Question: Land time for C.Orientalis

Hi all,

It's been awhile since I've posted - working, three sons in baseball my husband and I coach, the wildlife club the boys started and keeping house have kept me busy!

My male adult newt has been spending a lot of time on the turtle dock - maybe for several weeks. It's odd in that once he went terrestrial, 2 years ago, I've almost never seen him on land.

I've checked the water chemistry, did a partial change (nothing too major out of line, only slightly elevated nitrite, ammonia), and checked the temperature. Still, he's out of the water more than in.

Any thoughts? The female is on the other 1/2 of the tank and has only been seen once during the day out of the water. There is a tank divider. Could it be that they need more space? I've been so sidetracked with their offspring spread out in 4 tanks that I've yet to get them two separate tanks, so they're sharing a 10 gallon now, water level is filled pretty high, for about a year - wasn't my plan - need to get another tank this weekend.

Thanks,
Dana

I meant to say that once he went aquatic he was barely ever seen on land until last month.

Dana

Dana,
Good to see you back! Sorry I can't help with your problem as it sounds like you covered all the basics to first check. Though I might be inclined to do another few small partial water changes only to eliminate perhaps something that is in the water that your aren't testing for...Though the female is still in the water so I am unsure what that means.

Thanks, Rick. Yes, I've been crazy busy and after the tragedy, which I should share with the forum at some point, I was a little depressed!

I run the filter only sporadically and we are trying to get another fish tank up and running but the pH is really high. I discussed that issue before here and no one thought the high pH would pose a problem.

I also 2-3 of the juveniles in one tank that have been hanging in the water pretty exclusively. I'll give it more time and then have to make a call as to whether or not they're ready to go aquatic. We're nearing the 1 year mark next month when the first morphs emerged, so I don't think these are ready just yet.

W/ the adult tank, I'm worried about the male a little - noticed he didn't eat his bloodworms the other day which were hung up in some java moss. My white worm culture died off and I'm out of blackworms. I don't think I can tackle chopping earthworms, but I think I need to get something live for him.

Thanks - I have been doing small changes and had lost my turkey baster which is now found and got a lot of grunge out from the bottom,so fingers are crossed. It's hot here already - but their tank isn't too high.

Dana

Is it possible that sometime ago, the water b/c too stressful for the newt and now it just try to avoid it? Maybe the newt was not too healthy already and a sudden small stress might have triggered the hidden sickness? Is the male a CB or WC? It might be possible that the condition of the WC was so bad that the newt might get sick very easily. I had two WC that suddenly rejected food and adding adnormal and eventually died. I never observe this from my CB, so I figure that it might had to do with their WC/petshop condition ...etc history. Both of these died newts were originally in terrible conditions at the petshop, I got them simply with the intention to help them recover. Both died after a year or so of keeping.

But I do have a few newts that was originally in bad condition and recovered with very clean cold water and healthy live food. Good luck with your male newt.

Yes, he was WC but we've had him for 2 + years. It's only in the past month that he's spending so much time on land. He and the female have been separated, but she climbed the divider one day and I was bracing for another round of eggs (have 50 juveniles from them, so I assume they were healthy or wouldn't have reproduced.) I think I get sloppy when I lost the turkey baster and there was build up at the bottom, but I've since relocated it and things appear to be pretty good - not spotless by any means, but fine.

At first I thought he was doing something to try to get his mate's attention, but now I'm concerned. I'm going to take him out and see if he eats while in a smaller bowl. I keep rechecking the water, but it's perfect. We are getting HOT here and I always have an eye on the temp. I may move him to a cooler room for awhile.

Thanks,
Dana