Pleurodeles waltl breeding scheme?

[donia]

I was wondering if there is a breeding scheme for P. waltl in the London area? I've got a couple of males and a female, which are likely to be related (can't tell as they came from a rescue centre). I'd love to let them breed, but would prefer not with each other. Anyone in London with this species that would do a swap for a while?

 

[Otterwoman]

If you're thinking they're siblings and you don't want to mate them, that's not a big concern with salamanders because...if I have this right, there's not so much genetic variation. Someone can probably state that better.

Do you know if you have a male and a female?

 

[donia]

I have a couple of males and a female. I just worry, because genetic problems may not have arisen yet, but will do eventually if repeated inbreeding occurs. And since all amphibians are in decline, it would be good to keep high genetic variation in captive bred species - they may end up being the only amphibians left in the future!! (Sorry for being so down about it, but no information I've read on amphibians is positive in terms of wild populations ).

 

[Otterwoman]

There is a lot of information on this subject here on the forum. Here are some links to previous discussions:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61094&highlight=inbreeding
see posts #39 and #40

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=59608

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=55894

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53349

If you do a search on "inbreeding," there is even more information. This is just a handful.

 

[donia]

Yeah, I've already done my reading on the subject, but I studied genetics during my uni course and just worry about it. I would just prefer to outbreed than inbreed. Hopefully someone around London feels the same!!