P
paris
Guest
I just looked in on the arboreal salamanders today and saw one baby out already (he was still in with the eggs and exhausted) during the time i counted (there are 14)them another hatched out, and many more were wriggling-i guess they are triggering each others hatchings. i wish i had a digital camera! they are about an inch+ long and slate gray with white flecks and small whitish gills on the side. when i had turned over the log i had noticed that the male wasnt in the nesting area. so i have some questions about arboreal habits.
for one, both the male and female were in the nest almost the whole time-these two are similar in appearence-the 3rd one stayed far away. they are kept in a tall 29 gallon tank with lots of moss and damp wood. i wonder if they form permenant pair relationships-or only during the time in the nest. when i took out the eggs i looked for the other one and found he was badly bitten on the tail.(im thinking i am right that he didnt do it to himself ) actually i am not sure on the sex of the 3rd one-but since it wasnt in the nest chamber i believe it wasnt one of the parents.(unless the female would take up with another male or another female-but this doesnt seem likely from a genetic standpoint to gaurd eggs that arent yours).
i have now isolated the 3rd one, i am wondering if the other two will ever accept it, but if they have formed a permanant bond-then i guess the potential for it to be a mate is nill.the two seem very fond of each other and have never had bites before-the other one has however been bitten before when i kept them in a 15 gallon tank. at least they are kind enough to bite it on the tail which it can regrow (there are a total of 3 deep bites-no fungus or complications- but one took a divot of flesh with it)-it has no bites on the body, head, or missing feet. since agression towards this one existed before the nest existed-i have put him in his own tank but am wondering if anyone has any ideas on their social structure-i have a juvenile right now about 1/2 it size, and am wondering if when it gets bigger if i can put it in with this one. since the sex on these two are unknown i am not sure if agression is related to mate gaurding, territory (although they have been seen in groups in the wild in tree hollows) or if perhaps i have some strange one who cant get along.
have there been any studys on their social structure? everytime i pulled up the log that had the eggs, the female had her nose pointed upwards-obviously checking on the eggs with her nose. the male was never seen in this postion and more or less sat curled beside her or under her. i know dung beetles spend alot of parental care with their single offspring and have even been videotaped communicating with it. i am wondering what the female 'says' to her eggs (other than checking on their viability). there must have been some signal that told of hatching for the male to all the sudden have left the nest after his long vigil.
since the eggs all seem to be at the same state i have put them in their own tank. i figured that since dad finally left they were probably all going to hatch soon-and the amount of activity in those eggs indicates this too. the eggs started to droop like raindrops about 2-3 weeks ago. the babies butts are at the bottom of the drop and the nose pokes out of the thinning membrane from the top-near where it is attached along the 'string' to the log.
i would apreciate to hear from anyone who has ever kept more than one of these together, or had them breed, or taken care of a nest.
for one, both the male and female were in the nest almost the whole time-these two are similar in appearence-the 3rd one stayed far away. they are kept in a tall 29 gallon tank with lots of moss and damp wood. i wonder if they form permenant pair relationships-or only during the time in the nest. when i took out the eggs i looked for the other one and found he was badly bitten on the tail.(im thinking i am right that he didnt do it to himself ) actually i am not sure on the sex of the 3rd one-but since it wasnt in the nest chamber i believe it wasnt one of the parents.(unless the female would take up with another male or another female-but this doesnt seem likely from a genetic standpoint to gaurd eggs that arent yours).
i have now isolated the 3rd one, i am wondering if the other two will ever accept it, but if they have formed a permanant bond-then i guess the potential for it to be a mate is nill.the two seem very fond of each other and have never had bites before-the other one has however been bitten before when i kept them in a 15 gallon tank. at least they are kind enough to bite it on the tail which it can regrow (there are a total of 3 deep bites-no fungus or complications- but one took a divot of flesh with it)-it has no bites on the body, head, or missing feet. since agression towards this one existed before the nest existed-i have put him in his own tank but am wondering if anyone has any ideas on their social structure-i have a juvenile right now about 1/2 it size, and am wondering if when it gets bigger if i can put it in with this one. since the sex on these two are unknown i am not sure if agression is related to mate gaurding, territory (although they have been seen in groups in the wild in tree hollows) or if perhaps i have some strange one who cant get along.
have there been any studys on their social structure? everytime i pulled up the log that had the eggs, the female had her nose pointed upwards-obviously checking on the eggs with her nose. the male was never seen in this postion and more or less sat curled beside her or under her. i know dung beetles spend alot of parental care with their single offspring and have even been videotaped communicating with it. i am wondering what the female 'says' to her eggs (other than checking on their viability). there must have been some signal that told of hatching for the male to all the sudden have left the nest after his long vigil.
since the eggs all seem to be at the same state i have put them in their own tank. i figured that since dad finally left they were probably all going to hatch soon-and the amount of activity in those eggs indicates this too. the eggs started to droop like raindrops about 2-3 weeks ago. the babies butts are at the bottom of the drop and the nose pokes out of the thinning membrane from the top-near where it is attached along the 'string' to the log.
i would apreciate to hear from anyone who has ever kept more than one of these together, or had them breed, or taken care of a nest.