Breeding Question

JoshBA · Jun 11, 2013

I plan on purchasing a group of either cynops ensicauda or cynops ensicauda popei in the near future. I intend on breeding them (once they reach maturity) but am uncertain about a few things: Do I have to worry about inbreeding if a purchase a group bred from the same parents? Should I purchase from multiple sources?
For terrestrial juveniles: How old must they be before there are no risks of drowning (once adapted to semi aquatic tank)? Could they be added to a paludarium with a large terrestrial area and large aquatic area? I am aware c. ensicauda and c.e.popei do better aquatic as juveniles than c. orientalis.

Azhael · Jun 11, 2013

Well, since most breeders of either subspecies have reproductives that are WC or F1, F2, the issue of inbreeding is not an inmediate worry. In most lines, very few endogamjic crosses have occured, if any.
That being said, taking steps to avoid an endogamic event is always a good idea, and i would encourage you to do so. After all, if everybody breeds endogamously because it´s not that big of an issue, it will become one.

otolith · Jun 11, 2013

Multiple sources would always be preferable to me as long as they are verifiably the same species. This is especially a concern with H. orientalis and C. e. ensicauda given how many races there are and much less of a problem with C. e. popei. In general though breeding related animals is not typically an issue but is definitely not ideal.

Of the species you mention I have only kept Popei. They were quick to take to water as juveniles but they did not develop the intense bright gold blotching seen in the wild, more small flecks and red bars. Some keepers feel that the gold coloration becomes more pronounced with a longer terrestrial period as juveniles. I think a paludarium set up would be fine as long as the animals can easily exit the water and have plenty of floating plants.

JoshBA · Jun 11, 2013

Okay, I'll make sure to purchase from various sources or some at different times to avoid inbreeding.
I'll keep the juveniles in a small terrestrial setup initially, to get them used to eating or make sure they will accept certain types of foods. The paludarium that I'm designing will have a large land area with soil and plants, so apart from a large water area, it won't be very different from the terrestrial setup. I'm assuming they will stay on the land in the paludarium and venture into the water when they mature.

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