Breeding California Tiger Salamanders?

[David Tobler]

This might seem very obscure to you all... I'm wording it this way to protect the various parties that may be involved.

Let's say Joe Herper had a group of full grown adult (and obviously overweight) California Tiger Salamanders, and he'd like to breed them. So in order to do so he has attempted to "cool" them down for a few months during the winter to 55 F. THEN, he raised their temps back to the low 70's. Tossed them back into their original enviroment that's scaped with soil and a small pool of water, that's kept in the low 70's. At no point did Joe try to provide any sort of rainy season for his CTS.

Joe has the permits to keep and breed the CTS, and lives in the CTS range.

Now, what has Joe Herper done wrong? Why won't his tiger's breed? Wouldn't you think he'd have better success trying to breed them outdoors?

 

[John]

Tiger salamander breeding has been discussed several times, along with descriptions of successes. Do a search for it on the forum. Your friend is highly unlikely to breed them indoors.

 

[rigsby]

Its a mystery why your friend Joe has failed when so many other people have , well, failed.
Wish i knew the answer David, i've tried and think it would be easier to breed plant pots.

 

[Jake]

Tiger salamanders generally return to the same vernal pool they were born at every year to breed. If the pool dries up or houses are built over it they still return every year. Not having that pool available could be one of the reasons for no success.

Another valid reason, which may or may not affect this subspecies, is the temperature. I know the winters here get pretty harsh, and I know that under ground where the tigers stay for winter it doesn't get as cold as the surface, but it definitely gets pretty cold. People might not have great success with them because they are simply keeping them too warm to trigger breeding behavior. You would probably have to over winter them at nearly freezing temperatures to have a better shot, but I'm not so sure if that applies to California tigers. Also, breeding is normally triggered by the first warm rain of the year and they'd need much more than just a small dish of water to breed in.

Just my opinion though, I could be totally wrong.

 

[David Tobler]

I'd have to agree about the cold temps these tigers experience. I've personaly found CTS on the crawl on 40F nights. Most of the time it's about 45 to 48 F the nights I see them. I didn't record the temps one of the last nights I was observing CTS migration, though it was WINDY and very cold. I'd say below 40 F, though I can't be for sure on that.

 

[Jake]

Around here the A.tigrinum will make the migration across melting snow on the ground.

 

[supergrappler]

Are you finding your specimens around Olcott Lake out in Dixon? Man these salamanders used to be much more common, along with red-legged frogs, and w.spadefoots. But nowadays I am lucky to find any amphibians in the Sacramento area.

I would like to get a permit to breed these salamanders to possibly reintroduce them back into extirpated vernal pools.