How many Tigers

[radtad]

From what I can find on these interesting fellows. They do not breed in captivity. So how many can I house together in a tank that is 55 gal (48x12x22). Are their any benefit to keeping two or three other then personal preference. My seven year old knows they are here in Colo. and would like to seek one out when the time comes.
Thoughts and input please.
I have a biology degree but a rookie big time when it comes to caudates

 

[John]

They can be bred "in captivity" but not in an aquarium in your living room kind of thing like most species.

I wouldn't keep more than 3 in a tank the size you described, and that's only on the condition it has plenty of soil for burrowing.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

so how can you breed them then?

 

[John]

Firstly proof that it can be done. To the best of my knowledge this was the first ('98 and again in '03 I believe) recorded "natural" instance (when I say natural I mean without the administration of hormones):

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42487

Thanks to Tim Johnson and Mr Masai for sharing those photos. Henk Wallays has mentioned a breeding in France in 2002 of tigers but he has never given us any details of which I am aware (come on Henk, give it up please).

As far as I'm aware, all of the successful instances of "captive" breeding of tigers occurred by the use outdoor vivaria for at least the months preceding egg deposition. Greenhouses/Glasshouses seem to be a good option. One word-of-mouth account I have heard mentions a very large outdoor vivarium against a house with water and land areas. The next best thing to free-range tiger salamanders.

You might want to read this thread on captive breeding of tigers:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/24389.html

And this is interesting:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/71618.html

 

[downhearted84]

They can be bred "in captivity" but not in an aquarium in your living room kind of thing like most species.

I wouldn't keep more than 3 in a tank the size you described, and that's only on the condition it has plenty of soil for burrowing.

I would definitely consider what John is saying. I, personally, have had dozens in a 60 gallon tank, all different sizes, and they seemed to be extremely communal. They all would burrow (I had lots of hiding places, as well as deep substrate) in groups under the same rocks. I didn't find but maybe one or two that went off and made their own burrows. I'm not saying this works for everyone, or that it even works every time. All I'm saying is that it is possible to house several together with no problems.

Also, Thank you John for this inspiring picture. This gives me hope to be (as far as I know) the first person to successfully breed Tigers in captivity in the Southern California Desert.

Where there's a will, there's a way, right?

 

[John]

I, personally, have had dozens in a 60 gallon tank, all different sizes, and they seemed to be extremely communal.

I welcome your thoughts but frankly I find the "dozens in a 60 gallon tank" rather disturbing. Apart from the fact that these are solitary creatures outside of the breeding season (save when forced to share a burrow during dry periods), keeping so many together had to be stressful at feeding time (I can imagine a number of feet ending up in the mouths of other tigers in such cramped spaces) and Heaven forbid one got a disease because they would all get it.

Good luck with your breeding efforts. I just hope you are not keeping them in numbers like that any more.