Im new and need help!

S

sean

Guest
Im getting back in to this hobby and I have kept some newts and sallies before but I want to do it right this time, so I have some questions. Right now I have a 30gal tall tank. I plan on buying one of the small chillers. Im doing this to avoid going through the icepack situation. I would also like to do this to regulate the temp better and possibly get the newts to breed. I am figuring a 75%aquatic and 25%land setup. The species im considering is Notophthalmus viridescens Eastern newt. I would like to catch wild adults but I have looked everywhere for these and cant find them. I believe they are not sold here on the pet trade because they are a indigenous species? They are not a protected species and are figured to be quite common in Georgia. I also like the Trturus species but I am not sure If my tank would be big enough for a pair? I need info from anyone on where I can find some healthy adults of either species. I would love to find a spot in Georgia where there known to be. Any leads? I will consider having them shipped but I think its to hot.Im thinking overnight a small coleman 5 day cooler and a couple freeze packs to a seller to send them back to me in. Anyone have good luck shipping animals dead in the middle of summer? I am also debating getting my newts from Tricker garden supply. I am almost certain I will end up with dead or dying newts though. Has anyone even got there "American Salamander" before? I am even considering dealing with GladesHerp also to get a rare species. I only want to end up with healthy newts that are mostly aquatic. I am not to worryed about the price just as long as I get healthy example and have my terrarium set up for the right species. Please take a minute and give me guidance, your knowlege and help is greatly appreciated!
 
30G tank is big enough for triturus.
As for Notophthalmus, look under rocks and logs near the waters edge as well as in the water.
 
lol, a 30gal tank would be big enough for a LOT of Triturus! I keep 4 in a 20long, and it's rather uncrowded in there.

You could order them from one of the biological supply companies (Wards or Carolina), but I don't know about their shipping methods in hot weather.

You could wait until some come up for sale on here or on the meatmarket, I mean Kingsnake. If you order from here, most are very good about shipping and such. I've never had a problem. The cooler and the ice packs overnighted is the only way to go.

If you're not an experienced keeper, getting a 'rare' species is a waste of money. They're usually much more sensitive to water quality and such, and if you're new to newting, or haven't done it in a long time, chances are that it will not survive long. Better bet is to get one of the more common, easy to care for species, and keep them alive, and to breeding, and then moving onto something a little more complicated.
 
I set up my Tank today and I have decided to order my Newts from Ward. They claim that the Newts should be fine "overnighted" with ice packs they provide. I am still worried that it will get too hot somewhere along the way during shipping.As for my tank,I collected gravel and water from my fish tank to begin the cycling process. I am still planning to let it cycle for a week prior to putting my newts in. I also used some rocks from the creek that I boiled for about 30 mins. I will try and post some pics of my setup soon as I am open to suggestions on improvement.
 
you shouldnt have a problem if they are overnighted with ice packs. just make sure you are there when the delivery man comes to drop them off. If you are really worried, tell glades to have the package held at the carrier's office (usually ACed) and then you can pick it up at your convienence (this is dependant on if the office is near you).

(Message edited by ira on June 28, 2005)
 
I usually have my packages delivered to the local post office and held there. Like Ira said, it's usually AC'ed in there. They'll be fine if they're overnighted. As long as you live in a place that receives overnight mail. Otherwise they'll take 2 days to arrive, and that could be bad. Call your local post office and ask them.
 
I am not totally new to keeping Herps. In the past I have kept 3 tiger sals,at least 7 Chinese firebellys,2Japanese firebellys and a few tree frogs. Even though I knew I wasnt helping the problem I would often find myself buying Firebellys from petshops that were housed improperly. Whats funny though is after I bought them I told two different pet shops that the reason I bought them was because of there lack of knowledge in caring for the animals they sell and they needed to learn more about them or quit selling them. But now I dont even visit those shops anymore because it pisses me off and I dont want to keep giving them my money. I know that I dont know everything about all animals but if I were in the buisness of selling them I would atleast have a basic knowledge of them. My first newt was a firebelly that my grandma gave me when I was 9 years old. I had no knowledge what so ever of how to take care of them but I did manage to keep him alive for the next 8 years. Thats when I learned that heat kills them. Most of the others I nursed back to health(2 firebellys escaped and havent been seen since) and about 3 years ago I gave them to the only pet shop that I know of that would take care of them and pass the info on to the new owners. During all those times I have wanted to get(Notophthalmus viridescens)2female and 1 male Eastern Newts.I searched and searched and all I found(local) was someone selling larvae which I felt I was not capable of dealing with at the time. So I guess by now you see why I am taking a risk with the weather factor. As for finding some local I have looked high and dry but have yet to find any body of water containing newts. I have 22 acres of land with 3 small ponds,swampland,and a spring feed well which hasnt been used in decades. And I also have trouble picking things from the wild, even though I know thats hypocritical to buy wild caught specimins from someone else. I ordered my newts from Wards this morning "overnighted" and requested that they "fill up" the container with ice. It is being shipped UPS to my door and I will be here waiting on them. I am not so worried about the loss of money as I am worried about being responsable for the newts perishing. I am not sure about the weather in NY but down here it is cloudy and raining although still quite humid. Mike,I have seen your ads and have considered purchasing from you as I am intrested in Triturus Cristatus. The Pleurodeles is an intresting species that I will look further into. I am planning on getting atleast a 55gal tank with cooler to put those in but now I am already set up for Notophthalmus viridescens. And no,I would never mix species,the home I have now for the Easterns will be permanent. Mike,although I would like to wait on my new setup for Triturus,I do have a 20 gal long aquarium that I could house them in until I get setup. I will refresh myself on there care sheet and maybe we can work something out. I am glad to see that you dont like to deal with people who dont know anything about the animal your selling,that shows you actually care about the animals well being which is rare on the pet market. I can assure you that if I buy you animals that they will be cared for and if I ever wanted or needed to get rid of them I would find someone(preferably on Caudata)who I know would take care of them. I will Email you or PM so we can discuss shipping possibilitys. I still think the Coleman 5day coller and ice would be an excellent way to ship. (I have seen them hold ice that long by the way.)
 
I received my shipment of newts today and here is what I got. All six newts are alive but at least two appear to be badly stressed. These two are moving very little and there eyes are sunk in. I asked wards to send them Next Day Air(guaranteed by 10:00am) and what I got was Next Day Air Saver which does not guarantee early delivery. I also asked Wards to ship the containers buried in ice packs and what I got was 1 ice pack buried at the bottom of a cardboard box with foam peanuts and the newts were in jars at the top of the box. The jars were filled completley to the top with moss that was slightly damp.I ended up digging through the moss seaching for them. I am absolutly apalled at the shipping conditions as I asked for (and offered to pay more for)the fastest shipping possible and for more icepacks. One icepack for two seperate containers of newts is rediculous. I plan to call them tomorrow and complain about there horrible shipping methods. So all in all,the whole experience has been bitter sweet. I am so glad I have finally got my Easterns but I feel bad about what they went through to get here.I am going to do my best to ensure they survive and have a happy home. One intresting note is that they are very small,I think maybe they are new morphs or maybe even skipped there eft stage since they have all the coloring of adults. They are almost two inches in length.Perhaps a little to small?
 
I suggest you check your eastern newts every day for signs of lesions. Especially those that don't enter the water. Transport stress can weaken their immune system. I had to give one of mine an antibiotic treatment soon after buying it. Check the North american section for more info.
 
well, honestly, you shouldnt expect anything more than that from wards, they are and animal meatmarket. They collect HUGE numbers of wild animals and sell most of them to school's for research (not a good life).
 
Well,maybe I can give the survivors a better life than being test subjects for kids. Unfortunatly one died over night and three others arent looking so good. The other two are swimming around and eating now so I hope they pull through.Im feeding them frozen bloodworms with tweezers.
 
It's a shame they were in such bad shape, but I agree that Wards will never do much better. Shipping them in a jar full of damp moss is actually a lot better/safer than using water, so that part wasn't bad. But they should have been sent faster and been closer to the ice pack.

Next time, I'd suggest getting captive bred or long-term captives from someone that knows what they're doing with newts.
 
Your right. Next time I would like to get healthy newts. Fortunatly all five are eating good now but there is always a few hanging out of the water and like the newts I have had before they wont eat unless there swimming. I wish they would all stay in the water so it wouldnt take me all day to feed them. My water test fine on everything except the water hardness is way up there. I dont think I have read anywhere about the water harness and even if it matters with newts. My Ph is good and the Temp is 70 to 72. Is it normal for these to be spending so much time out of the water?
 
Have you provided them with a decent land area? I have two who are fully terrestrial and also feed on land.
 
Heres a nice crappy picture of my tank. Not much land area but all my newts are swimming and eating now.Should I provide more land area. Ever since I fed them they have been staying in the water. They seem to sniff out the bloodworms and eat them without me having to wriggle them around.They dig the loose worms out of the gravel and eat them as well. This is going to make it so much easier to feed them.
38666.jpg
 
That looks like enough land area, IMO, for the number of notos in the tank.
 
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