Eggs? I'm not ready to be a grandpa!!!!!

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sparkyr99

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HEEEELLLLPPPPPP!!!!!
I think they're laying eggs! There's spermataphores in the water dish, and the male is running circles around the female and the tank. The female just hopped in the water dish. If they do lay eggs what do I need to do? Where do i start? What do i need? I wasn't expecting this to happen this soon. I am starting to Freak out!!! I am completely unprepared! I went to the pet store today and bought some supplies to set them up in a larger tank this weekend, and I came home to this. Please help!
 
Well, it would be nice to know the exact species, but I'd set up a 5 gallon with an air bubbler, and toss in some dry leaves from the yard if there are no pesticides out there. Then put the eggs in there. By they time they hatch there should be some small life from the leaves but if not anyway, you can mince black worms and raise them on that.
If you have a real real lot of eggs, you can use a larger tank.
 
This is why you never leave teenagers home alone!

Alternately, if you do get eggs, you can sell them to other members of the forum who would like to raise them.
 
Sorry, they are T. shanjing, (or a cross with shanjing and kiechow). There's a couple of spermataphores in the water dish, and one really fat female hanging out in the dish, but as of yet theres no eggs in the area that I can see. The male chased her all evening, and is currently sitting on the edge of the dish guarding her, flipping his tail all over. Earlier during the day one of them pushed a couple chunks of moss and leaves in the water dish so I can't see everything thats going on. I'm gonna wait until the action settles down before rooting around looking for eggs. I did a little research last night and feel a little more comfortable with the possibility of rearing the young now, It was just a moment of panic. Thanks
 
Why do you think they might be a cross? People often guess that something might be a cross. My guess is that cross bred Tylototriton are pretty rare. If you intentionally crossed them prepare to be pooh poohed.
 
Michael, I saw a tread by Alex a few weeks ago asking for an Tylotriton I.D. His shanjings look exactly like mine, with a black head, and somebody mentioned that they thought they might be a "natural" cross. I'm not convinced, but they don't look like other shanjing's i've seen, but I guess it's possible. I purchased them from a friend of mine who works at a specialty pet shop, his area of specialty is Dart frogs. He hand picked them for me, and said they were T. shanjing, and they were wild caught, but that's all the info he could give me. It really doesn't matter to me if they are a cross, I didn't buy them to breed them, I bought them to enjoy. But it seems that nature has it's own agenda because i've got some eggs now.

Heres a pic, head like kweichow, body like shanjing.
 

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They were WC, so it's a misnomer to describe them as a "cross". They are a geographical variant that resembles the two species in question.

Is there any chance that you could give them a large water dish?
 
Taxonomy of Tylototriton is still being worked on. I'd probably just call ones like that T. kweichowensis. Thank goodness it isn't a hobbyist made cross but just another confusing Tylototriton. If they are kweichowensis they will like to swim a lot. Of course with the taxonomy of shanjing being worked out it appears some types of shanjing also like to swim. Who'd a thunk it.
 
Just a question, did you anything to induce them to breed? I have some that I would like to breed and all advice is welcome.
 
Jenn, they're currently in a 10 gallon habitat. (due to over silicone-ing of my 40 gallon, the tank still has overpowering vinager smell). the waterdish I have in the 10 gallon for them is a large/deep dish, it takes up approx. half the tank. This weekend I put together a 20 gallon that is 70% land and 30% water (I'll post pics when I get a chance), and the water end is maybe 3 inches deep and filtered. I think i'm going to scrap the 40, i've got plans for a 3ft. by 5ft. built-in this spring. They do love the water, so maybe it will be 50% land, 50% water.

Alex, The only thing i've done differently lately is not clean the water dish for the last 5 days, and let the water level drop to about half. It's been crazy at work. So they haven't got the attention they usually get.

The eggs that i've gotten so far have been removed and are in a 3 gallon with an airstone. there's only 20 so far.
 
The weird thing is, my newts never seem to go into the water dish. Its not that deep, its about 2 inches deep.
 
Update: I'm pretty sure none of the eggs laid are viable. They are still milky clear and have a distinct odor in the tank. No embryos. Hopefully the next time they lay, luck will be on our side. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Any update on the eggs? Did they develop or duds?
Alex, I set up a breeding protocol for T. shanjing that worked the first year. The tank was in an area that was quite cool in the winter (probably in the 50s) and I reduced light times and only misted infrequently with shallow water. Then in the spring, the light was slowly increased, I misted more frequently and deepened the water level. Within a month they had laid about 60 eggs. I ended up with about 50 larvae.
 
They were all duds. After she laid them and I placed the eggs in another tank to observe them, (slowly rot) I moved them into a new habitat. Since then they've been very secretive. Maybe a cave wasn't such a good idea huh? They only come out at night, and with a lot of coaxing, to feed. I've observed no other courting behavior. So maybe next year.
 
Well, at least you know that she will lay, which is a good start.
 
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