Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Illness/Sickness: Dead P. ruber

BwKilcoyne

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
61
Reaction score
0
Location
Zephyrhills, FL
Hello,
I recently got three captive bred P. ruber. When I got them they all appeared to be healthy, although I rarely saw the third. Today, I found one of them dead He normally hid and I am assuming he was at least partially decayed since he had a pretty strong smell when I found him, but he was not desiccated. Based on the behavior of the other two I am assuming it was the one that was hiding. Does anyone have any ideas what could have caused the death? The other two salamanders have been behaving normally with no obvious signs of illness or anything The third had no signs of illness either though so I am concerned. I have been feeding them fruit flies. I use reverse osmosis water for their water bowls. Their tank stays at about 68 degrees Fahrenheit and around 55-60% humidity. I have included pictures of both the deceased salamander as well as their tank. Thank you.
 

Attachments

  • 23610.jpeg
    23610.jpeg
    174.1 KB · Views: 192
  • 23607.jpeg
    23607.jpeg
    175.3 KB · Views: 147
  • 20190607_161027.jpg
    20190607_161027.jpg
    583.6 KB · Views: 158
Last edited:

khalfrogo

New member
Joined
Jun 11, 2019
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Surrey
I'm sorry to hear about the passing of the little one! The aspect of care that really sticks out to me is the temperature; these guys prefer it between 55F - 60F, with 65F being the absolute maximum. They can live at higher temperatures for short periods of time but it's not ideal. I've also heard that this species tends to do better in a terrarium that is half water, half land rather than 2/3 land. Hope this helps!
 

Otterwoman

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
6,617
Reaction score
102
Location
Wappingers Falls, NY
I know someone who raised them in all water but with a big floating cork island. Lots of broken pottery substrate piled up a few inches. He breeds them all the time.
 

BwKilcoyne

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
61
Reaction score
0
Location
Zephyrhills, FL
Sorry for the late response. I took your advice on them and did some more research on them as well. The two I have left are still doing well, although they spend most of their time around the water bowl on land. I have gotten them a significantly larger water bowl and set up a mistking. I have the mistking on the hygrostat with it set for 55% humidity during the day and 65% at night. It is actually not to often though I find them in the water bowl now, they do not seem particularly interested in going in it. They are almost always under it though. I have them in a salamander room and have dropped the room to 64 during the day and it gets a couple degrees colder at night, which is the coldest I can keep the room. Other sources claim they like running water and I thought about setting up a bubbler in their water bowl with a valve to keep it on low but I am worried about gas bubble disease. Would you recommend that? I have had poor experience with 50/50 tanks and they do not seem interested in the water at all anyway. They went in the water more when the room was warmer.
 

Xionenix

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Jacksonville Florida
They went into the water more because of the temperature spike, I have a small usb pump with a foam siphon tip and blocked off by rocks that keeps anything important from being sucked in.
You can also use a frozen water bottle to keep the terrarium cooler if you don't have a chiller set up.
Don't use a bubbler IMO
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top