Keeping these newts aquatic

[simon]

Which newts can remain aquatic when young?(and stay that way as adults,for that matter),I know the crested`s can,but what about banded,pygmy marbled,marbled and alpines?.
Thanks in advance
Simon

 

[chris]

Alpines are probably the triturus species that most commonly have neotonic individuals, and sometimes whole populations.

 

[morg]

In my experiences, most newts would prefer to spend most of their time on land, including alpines.
I have kept various newt species in a mainly aquatic set up through the years seemingly quite happily, but if these newts are transfered to a tank with a sizeable land area, they go terrestrial within weeks, returning to water only in breeding season.

 

[francesco]

Hi simon
The only triturus that can be kept aquatic when young are the cresteds and alpestris apuanus even if like morg says if offered the chance they prefer to go on land.
Francesco

 

[paris]

they do eat better and are easier to monitor when kept aquatic, those of my alpines and smooths that remain larval longer sometimes never leave and get to adult size as aquatic youth. i dont give mine much option for 'land mass'-mainly a floating platform and some above water plants. for those that are insistant to leave water-many of them just climb the glass-so i do remove them to terresterial set ups. my pygmy marble does about 50/50 in a similar set up and my cristatus stay aquatic. aquatics eat more and get bigger than their terestrial counterparts (sometime double the size). temp does play a part in how soon they leave water, so i keep mine very cool (60-50 F)so as not to encourage them.

 

[simon]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences,I just have a lot easier time with aquatic newts and must confess i was hoping more would thrive when kept in water.
cheers
simon

 

[jennifer]

Simon, there are some non-triturus newts that can be kept fully aquatic. The one that comes immediately to my mind is Pleurodeles waltl. Also, Cynops can usually be kept in shallow aquatic setups as juveniles and almost fully aquatic as adults.

 

[sergé]

I think it is (on the long term) not very good for Triturus species to keep them aquatic. If given natural conditions they always prefer to go on land outside breeding season. And keeping them in land is not very difficult. So...why not give them a sepearate terrarium. This must not be as big as an aquarium.

 

[simon]

Jen The reason I ask that here,is that I hope to get some banded newt eggs or young,and I find them easier(read more successful)to raise in water and the idea of raising them to maturity in water is a new idea to me,one that is proving very successful with my Karelini and dobrogicus.That said,I also have some plump juvenile marmoratus,that are terrestial and doing really well.I have not lost any newts while they are aquatic,but I have unfortunately lost a couple whilst they are in their terrestial phase.

 

[simon]

Serge I am moving house in a couple of weeks and my first job is to be a few outside enclosures,as I think this is really the best way to keep newts in the UK.The main problem I have is food that does not dry up or escape and of an exceptable size for young newts(I cannot bring myself to decapitate worms).So far the marmoratus are doing very well,so maybe I am worrying about nothing and just looking for easy answers.
Cheers all

 

[fabian]

Hi Simon,
my (bad)experience with Triturus vittatus ophryticus juvies is, they have to get a very dry setup. I got big problems when my setup was too moist and some of them died. I'm raising marmoratus almost totally aquatic but I don't think this will work with vittatus.
Fabian

 

[fabian]

I've raised them aquatic (they have a chance to leave the water, but only some of them do this for a few weeks directly after metamorphosis) the last three years with no problems. My adults live totally aquatic too.
Fabian

 

[david]

Do you happen to have any pics of some of your aquatic Triturus setups Fabian?

 

[fabian]

Hi David,
you can see a picture of one of my setups in this thread:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/985/6644.html