U.S. Animals

So, the Hynobius that are currently on the U.S. market... anybody know how they are entering? Just really wondering "Why now?". I mean, these guys are for sale in Japan, right? Why are they just now exporting to the U.S.?

What's so special about now?

greg

They're coming in from wholesalers. Their Asian sources probably just caught more then they could "unload" in Japan. Sounds like they don't travel well on the average from the postings I've read.

I'm into them because they're my local sal here in Japan, but I'd sure hate to see them being exported regularly or in large quantities from here to the U.S. as "exotic" species, especially given that the U.S. has equally or more interesting species of its own -- and lots of them.

I can see how somebody with a deep interest in salamanders might want to try their hand at keeping and even breeding hynobiids, but not your average newt/sal fancier. I mean, take Japanese black salamanders, for instance. Sure, they lay interesting egg sacs, but are they otherwise all that appealing? I'd say they're relatively plain salamanders -- in both looks and habits.

Much as I like to share my interests and spur discussion, I sometimes worry that posting pics and info about Japanese species in forums like this may inadvertently help create a demand for them where there otherwise might not have been one, and people who are in it for the money may step in to exploit the situation

Having put in my two yen, I hasten to add that it is nice to see some of the regulars here keeping hynobiids. I'm sure Henk and Paris will also appreciate having more company

I got them because of their interesting placement in the caudate family tree. I mean, it's probably the only family I've never seen alive before now (let me think... yeah.. that might actually be true).

You are right Tim. Surely a Jefferson Salamander would make an equally blah-looking pet for the average person looking for something other than a Cynops. And most folks will never see the egg mass... or care about the phylogeny of caudata.

the same is likely true for just about everything I see at reptile expos. Does the average person "get" the big deal about Chalarodon or Oplurus? What about Corucia? probably not. It's probably either a "kinda cool" or at least "cheap" pet to get and it might live and if not who cares cause it's cheap... except for Corucia which people like because it looks like E.T. Yikes.

I don't have 2 yen, but there's some pocket lint and a paper clip.



greg

Hi Greg,
So you have seen live Thorius, Pseudoeurycea and/or olms?

Ed

ok, I have to breach the question:

ET? I dunno. I think their faces look like that of a grumpy-old-man t-rex

"Why, back in my day, if you wanted fresh meat, you had gnaw off your own arms!"

"Is that why our arms are so short?"

"No, its'ta keep ya from scratchin' yourself in public, sonny"

Ed,

I said FAMILY... don't even start with genera.



greg

Ed,

and I had forgotten Rhyacotritonidae. oh well.

greg

lol

We I was surprised to hear about the import in the US and indeed they were also offered at wholesalers out here and ordered but didn't come in at the end. I think there were no more at that time. I must admit I see this with mixed feelings like I would have adored to have some extra nigresecens animals. All I have are 3 juvenile nigrescens I got last year and some more would have made it more obvious to try and make a valid breeding group. On the other hand if I see how these animals looked alike ... damn they looked awfully bad and skinny. Seeing them in that state is awfull. I think that Tim might be right and that this is surplus left over from Asia markets, and stocked too long in high temperatures with probably no food. I pretty much like working with Hynobiids since they are in fact very hardy and with the setups I have : very easy to maintain and keep. They also come pretty close to another group I really like : the mole salamander group and when it comes to keeping I find them to be quite similar. The breeding offcourse is another cup of tea where short staccato of sprinttime waterfrefreshments, well placed twigs and a cold winterperiod are important. But I think these are also thrue for my longtoed salamanders.