The Ommatotriton that like it wet

[BILLY JAMES]

I read a lot of posts about Ommatotriton that die when kept to wet, so i was wondering
why mine (adults) have stayed aquatic for the last two years (08 09) with no problems.

They are kept out side all year round in a mostly shaded area. With three inches of ice above them this winter they still fed and the male is faning the females nonstop.

I am not saying keeping them dry is wrong I know there is a difference between aquatic and damp.This is just how I keep mine.
I have found them to be very hardy.

This photo was taken over a month ago and the largest male now has about 5 mil more on his crest.

 

[gp]

It's an interesting question and one that is at the very forefront of my thoughts at the moment. I also know people that keep Ommatotriton aquatic year round with no problems. As with many species, if optimum conditions are provided, once aquatic they will stay so indefinately. This may also be linked to the use of ephemeral breeding pools in the wild.

The problem seems to lie in keeping them 'dry' enough as juveniles and sub-adullts until they are ready to enter the water. Once aquatic, keeping them aquatic is probably the best bet as I have heard as many if not more horror stories regarding the transistion from aquatic to terrestrial. The root cause seems to lie in the super sensitivity of their skin during these tansitional phases making them extremely prone to infection. However, I lack tangible evidence to confirm this at the moment.

Some of the research I've been doing over past few weeks seems to imply that the newts arrive at the breeding sites before the short lived pools in which they breed form. Therefore, some other environmental factor seems to be triggering this change from terrestrial to aquatic form. If this is the case, it may be that in captivity the newts may begin this transition cued by some unkown factor in anticipation of the formation of breeding sites. If access to water is not available, they make the transition nonetheless and rapidly become overwhelmed by infection.

I still need to confirm this with further research but if this is the case then this adds another level of complexity to the keeping of this species. Indeed, it may be that this is a larger contributor to the deaths of this species in captivity than the problems as previously understood. It would certainly explain alot.

Sorry, kind of got carried away writing that. I'll post more as I can confirm what is currently, largely supposition.