Too cold!

Jake · Jan 4, 2008

So I woke up this morning and did my routine first round in the newt room, checking every tank to make sure everyone is alive and kicking. One of the first tubs I checked looked different and well, here's what I found.....

FROZEN AXOLOTLS! (please do not try this at home, the axolotls are still alive under the ice)

madeve · Jan 4, 2008

OMG how did that happen?

i_love_necturus · Jan 4, 2008

Jake, I remembered you saying that you were leaving a window open to keep the room with the caudates cool. Were you still doing thing, I can imagine that at night the temps probably drop to freezing or less this time of year. Could this have been the case?

Jake · Jan 4, 2008

i_love_necturus said:
Jake, I remembered you saying that you were leaving a window open to keep the room with the caudates cool. Were you still doing thing, I can imagine that at night the temps probably drop to freezing or less this time of year. Could this have been the case?

That's exactly what happened. I normally leave the window open about a half inch, but the other night I left it open about two inches, and that was enough to freeze the surface of the water, but not kill the axolotls.

I used to keep my adults outside during the mild parts of winter here, and they'd survive being under a layer of ice several inches thick.

On the bright side, the N.maculosus tank is now a chilling 40 degrees F.

i_love_necturus · Jan 4, 2008

I see, I wish I could get my mudpuppy tank down to 40

.

Rei · Jan 4, 2008

Is your axolotl ok? I realize they come from the ice lakes of mexico but thats not the point XD

Jake · Jan 5, 2008

Rei said:
Is your axolotl ok? I realize they come from the ice lakes of mexico but thats not the point XD

All of the axolotls that were under ice are fine. There were about 20 of them in the tubs closest to the window, but all are alive and well.

Ryan-Maybe try a garden pond. I have a ring that floats in mine to keep it from freezing solid. Or just do what I do, and keep your window open in the winter, it's worked for me and at least one other member of the forum.

Neotenic_Jaymes · Jan 5, 2008

awesome.....i;ve heard of poeple keeping axolotls in out door ponds that freeze over the winter. as long as the pond never completely freezes up they ok....and hey jake how are the necturus maculosus???? are they doing fine

i_love_necturus · Jan 5, 2008

Well I actually have setup a garden pond but it is realy gross and I no one has done anything with it. I think in the spring we'll drain it get a filter + pump and go from there. So I'll have to see. I can't open the window because my family would kill me, I sleep down there, and I just can't because lots of people hang around down there.

Kaysie · Jan 5, 2008

Oh the joys of having a dedicated herp room. I've yet to freeze mine over, but on days when the projected temp is greater than 20F, I usually leave the windows open. Although lately we've been getting temps down into the teens, and I've accidently left the window open a time or two. I've never had it dip below 40F in there though (that I've noted).

Jake · Jan 6, 2008

The coldest air temperature for the newt room as a whole was 39 degrees F. That was last week. I left the window open a bit too much one night when it was about 20 degrees, but in the morning it was only 7 outside, so the tubs near the window froze a bit. I should have measured the air temp when that happened though, it was really cold, I could see my breath. Most of my tank temps from day to day are pretty stable though, any increace or drop in temps in there are really gradual.

The N.maculosus are doing great, thanks!

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