My Cynops Orientalis 'Project'

[KJ_29]

I don't think that question was ever resoved. I'd also quite like to know what that yawning action is.
Of course, the animal might actually be yawning; then I'd look daft. I just assumed they don't yawn, for whatever reason.

 

[dipsydoodle]

I don't think that question was ever resoved. I'd also quite like to know what that yawning action is.
Of course, the animal might actually be yawning; then I'd look daft. I just assumed they don't yawn, for whatever reason.

That might well be true, but I've only seen one of mine do it. I'm just curious; even if it is just as simple as he is yawning.

 

[Azhael]

I´ve only seen my animals yawn in two situations. One, after eating a rather large meal, and two, to aid in loosing up the skin of the head during the first stages of shedding.

 

[stitchpunk]

Thanks for all the great photos, I'm excited to see what lies ahead for my babies! I don't want to derail the thread, but a quick question - at what age do the back legs appear? I forgot to ask the breeder how old mine were. They have their back legs but they are very small and threadlike and the babies don't seem to have full control over them...they walk and swim around fine but the back legs sort of flail about in a cute fashion. Would that make them about 3-4 weeks old?

 

[dipsydoodle]

I´ve only seen my animals yawn in two situations. One, after eating a rather large meal, and two, to aid in loosing up the skin of the head during the first stages of shedding.

Oh excellent thank you; mine does it a LOT after eating.

 

[KJ_29]

Would that make them about 3-4 weeks old?

If I remember rightly, 3-4 weeks seems to be around the time mine started developing back legs; it was quite some time after that that they resembled actual legs however. I remember the legs starting to develop quite early on, with the remainder of the larval stage seeing the animals become much more defined and newt-like in their appearance. There's a picture at the beginning of the thread of a larva at 1.5months old; I suspect yours is of a similar sort of age? The larva pictured undoubtedly has back-legs; though no feet to speak of. At this stage the back legs could only 'flail', as you mentioned.
Hope that helps.

 

[caudatadude28]

All my newts have "yawned" at one time or another. I'm not sure what it is but after eating I would guess it is "yawning" to help swallow the food or position it in its throat.

 

[Azhael]

I agree that 3-4 weeks is aproximately the time when they develop back legs (maybe earlier, but growth is greatly influenced by temperature and food). They don´t become fully functional until a while later, and continue to be delicate and thin until the latest stages of metamorphosis when the whole body starts showing development into a more juvenile-like creature, as Karl described.

 

[stitchpunk]

Ah, thanks for that. I should've just looked at the photos in the first place, duh! mine must be about 6-8 weeks then. Their back legs have gotten noticeably thicker in the week that I've had them and I can just about see tiny toes....it will help with the metamorphosis nerves if I have some idea of when to expect the big event!

 

[firefly]

Well documented, this project has really helped prepare me for when my babies morph although I'lll be a nervous wreck by then. Kudos

Same here Ebonykrow - It's great helping people like me who also have newly hatched FBN's. It's answered alot of questions. Thx peeps x

 

[firefly]

Karl, in the first few pics what is the red worm in with them is it blood worm?? If so are they easy to buy in the UK?

 

[KJ_29]

Yep, it's a bloodworm. Dead easy to find in the UK, most pet shops will sell them; they're a popular fish food. They're big in comparison to the larvae however; I only fed bloodwoms to mine quite late in the larval stage.
Still struggling to find food? I remember seeing established cultures of microworms on ebay a while back. Some pet shops might sell live Daphnia, but I'm certain they're mostly too big for recently hatched larvae. There might be smaller, younger Daphnia in there; but I found that even the most developed larvae had difficulty swallowing Daphnia of a normal size.
Feeding becomes less of faff once the larvae have grown slightly. Best of luck with them anyhow.