eastern newts for sale? pond usage? tiger sals?

i was wondering if any of you guys know breeders or suppliers of eastern newts (red spotted newt) or tiger sals. what do you think about putting them together in a half water half land set up with at last a 75 gallon? what do you think about putting eastern newts (stocking them) in a backyard pond in michigan? thanks!

-chip

chipstahoy said:

i was wondering if any of you guys know breeders or suppliers of eastern newts (red spotted newt) or tiger sals.

Click to expand...

You can try putting an ad in the "wanted" section of this forum. Both species are commonly available, but almost exclusively wild-caught, not bred. If you are in Michigan, it would be better ecologically to find your own eastern newts than to buy wild-caught ones from distributors.

chipstahoy said:

what do you think about putting them together in a half water half land set up with at last a 75 gallon?

Click to expand...

No way. The size difference is much too much. The easterns would be dinner.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml

chipstahoy said:

what do you think about putting eastern newts (stocking them) in a backyard pond in michigan? thanks!

Click to expand...

If you can find local eastern newts, yes. If you buy the newts, no.

Nice to meet another Chip on the forum. As a disclaimer I do not keep either eastern newts or tiger salamanders but I will try to answer your questions based on general knowledge. Eastern newts are not widely bred in the US. Apparently some subspecies are easier to breed than others. Placing a want ad in the classifed section of this website may help. They may at times be seen at pet stores however I think that this is less common now compared to previous years. Here in VA it is illegal to sell any native herp so they have pretty much disappeared from the petstore scene altogether. This may be true in your state as well, you would have to check the state game and fisheries website. Also since both of the species that you are asking about are native to the US you should check your local and state laws to make sure that it is legal to even own them. Tiger salamanders are available with some regularity in the trade as WC individuals. Again I do not think that there are that many people in the US producing CB animals in any appreciable quantity. Tiger salamanders have voracious appetites (large individuals can take mice) and eastern newts can have poisonous secretions when harrassed so do not mix them. It is a good general rule not to mix salamanders with any other animals, including other species of salamanders. As far as stocking your pond, I think that it would be much better to leave it be and see what shows up instead. If eastern newts are not native to your area then you definitely do not want to stock them. There are already way too many problems both here in the US and worldwide associated with introduced species.
Chip

In Michigan, if you plan to collect your own animals, you'll need a fishing license. You can collect (I believe) 10 specimens a year. The best time to find them is in the spring.

You can find both of these species in Michigan. They're both 'common' in that they're not endangered. If you have a pond in your back yard, chances are the animals will find their way there themselves. If you have fish in your pond, though, the animals won't utilize it.

Hey Jen,
We must have responded to Chip's question at approximately the same time. I usually do not respond if someone else already has unless I think that I can offer something useful. When I read his initial post there were no replies.
Chip

hey guys-
thanks for the quick and helpful responses. i've had a tiger sal before and i know they can eat a lot, so i wasn't really thinking it was going to work, i just wanted to double check.

so since i was thinking of having at least a 75 gallon (maybe even a 135 gallon) tank, i was thinking that it might work to have some other native species in with the eastern newts. half water half land might give them adequate room to be on their own, but still have some inhabitants of the land more? i was thinking something like a grey tree frog, or maybe even your usual leopard or green frog. what do you guys think about that?

anyway, i appreciate all your guys' info and knowledge. this forum is sweet!

-chip

btw - it's always nice to meet another chip. that's awesome!

Both R. pipiens and R. clamitans would both eat Notopthalmus if given the chance. Then you'd have a dead newt and a dead frog.

Mixed species tanks are frowned upon. There's too much risk.