer that larvae are collected. That way adults that have felt freedom are not stressed, and as the survival of larvae in the wild is lower, then taking a number of them and having one or two die would not be as big a loss as they would probably still have had a larger chance of survival. This way you may also end up with less stressed animals too!!!

You know, it may be possible with full climate control. The problem is of course that there is not a whole lot of quantitative data on the reproduction of most amphibians--it is mostly qualitative natural history. Which is why part of my dissertation is collecting that for an anuran community.