Greetings from Pennsylvania

[distefan]

Hi everyone!

I've been an avid reading member since October 2008, but this is my first post. I am married with 3 children and we live in southeastern Pennsylvania, not far from Philadelphia. Although I now live in a highly developed suburban area, I grew up in much more rural circumstances and developed an intense interest in wetlands. My interest in salamanders follows that. I am most interested in locally native species and currently keep 3 notos (n.v.v.) in eft stage, though I suspect at least one will be in the water soon. I've put up an album of priceless snaps of the cuties for everyone to ogle.

When I am not caring for family & newts and not reading on caudata.org, I am a graduate student in Anthropology, specializing in Historical Archaeology. So, as you can tell, I like to get both wet and dirty Needless to say, my husband thinks both are "icky."

Looking forward to being a little more communicative, now that my workload has slacked off a bit. This is a great community!

 

[Jacquie]

Welcome aboard!

I hope you'll excuse me; but I heard mention of an album of priceless cuties and I have to look...

 

[Otterwoman]

They are pretty! Efts were my second newt (aquatic Notos were my first).

 

[distefan]

Thanks for the welcomes and nice comments! roud:

My very first pets were fingerling bass, bullheads, etc.--whatever baby game fish the folks who supplied my parents with bait for icefishing would save for me. I "played" with notos, both efts and aquatic, when we went camping, but never had any as pets.

These guys are not liking the heat too much and are hiding lots more in their little mossy caves, though they come out quickly at feeding time (typical teenagers). We have a/c, but it still gets into the low-mid 70s in the house, and since the tank is in the living room, they get what everyone else gets. Not bad yet, but I have ice bottles at the ready just in case.

I'm hoping to go to a slightly larger set-up in the fall, maybe to a 20 or 30 gal. tank, so I can add a pair of aquatic adults, but need to do my research on introducing new individuals into the community. And try to sex these guys. And decide on a design for the new tank. So much to do....:happy:

DDiS

 

[michael]

Welcome,
You'll find that their are lots of Pa. members on Caudata.org Because of Pennsylvania's peculiar native reptile and amphibian laws I prefer to keep non native salamanders.

 

[JSTER720]

Welcome, hope you have fun at the forums!

 

[Plethodonae]

Hello and welcome! I myself am from PA, and i used to have a Plethodon Cinereus, though I have been looking seriously at some Notos. Everyone tells me they are sound beginner pets, so, I'll see what money i can scrape up!

 

[distefan]

Thanks everyone for such a warm welcome!

It's great to find a whole community of folks who understand this interest and share of themselves so magnanimously. Most times I mention having newts, people say, "huh?" and if I explain that newts are salamanders, they too frequently say, "oh, lizards"--kinda like when I mention archaeology and they say, "oh, dinosaurs." (Not that I have anything against reptiles, of course!)

I hear what you're saying about peculiar laws, Michael. It amazes me how much variation there is from state to state. I maintain strong ties to NY where I was born and raised, and am more up on their regulations--I was astounded at the difference when I recently checked PA's.

DDiS