New Pet Advice

[LauraMartin]

Hi, i currently have 2 barred tigers, they are only young, around 6 inches long, both in a 26 gallon terrarium, there is only small ground space in the terrarium and once the tigers are fully grown they will need a bigger enclosure, so maybe in about 8 month to a year im gonna get them a nice big tank with lots more ground space, so im thinkin of keeping their first terrarium (exo terra 26 gallon) and getting some new pets for that.

i want ones that are small enough to stay in the 26 gallon (45x45x45cm) so im asking you guys, the experts, what you think would be suitable? either a land based or semi aquatic newt or salamander, or maybe even frog. i would prefer something that is as easy to care for as the tigers, i love taking care of them. I want to be prepared for when i get the new terrarium in about a year, as i would never get any pet that i wasnt 110% prepared for. so any ideas? i know lots of newts are small so theres got to be some that will live happily in the 26 gallon?

[dani]

for an aquatic setup maybe chinese fire bellied newts , eastern newts or alpine newts these are all really easy to care for and popular pet species, salamander wise maybe a slimy salamander or a redback salamander they both require a woodland style setup or even just a few hides and cocofibre for substrate. as for frogs im not really an expert on those haha.

caudata culture has a species list of different newts and most have basic care info on there too so you can see pic of the newt and if it will be suitable care wise.

hope that helped a bit

[LauraMartin]

yeah that does help, thanks. where u from dani? just wondering coz im near newcastle, weird. anyway il have a look at the species list, thanks.

[dani]

glad I could help
I live approximately 10 minutes from Newcastle city centre, its cool that there are other people who like newts locally!!
My chinese firebellied newts are laying eggs atm so i might have some babies available in the future if its fire bellied newts you want hahaha.

[LauraMartin]

well yeah actually, by the time yours are ready to be re-homed, i might be ready to get some. il do some research on them and let you know what i think and il send you a message, if i decide to get them, id much rather get from a breeder, than some pet shop where i dont know where they are from and if they are healthy etc.

[LauraMartin]

oh, sorry i just realised chinese fire bellies are aquatic, my terrarium has front opening doors and can only keep about 4 inches of water.

[dani]

Hmmm maybe a salamander would be best as some require only a little water and some land and others prefer a woodland style terrarium.
If you live anywhere near durham/darlington area coast to coast often have salamanders for sale.
If its definately a newt you want, Eastern newts (or central newts) however can live quite happily in only a few inches of water, they prefer deeper water but i kept mine in a shallow set up untill recently they how have a deeper planted aquarium.

[LauraMartin]

i think some sort of salamander would be best. anyway its not gonna be for a while yet, so im in no rush, il do some research. i live in south shields so not that far, i got my salamanders from a shop in gareshead.

[dani]

Ahhh cool well at least you have lots of time to decide. I also got my fire bellied newts from a shop in gateshead! (pets at home at the metrocentre)

[LauraMartin]

oooh i didnt know pets at home did exotic pets? do they sell lots of stuff? like live foods too? i got my sals from team valley, a shop called tropical team, but to be honest, i got a sort of bad vibe from them, like they just sold me the sals without making sure i knew what i was doin, or offering advice, luckily i do know what am doin, and also i got well ripped off with my terrarium, i paid £70 and then went to the pets at home in sunderland and seen it for £60, then looked online n seen it for £51.99 ah well. anyways am looking for somewhere else locally i can get supplies from, there is a local aquatics store where i get crickets, but i like going to big stores to have a look around.

[dani]

Ive heard of that shop before but couldnt find its number in the phone book as I was wanting to see if they had salamanders in stock a little while ago. pets at home dont really have many exotics just the fire bellied newts. Sunderland aquatics have crickes and newts for sale, Dunston aquatics and reptiles will sell crickets and so do animal allsorts reptile house, The best shop for a wide range of exotics is coast to coast exotics but its in darlington not too far by train though and well worth the journey. live foods direct will deliver crickets to you too if its easier than travelling to get them all the time.

[LauraMartin]

thanks for the advice, i might go look round some of them. darlington is about 35 mils from me, so quite a hike, but for new pets i might drive up. Tropical team is in team valley trading estate, it has a lot of exotic pets, not so many news n sals, mainly reptiles. but also stock all acessories and food. the address is:Unit 383R/Jedburgh Ct, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0BQ
tel:0191-487 7766