Newt factory

[benjamin]

Well here are some pictures of my C.o. newtlet enclosures. I still have to split them up some more, and some will be going to the school, I have already entrusted some into the care of a biology teacher, for temporary accommodation. There are just so many of the little guys, but despite the crowd they're growing and developing quickly. It's hard to believe these guys go from 5 - 15mm of length and develop front legs in just two weeks.

Here are some pictures of my younger larvae containers, there must be over 100 larvae split between these containers but I'm going to split them up very soon.

Here is one of my older larvae containers. These guys are eating well and growing quickly. They hatched around christmas and already have hind leg buds.

I invite others to show their methods of coping with mass newtlet production.

 

[jenny]

my baby axies have gone from 1 or 2 in a plastic cup to storage boxes back to cups and now theyre back in storage boxes - ive finally decided that i think storage boxes are better (mainly so it doesnt take me so long to clean and feed! plus my same mum axy has just had more eggs but not sure who the dad is! think im gonna remove her i dont want them treating her like the tank bike and gettin ill from the stress!

 

[pamela]

Newt factory, how appropriate! Congrats on all your new babies - WOW!

 

[joseph]

Very nice! My setup looks qite similar but only one sweater box. All my larvae are estimated 2-2.5 cm and yet another is ready to morph.

 

[jennifer]

OK, here's Newt Factory: The Sequel. For eggs and small larvae (the first month of larva-hood, approximately), I use gallon-size ice cream or paint tubs. At first, I keep up to 20 larvae/tub, and as they grow I divide them down to about 10/tub.

After the lavae get bigger, they graduate to bigger tubs, again housing initially up to 20/tub, and as they grow dividing them down to 6-10/tub.

For both types of tubs, I do a 100% water change, including moving them to a completely CLEAN container, every 3 days or so. Once the larvae are about a month old, I actually just pour the water + larvae through a net, then dump the larvae into the clean container of clean water. This may sound harsh, but I haven't lost any this way.

Now for all you Lotl-heads, here are some axies about 3 weeks post-hatching.

And for all you Newt-nuts, here are some Triturus karelinii, somewhat older than the axies, but around the same size.