California Newt, Taricha torosa

[kristen]

Hey,
I am new to this forum and site, and new to keeping newts. I have kept sally's before, but keep mostly anurans and wanted to try keeping a different kind of amphibian. I recently got in a trade what I was told was a California Newt, Taricha torosa. I did my research on these guys before I got one. But I'm not sure if it is a California Newt or a similar species. I have taken a couple of pics of my newest addition (but they are not that great!)...

http://community.webshots.com/s/image3/1/60/73/97116073uSapck_fs.jpg
http://community.webshots.com/s/image3/1/62/19/97116219odcfqk_fs.jpg
http://community.webshots.com/s/image6/1/62/90/97116290ApBUUU_fs.jpg
http://community.webshots.com/s/image6/1/63/75/97116375nEGHWi_fs.jpg

Hope these pictures work. Essentially my questions are what species do I have, how do I sex it, and what optimal temp.'s does this species do best at. Any information would be great!
Thanks
Kristen

 

[kristen]

In order to get the pictures I put up to work you have to copy and paste them into another internet browser window! Sorry!
Kristen

 

[aaron]

My best guess would be that it is, in fact, Taricha granulosa(Rough-Skinned Newt). Torosa generally has larger, more bulging eyes, and is by far much more uncommon in the pet trade.

The only way to be sure is to pry open the mouth and check the tooth pattern on the roof of the mouth, and even then it is possible that it is a hybrid between granulosa and torosa.

Either way, Tarichas make great pets and I'm sure you will enjoy keeping it.

~Aaron

(Message edited by babamba on October 30, 2003)

 

[pin-pin]

Hi Kristen, welcome to the Taricha family.

There were two votes torosa and three votes granulosa in the chat room.

This previous thread discusses the differences between torosa and granulosa:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/985/2700.html

California's a nice temperate place...~70F summers and ~50F winters. If they're true Californians, 71F is the ideal temperature year round.

The caresheet on caudate central suggests 40-50F in the winter and 60-70F in the summer.

 

[aaron]

Pin-Pin, actually, ALL of the granulosa in the pet trade come from California

Sorry, I didn't see your other questions before:
Temperatures under 70F are required, and you can differentiate males from females if they get into breeding condition. Male's tails will become "taller" and their cloaca(private parts) will become swollen.

~Aaron

(Message edited by Babamba on October 31, 2003)

 

[kristen]

Thanks Pin-pin Wei and Aaron for your help, I'm really curious what species it is now! LOL I am definetly going to do some reading!
Thanks

 

[rob]

Hi Kristen,

Glad to see you come over from Kingsnake.ca! After looking at your photos I think they are T. gransulosa. I remember something about the eyes and the way the light and dark colours are in them also being a way to tell the two apart, but don't remember the specifics. Anyone remember? Her photos seem to show the eyes fairly well.

 

[kristen]

Hey Rob,
Yeah I took your advice, and decided to ask my questions here! And seem to have gotten some great responses. But I guess I will never know for sure exactely what I have! Thanks for your opinion the species.

Thanks

(Message edited by KristenM on October 31, 2003)

 

[aaron]

Rob, the different colored eyelids have been ruled out as a dependable way to differentiate the species. Torosa generally has the larger eyes of the two. In torosa, the eyes usually protrude from the profile of the head when viewed from above.

~Aaron

 

[rob]

You learn something new every day!