My young Notophthalmus are growing up...

[Bowl of seeds]

I hope everything goes well for you :]
you have made me want a noto now haha ;]

 

[antcatcher11]

Is the larvae that looked like sneaky still aquatic? Even though I haven't posted on the forums in a long while I still read this thread.

 

[slowfoot]

Is the larvae that looked like sneaky still aquatic? Even though I haven't posted on the forums in a long while I still read this thread.

Hi Joey,

No, he morphed just a few days ago. I was hoping he wouldn't, but at least he's a good size so he's got a head start. Thanks for reading

 

[caudatadude28]

Why would he morph? It seems he turned into a young adult and now he is an eft?

 

[slowfoot]

Why would he morph? It seems he turned into a young adult and now he is an eft?

The original baby, Sneaky, is still aquatic - but all of his younger siblings have morphed. They hadn't yet become mature, I was just hoping they'd stay in the water.

Got a couple of pictures today of big eft... well, the back end of him/her. Looking nice and fat, maybe a little too fat: she had a little trouble fitting her belly through that hole





I should also add that she's pretty much the size of my adult newts at this point. I might try offering her the option of going in the water again soon.

 

[antcatcher11]

Cool, so how are you going to provide the transition habitat?

 

[slowfoot]

Wow! It's been a while Everyone is doing well. I have six smaller efts, plus Big eft and Sneaky. The smaller efts are growing very very slowly, but seem to be active and healthy. Here's an extremely boring video of a few efts doing nothing (actually, there's a little action at the end):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LP3Sxx-tTI

A picture of a couple smaller efts:



And here's a pic of Big eft taken this morning. You can see my finger off to the left for a size reference:

 

[Kerry1968]

What is the eft eating at the end of the video? I didn't even see anything!

 

[slowfoot]

What is the eft eating at the end of the video? I didn't even see anything!

There's a fruit fly sitting on the log, but the eft's tongue wasn't quite long enough to grab it

 

[slowfoot]

Hi all!

Everyone is doing well, so not much news to report. My adult newts (and Sneaky) are getting ready for another breeding season.

About two weeks ago I moved all the 2009 efts into a bare-bones tupperware home. I think it will be much easier to feed them in this set-up. Plus, I really want to transition all of them to earthworms rather than fruit flies. Most will eat worms, but a few were too shy to feed well in the old enclosure. Medium eft, who is from 2008, moved with them. I have 11 efts total. Group shot:





And big eft is doing well all by herself She is quite a little beggar now. She's adult-size, so I'm thinking of transitioning her to water this winter. I'm sure she won't appreciate it.

 

[slowfoot]

This is really hard to write - I'm crying right now.

Big Eft died and it's totally my fault. Yesterday when I left I forgot to put the lid back on her tank after feeding her. When I got home I just stuck it on and didn't even think about it. This morning I didn't see her, but that wasn't so strange. I found her this afternoon, dried out and dead on the floor. I feel terrible because it was such a stupid mistake. I know she's just a newt, but she was my favorite if I had to choose a favorite.

So I guess this is another lesson to everyone about secure tank lids and how important they are.

 

[IanF]

Really sorry to hear that. It is very tough losing an animal, especially when you've been through alot with them.

 

[Azhael]

I´m very very sorry
I think we all know the feeling, and it´s definitely not pleasant.

 

[slowfoot]

Thanks, guys.

It's really hard right now: I already miss seeing her in the morning begging for her worm

 

[slowfoot]

A happier update for the new year:

The adults are back in breeding condition - i.e., the females are hiding and the male is stalking them. So I expect more eggs soon.

Sneaky is also in full breeding dress and, well... he's basically amplexing himself if you know what I mean I didn't even think that was possible, but he's got a nice grip on his back leg and is tail waving furiously. He's a teenager ya know.

The remaining efts are all doing well. I'm going to be finding homes for about 8 of them. I think I'll keep my 3 favorites. I just don't have enough room to keep that many as adults and I think they'll do well with some individual care. I'll post an ad in the classified section when I'm ready to let them go.

 

[caudatadude28]

Update please!

 

[slowfoot]

Update please!

Sure, it's been a while

I had one more eft death recently that I can't explain - just found the little guy dead one morning. But that's been it. The remaining efts are all doing well. Worms have been a little more scarce because we had a cold snap here that seriously damaged my worm colony, so they haven't been growing as fast as I'd like. Even my largest eft still looks completely 'terrestrial' so I'm not sure when I will start offering them water.

Sneaky is doing well - still in breeding dress and still living alone. He's gotten a lot bigger, but I'm still hesitant to put him in with the adults. Particularly right now, because my adult male is amplexing everything that moves. No eggs yet, though. The females are fat as little whales but they're not laying.

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow - my camera battery is actually charging right now.

 

[AxYlOvEr]

Update?

 

[slowfoot]

Some pictures from today: I had to clean the eft cage.







My husband named the big yellow one Adventure Eft because it's always out begging for food and climbing the walls.

 

[Azhael]

What a gorgeous bunch!
The combination of yellows, oranges and reds is lovely
It´s really nice to see so many fat, happy, captive bred notos, very well done!!