British journal of herpetology

[han]

i'm looking for a (scanned) copy of:
a preliminary note on the care and breeding
of Bombina maxima (Boulenger 1905)in
captivity; by M. Sparreboom/P. van den Elzen
(1982); British Journal of Herpetology 6:
pp. 269-272

 

[caleb]

I'm pretty sure I have this- I'll have a look over the weekend. If not, I do have Max Sparreboom's article from the BHS Bulletin (1999, I think) which is an update of the original one. I can scan either if you want.

Do you breed maxima? I've bred them for a few years now, but I find raising the young toadlets surprisingly difficult.

 

[han]

hi!!

both articles would be great! no i'm not a maxima keeper/breeder (yet),but after 15 years of orientalis-keeping i would like to give it a try, building a new aquaterrarium and collecting as much information i can get on maxima.
so many thanks in advance for posting the articles (j.k.pit@rocu.nl).
what's the difficulty in raising the young toadlets?

han.

 

[caleb]

Hi Han,

I've emailed you about the articles.

I, and everyone I've spoken to about the toadlets, has had groups which just don't feed or die off suddenly. Serge Bogaerts suggested in his article at http://www.podarcis.nl/downloads/2000/3/eng/BombinaMaxima.pdf or http://www.podarcis.nl/downloads/2000/3/ned/ErvaringenmethethoudenenkwekenvandeReuzenvuurbuikpad.pdf
that higher temperatures might help, so I might try that this year.

 

[han]

Hi Caleb,

I've raised hundreds of orientalis-toadlets over
the years and experimented alot, especially with
temperature: the result of a cool(60-63F)slow development of eggs, larvae and tadpoles will be
a better metamorphosis, bigger and stronger toadlets, easier to feed and no mortality at all.
as far as orientalis is concerned.
like to hear about your findings this year!
thanks for taking the trouble scanning and sending
the articles!!
Han.

 

[caleb]

Hello again,

I've raised quite a few orientalis and variegata. I've had few problems with them at any temperature- I've not tried any as low as 60F, though.

I have some maxima tadpoles at the moment that are at about 15C/55F. One is metamorphosing at the moment, and it's no larger than those that metamorphosed in the summer.