Eurycea lucifuga

[toolofnin]

Any idea of how much i should expect to pay for Eurycea lucifuga(cave salamander). I've found a guy that has a few of them that are adults. Always looking for a new breeding challenge.

 

[Otterwoman]

Something unique and rare like that has no "fair" price. But really, something that unique and rare shouldn't be removed from the wild. I wouldn't participate in that.

 

[Azhael]

I completely agree...
This species is very hard to breed in captivity, like most plethodontids, continuing to take animals from the wild is not going to change that (what needs to be changed is the husbandry and general care). If you want to experience a new challenge with breeding a new species (i´m glad you do xD), there are many options that don´t require dealing with WC animals.

 

[toolofnin]

well, they were removed from a basement and were going to be killed by the home owner who was terrified. I would completely agree if they had been removed from a more "natural" environment, but in this case it is not. From what the consensus seems on this site it is not in the best interest of the species to be reintroduced, so should they just be euthenized and forgotten about? Besides if they are that rare, any information learned by keeping them in captivity on their habits and behavior could be a great resource down the line. Just my thoughts on preservation.

 

[deliriah]

I agree with Dawn and Azhael, it's best not to get involved. But in this situation I can see the issue. If they were going to be killed I can't say I would just walk away from that. And I agree that any info learned from keeping them could be beneficial. Just be careful, this is tricky dilema.

 

[Otterwoman]

Well, in a situation like that, of course keep them. Good luck! Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe you can talk the person into giving them to you for science's sake.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Are you sure they are E. lucifuga and not E. longicauda? I would expect to find longicauda in a basement.

 

[toolofnin]

They are completely lacking the "herringbone" pattern on the tail, which i know are not always there on longicauda. Unfortunately as for intercostal grooves, the only one i was able to look at had 14, so no help there. They are a dark red/orange, and have the scattered small spotting,but more concentrated in two general longitudinal rows.

 

[taherman]

They sound like lucifuga, which commonly show up in people's basements in certain parts of the country.

As for price, since they are technically "wild" collected animals, they are probably illegal to sell and buy. Depending on which state you live in, they may be illegal to keep as well (OH, TN...not illegal to keep, but illegal to collect, off the top of my head). Check into the laws in your state and the state where they are coming from.

As for keeping them in general, they make awesome captives are very interesting and hardy animals to keep as long as you meet their temperature requirements. If it is legal where you live, I'd highly recommend it. Cave salamanders are typically VERY abundant in regions with appropriate limestone geology. There is a serious lack of appreciation for our native salamander species, and if only people who crawl into caves to find them are exposed to these species, it is highly unlikely the situation will improve in the future. Breeding them is a challenge, but not impossible. I can share what I know about it with you if you'd like.

Good luck!
Tim