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Wild Lissotriton vulgaris

Igneous

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Yesterday we went out for a corona-proof picnic. After driving around a while enjoying the landscape and trying to find a nice spot we ended up on a hillside with a meadow and some bushes overlooking a small town.

Just around the corner there was a really small puddle covered with reeds and grasses. Although I knew the chances would be very slim, my curciosity got the better of me and I had to check the puddle for any possible salamanders. Pretty quickly I thought I saw a tail, so I got my hands dirty and founda few salamanders. I caught a pair and left he rest of the puddle in peace.
Back home I checked which kind of salamander I got, and it seems to be a pair of Lissotriton vulgaris. I've put them in my paludarium. and fed both a worm. However I also found out that it's prohibited to disturb them. You may only keep them captive when they are purchased from a licensed breeder. I intend to breed with them and take good care of them, but can't find a way to get a license to do so. Neither could I find any licensed breeders.


What would you advise? I can't return them to the spot where I found them any time soon. I could set them free in a similar enviroment nearby, but I read that they will return to the puddle where they are born wich will result in death. Or I can keep them and try to breed with them, setting free their offspring in the wild.

In hindsight it clearly would have been best to leave them alone, but unfortunatly that ship has sailed. So what would be best to do right now?
 

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Herpin Man

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Releasing them into a similar environment nearby isn't a viable option. They should only be released where they were found. If you can't do that- and I don't want to entice you into a life of crime- keep them until you can get back to where they were found. If there is any chance that they could come into contact with other amphibians (and/or items that touch them) they shouldn't be released at all.
 

Igneous

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If there is any chance that they could come into contact with other amphibians (and/or items that touch them) they shouldn't be released at all.

Thanks for the reply! Why shouldn't they be released when they've been in contact with other amphibians? Just out of curiousity, because they are currently the only occupents of the paludarium, besides some freshwater snails and isopods.

I'm personally leaning towards keeping them and taking on the job of releasing their offspring into similar puddles in the region. I read that in the wild they only get to live to an average of 7 years old. While in captivity that's between around 25 up to 28 years! I'll do some more research in how to become a licensed breeder.
 

Herpin Man

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If they come into contact with harmful pathogens, they could spread to wild populations. Diseases like BSAL and chytrid are decimating amphibian populations around the globe, due to being spread between species and populations.
 

MnGuy

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Thanks for the reply! Why shouldn't they be released when they've been in contact with other amphibians? Just out of curiousity, because they are currently the only occupents of the paludarium, besides some freshwater snails and isopods.

I'm personally leaning towards keeping them and taking on the job of releasing their offspring into similar puddles in the region. I read that in the wild they only get to live to an average of 7 years old. While in captivity that's between around 25 up to 28 years! I'll do some more research in how to become a licensed breeder.

The ideal situation is to return the adults to the puddle where you got them ASAP. Why can't you go there now if you were there the other day? Find a way. Never take a wild animal out of its natural habitat against the law or regulations. Always know the law first. If you don't, leave the animal alone, whatever it is -- newt, fish, frog, invert, etc.

However, if there are other amphibians in your home it is generally not a good idea to release them back in the wild in case they have contracted anything from the other animals through cross contamination, etc.

Do not breed them and release their fry into the wild. Only people who are trained should do that. You're a hobbyist who should not even attempt it. Again, those fry would be raised in captivity with no proven scientific measures in place to ensure they are not introducing pathogens, etc. into the wild from their time in captivity.

Please be more responsible all around in your actions.
 

Igneous

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Do not breed them and release their fry into the wild. Only people who are trained should do that. You're a hobbyist who should not even attempt it. Again, those fry would be raised in captivity with no proven scientific measures in place to ensure they are not introducing pathogens, etc. into the wild from their time in captivity.

Please be more responsible all around in your actions.

Alright, I meant well. But thanks for pointing it out to me.
Could you inform me on how to become more 'trained' in breeding newts? I'm eager to learn.

I agree that it wasn't the reponsible thing to do to disturb the animals and take them without knowing the species.
 

Igneous

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I couldn't keep them knowing I they came from the wild. So I've released them back into the wild at the same spot I found them. Their bellies filled with worms.

Going to change the paludarium to just aquatic creatures for now, not even sure if I'm going to keep any newts at this time.
 

juraj

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I couldn't keep them knowing I they came from the wild. So I've released them back into the wild at the same spot I found them. Their bellies filled with worms.

Going to change the paludarium to just aquatic creatures for now, not even sure if I'm going to keep any newts at this time.
Good decision
 
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