Outdoor enclosures and ponds

caudatadude28

caudatadude28

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Ok I want to make three enclosures: Noto pond,Tiger salamander habitat, and a Spotted salamander habitat. Possibly a Redback salamander habitat as well. I want to breed the spotteds this way, hopefully. there would be as screen top on to prevent excape and predators from entering. Also, how deep should the noto pond be so it doesnt freeze over or would they hibernate on land if it is provided? Around here I have central newts, so if I make a pond should I only have the species around here or could I have redspotted newts? The tiger habitat would be 4-5 foot by 5-7 foot., the noto pond would be 3-4 foot by 4-5 foot., and the spotted sals habitat would be 4-5 foot by 4-5 foot. The mole salamander habitats would have ponds at least the size of 2 foot by 2 foot. They would all at least be half shaded.
 
I cannot give advice on constructing outdoor enclosures for salamanders because I have never attempted it (I always made my own outdoor lizard cages before the commercially produced mesh enclosores became available). I think that you should use caution before attempting to keep any non-native caudates outdoors. Disease transmission would be impossible to control. Also, if the animals were to escape (a likely scenario with a hommade enclosure) there is always the outside chance of establishment. Perhaps it would be better to do some salamander friendly landscaping and see what comes to you.
Chip
 
There is snow and stuff in the winter. 32F to -30F(usually 32F to -20 at the coldest) in the winter and 65-90F in the summer. I would have native species only so it should work.
 
Ok quite cold winter, I guess we have the same kind of weather in Finland!
So you should dig a lot. I imagine that the ground might be frozen 30 or 40cm deep.
So better dig the double? ( I never did it but I think it could work)
Did you plan to do it in concrete and bricks?
 
Marc Staniszewski has a section on outdoor enclosures in his book "Amphibians in Captivity". I think he also had it posted on line. I think an important part would be a deep hibernation area. In the wild amphibians in your area are free to find the best hibernation area, In an enclosure you are forcing them to use your hibernation or brumation area. You need to insure that it is adequate.
 
I have that book. I have read it too. I want to know if the water would freeze in the noto pond if It was 4 feet wide by 4 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. No one on this site has done this before? That is kind of hard to believe. I just was wanting a couple pointers.
 
check out some koi pond development sites. I believe in most parts of northern US 4 ft ponds WILL freeze solid - I know that here in AZ we were told to dig 6+ ft in order to have koi hibernate over winter without freezing solid. just an FYI - we live in a high valley that gets snow and freezing temps - not the lower valleys that stay warmish all year! lol.

the other option would be to drop a heating unit in the pond - not to heat the pond per se but to keep it from freezing solid.

Why does that matter? don't herps hibernate in mud or sandy banks under deadfall? I don't know a thing about breeding amphibs so I'm curious.

Sharon
 
I think 80cm deep would be good for your pond. I think you should put some mud in the bottom of it to keep it warm.
I think also that you should cover you enclosure and put a good layer of dead leaves in it when comes the snow and the very cold weather.
 
Here in Pa. my pond never freezes much deeper than 1 foot. I don't know about Wisconsin but guess it is colder than Pa. I put a cattle trough heater in one of my shallow ponds sometimes. Their are some newer energy efficient heaters available to keep ponds from freezing solid. The big freezing problem is with ponds that sit above ground and are not dug in.
 
I cant have a pond heater but I plan on digging a deep pond, about 3-4 1/2 feet deep. I will put some mud and plants in the bottom.
 
Thanks for the info. What do you have in your ponds? How deep are they? How wide? Are they fenced in or contained?
 
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