Question: Cooling period

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kiathepooch

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After hunting on Caudata culture and through the forums,i'm still confused about the cooling period with regards to newts.Do you have to have a winter cooling period or is it only if you want them to breed?
Either way it's getting pretty cold where my newts are at the moment so i was just curious as to if it's purely to kinda get them to breed?

Almost forgot,this is for Italian alpines.
 
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The cooling period may be necessary for reproduction depending on the species. In the case of Ichthyosaura alpestris, they do need a cool winter period in order to breed well. The necessary hormonal changes are triggered by the cold. Males may or may not need it but females will. Even if you don´t wish to breed them, a cool period (although not necessarily as cool) will promote a healthy hormonal cycle, a good inmune system, etc.
I.alpestris does very well in cold water, they´d be happy to be at 15ºC or less year-round if given the chance.
 
Thanks Azhael!
I'm not looking to breed them just yet,but will let the water temp drop for cooling now I know that the female particularly will need it.
Is 3 months cooling ok or does it need to be shorter?the temp will be around 9-10 degrees.
Ive read up about breeding/larvae/juvenile care just in case!
 
3 months is perfectly ok. Less may be sufficient, but an extended cool period will certainly not harm them. As i say, they thrive in cold temps, they really do, so don´t worry about keeping them cold for too long, there´s no such thing, hehe.

Good luck with them, it´s such a fantastic species. If they are adults, expect them to breed :D it´s a pretty easy species. Luckily the juveniles are among the easiest to raise when it comes to small bodied newts, so you shouldn´t have any trouble.
 
Just to add about the temps, mine were in an outside brick shed through the cold winter a couple of years ago and we had a power cut for 2 days. I went out to find the tank iced over, the newts were fine and I had the best breeding season ever.

Dave
 
Azhael-they're adults!im just nervous about them breeding,though I could always offer the eggs on here and keep a few my first time round.they are gorgeous though and mine seem so inquisitive!
Wargar-that's good to know because on occassion I spend so much time out of the house and turn the heating off so temps can drop very low!
 
If you end up with a bunch of eggs and have a way of sending them to cheshire, I'd be only too happy to take them off your hands :)
 
I'll keep you in mind Angie and give you a shout if I end up with eggs-I'm only in Lancashire so shouldn't be a problem getting them to you!
 
Nice one! Feel free to pm me if you end up with a clutch :)
 
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