Newt n00b looking for advice

[Mike East]

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!

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 East]

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 .

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

[Mike East]

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