Possible breeding? (C. pyrrhogaster)

[heather]

I just saw some exciting behaviour from my Cynops tank - my male pyrro has been courting. I've only had one lone female for 14 years up until this last spring so this is new to me. He was really harassing one of the females this morning before I left for work,and just now when I went to check on them I noticed something on another female (my oldtimer) I have never noticed before. Her cloaca seemed to have a small whitish object just barely protruding from it. I am hoping this may be a spermatophore that she has picked up, but didn't know if the sperm would be visible after she had picked it up or if it takes time to completely absorb. I am mildly concerned that if it is not a spermatophore that she could have a prolapsed cloaca as I know this can happen in newts. So what do you all think? Medical emergency or just a pair of happy honeymooners? Thanks for any comments or ideas, Heather

 

[TJ]

Hi Heather. I'd say congratulations are in order -- one, for what probably is a successful spermatophore pick-up, and two, for having kept a C. pyrrhogaster alive and presumably healthy for 14 years.

Does its cloacal area look much like these?

Those are both C. cyanurus. Also check out Paul's Paramesotriton laoensis spermatophore pick-up photo at:

http://de.geocities.com/paramesotriton_deloustali/laoensis/paul_bachhausen/paramesotriton_laoensis-sperm-bit.JPG

 

[heather]

Yea! Though the spermatophore seemed more "absorbed" and less visible than in your pictures, yep - thats pretty much what it looked like. After I posted I thought maybe it could have been fecal matter and I was going to feel pretty stupid, but I had never seen poop stick out like that before OR looked so white in color. Wow, I am pretty excited! So I read that after the eggs are laid they take around 20 days to hatch, but how soon should I start looking for the eggs? I am glad that the female that I purchased on a whim when I was in fifth grade may be a mother (she's the one in my profile pic and the one with the mysterious white object regarding this post). And I am really glad she made it through all those years of, shall we say, less than ideal care before I found this site. I really appreciate every one here.
Thanks Tim for your response,
Heather

 

[TJ]

Hi Heather. Sure thing. But still, there's always a chance it could be a prolapse, especially if it's still there day after day like it was with one of mine in this case:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/43847.html

As for how long after a successful spermatophore pick-up it takes for eggs to be laid and then how long it takes for the eggs to hatch...sorry, I simply don't know because I haven't kept track

But I certainly look forward to you keeping track and letting us know!

Yep, 14 years is a long time, but consider her still middle-aged as there's one at a Berlin zoo, I'm told, that's 30-something!

 

[heather]

I am pretty certain it is not a prolapse, since after I posted this last night the white object was gone and has yet to reappear. And I was thinking I should mark on the calander the date I saw the courting and the cloacal protrusion, so at least I could keep track. I guess I could keep for you, too!
Yes, I am hoping this newt will stay with me for at least another 14 years. And it will be great if I can have some of my own that my pets have produced, to know their exact age and histories. Thanks again Tim,
Heather