Tylototriton behaviours

Do Tylos have any interesting behaviours? Maybe something that enhance display value.

Or any unique behaviours?
Sean

I find most of them to be the most boring newts in terms of behavior. Some of them learn to beg quite endearingly for food. Their display value is mostly their appearance.

It depends on the species and to some extent the individual animal. T. kweichowensis in my experience are very outgoing and for the most part so are T. shanjing. The personalities of T. taliangensis seem to vary from individual to individual, some are quite outgoing while others mostly hide. Keeping T. wenxianensis is like keeping a pet enclosure, you basically have to dig them out to see them. I have no experience with the other species.
Chip

I agree mostly with Foster.Verrucoses being the more outgoing of all the Tylo's then probably being Kweichowensis,they seem to be bold even as small juveniles

I think my Tylototriton verrucosus are rather lively. If I sneak up on them, they are generally floating together peacefully amongst the weed. As soon as they know I am there they are active and swim to the front of their tank begging for food. Feeding time however they become psycho's, they are no longer placid jolly little beasts. I chuck in loads of worms, which they ignore for a while. Instead they choose to try and drive each over off. Limbs are grabbed and they demonstrate beautifully why they are called crocodile newts. Their death rolls are scary, and on more than one occasion I have had to untangle a pair from the weed

Thanks a lot for everyone's input for my assignment they have to have a display value and was worried some tylo would be to shy.
Sean

AW: Tylototriton behaviours

I have T. kweichowensis, which are like begging dogs! I have seen this behaviour also in my former group of T. shanjing. But also I have to admit that my T. asperrimus and T. wenxianensis are curious too, and they even take food from tweezers. My T. verrucosus are fully aquatic, and are the most reckless of them all, but that's pretty normal for these species.

I've noticed with my Guizhou Tylo( c.f Kweichow) has a funny way of acting when I feed her. I tap the glass to let her know it's dinner time she's looking around outside her hiding spot; so by the time I put the worm down she instantly snaps at the worm and takes it back in to her hiding spot. Hours later I would always find her on top of her hiding spot.

Well, I personally think that most behaviors performed by most species are pretty fascinating, and its even more interesting to see it first hand. I have found with most Tylototriton in the genus that they are are generally quite lively and "bold" with the more human interaction they have, however in a zoo environment they will not be able to expect as much human handling/hand feeding etc etc as they would from a Private keeper/collection. At the end of the day there is going to be tons of work for a Herptile Department in a Zoo, so their human interactions they would require to keep them as such would be quite difficult to achieve.

Don't forget, most of these species in the genus are in fact more Nocturnal or Crepuscular (excluding a few species such as the Guizhou Crocodile Newts (T.kweichowensis, striped and spotted), Himalayan Crocodile Newts (T.verrucosus) and maybe the Emperor Newt (T.shanjing) which are kind of all varied in captivity). So it is kind of a big reason as to why Zoological Collections don't really have major displays for some of the species such as the Wen Xian Knobby Newt (T.wenxianensis).

T.wenxianensis: I have found with my Wen Xian Knobby Newts, that they are largely Nocturnal, coming out to hunt purely at night periods. However, this behavior does appear to change drastically from Keeper to Keeper. I have found that they will pretty much perform the natural behaviors such as Mimicry (Playing dead) regardless of being CB or WC and as soon as they know your hanging about watching them they will simply freeze, and then as soon as you turn your back and look back again they would of gone to a hiding spot. However, like with most animals with a little bit of human contact they would become more bolder.

T.kweichowensis: I have found that the Guizhou Newt (T.cf.kweichowensis) is actually quite bold and seems to be active pretty much constantly and certainly not afraid to get some food if you offer it. The Guizhou Newt (T.kweichowensis) seems to vary with its behavior, which of course varies from Keeper to Keeper.

T.taliangensis: For the Ta Liang I have heard and found its practically the same as what Foster said, its really does vary (like everything else I have said) from each Keeper.

T.verrucosus: They are pretty much what Julia and Mr Cyclone say, they are bold as brass and seem to be not bothered by people. However (yes I am saying it again lol) this seriously varies but generally they are lively buggers.

T.shanjing: Same as the Guizhou personally.


For the members of the public, some of these behaviors for some of the species such as Wen Xian would have to be provoked which causes unneeded stress, especially if you would constantly have to dig them out of their hides to show the public whats in a apparently "empty" enclosure/display. To actually see a zoo with an exhibit and conservation programme for any Tylototriton species would be amazing, it's about time that they had some publicity as a lot of non-amphibian people don't have a clue what one is which is a shame in my opinion.... Rant over

I would never heard of Tylos if it wasn't for my course. While researching them I found out collections keep Tylos and other species off-show for breeding and research.

Trying to pick species that wont be hidden away all the time or will make an interactive exhibit so you can look for the animal.

I think T.verrucosus will be good as an exhibit as they seem robust and breed easily also allowing for a life stages exhibit. I have seen an idea i like and will be adding more to my design thread after i get round drawing it.
A lot is done with mammals so trying be different with my amphib work this year.

My T.shanjing seem very shy during the day but are really active in the evening.

An idea for my exhibit design is if you altered the lighting would this change their activity times?
Sean

Thanks again for everyone's help do tylos have a time there more active in the day? Or just at feeding times?

Sean90 said:

Thanks again for everyone's help do tylos have a time there more active in the day? Or just at feeding times?

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Definitely more during the times in morning and in the evening (Crespucular time pattern) but I have found with individuals that are more tame, that if you touch or go in the tank they will think its feeding time (Generally more commonly a Tiger Salamander behaviour).

With the Wen Xian, different story entirely. They are more of a Nocturnal species and as soon as darkness hits they throw a hunting party. Recently I had them in a room that had an infra red bulb and they were active quite instantly and thinking it was dark, must admit it is definitely a easier way to observe them.