Newt n00b looking for advice

[mike]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about setting up a 29 gallon Cynops Orientalis paludarium. I've kept a number of aquariums in the past, but this will be my first attempt at a newt paludarium.

I read through the FAQ in Caudata Culture, but I still have a few questions. The tank will be placed in a sort of enclosed patio outside of my apartment. By enclosed, I mean rain can't get in, but it's still exposed to wind and what not. I live in San Francisco, so the temperature can go from 45 F in the Winter to 85 in the Summer. So my first question is, will C. Orientalis be ok at 45 F?

The next question is about the heat. I looked into getting the IceProbe, but it's a bit out of my price range. And since the tank will be outside, I won't really be able to divert the AC to it. Does anyone have any DIY tank cooling methods? I was thinking about freezing water bottles and placing them in a sump, but I'm not too keen on giving the newts a way to escape.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

[jennifer]

They will be GREAT at 45F! The 85F season will be more problematic. Is it that hot for many days at a time or only occasionally? And on an 85-degree day, how cool does it get at night? Assuming that the newts are healthy and well-established, and assuming the temp drops to 70 or below at night, I think they could survive those periods with a screen lid (plenty of evaporation to cool the water) and frozen bottles placed directly in the tank. Could you bring them inside for the hottest part of the summer?

[mike]

Yea, it's usually just one or two days at a time. At night there's usually a marine layer, so it can drop down to 50-60 quite easily. I was thinking about bringing them inside, just wasn't sure if my significant other would really approve :P.

Thanks for the advice! Time to get the tank set up http://www.caudata.org/forum/clipart/happy.gif.

[alan]

They should be fine. Make sure the tank is not exposed to direct sunlight, or predators such as birds & two-legged rats.

[mike]

Aye, we had decided to seal it off specifically because of pigeons, cats, etc.