C. orientalis setup question..

[billie]

Was wondering if a orientalis could do well in a mostly terrestial setup...with a large waterbowl of course. I saw a couple at a local reptile expo..they had both CFBN & Firebelly toads setup with mostly moss and plants and just a large waterbowl for the swimming.. They seemed to be doing well..The newts were all over tank, but not in water.

I did buy a couple of each animals...(WILL KEEP SEPARATELY)..

Right now the toads are in a mostly land setup And the newts are in a mostly water setup.. BUT do i have to do mostly water for the newts??

Thanks in advance,

Harpy

 

[jennifer]

I have heard of people keeping FBN in mostly terrestrial setups. I think it probably works just fine. You just have to figure out how to feed them efficiently on land. The preference for keeping them aquatic is mostly because they are easier to feed that way.

 

[TJ]

I keep 3 perfectly healthy C. orientalis (if indeed that's what they are) only on land (moist paper towel changed every 2 days, a shelter and moss) because they inexplicably dread water. They've been doing fine on a diet of waxworms and crickets.

I also have a separate group of C. orientalis that took immediately to water and feed mainly on frozen bloodworm. They occasionally leave the water to rest on floats.

If I were you, I'd establish their preferences first, without jumping to conclusions if they initially show a reluctance to enter the water. But having said that, there should be no harm in keeping them mainly on land regardless of their preferences if that's what you prefer to do and they can feed well enough there

(Message edited by TJ on March 02, 2006)

 

[kylee]

I agree with Tim,
Do whatever you feel the newt likes best..

 

[TJ]

Hehe, but I should add that with mine, I haven't totally given up and intend to keep tinkering. I've plans now to provide them with a shallow water environment to facilitate their discovery of The Joy of Water

Sure, they're doing fine now on land, and they'd probably do fine over time, but for all I know they may have a seasonal preference for water, so its probably best it be made available at some point. My point being that there's really no need to hurry to force them to go aquatic -- if one has food alternatives available.

(Message edited by TJ on March 08, 2006)

 

[richard]

i keep my newt (c. pyrrhogaster) in a mostly aquatic environment with a stone island and floating aquatic plants. he spends the day in the water and the nights on land for whatever reason.

 

[ali]

Richard, my C.o. spends the nights on her rock island as well.

 

[richard]

why is this? do they have poor eyesight? Can they not see in the water at night?

 

[ali]

I have absolutely no clue. I keep the top of my rock about an eighth of an inch under water so that she can rest but is still in the water. I used to have it sticking out of the top of the water, but I found that she would get dry and then not want to go back in the water. This keeps her from wanting to stay on the land.

Why she tends to rest there at night, I don't know. She's never been much of an active newt.

It's no wonder I got more into tarichas!

 

[jennifer]

I've noticed that my JFB spend the night out on their log, but only in the summer. I've always imagined that they are trying to cool off (during the time that the room is cooler and it's safer to be out on land because it's dark). But I could be completely wrong about their reason for night-basking.

 

[richard]

my house is approx 19 degrees all year long. maybe he is stuck in "summer mode"