Keeping Eurycea

[Elliriyanna]

I decided to go herping today and managed to catch a Eurycea .... I read on the caresheets but I want to be sure of a few things

I have a large critter keeper holds about 3 gallons of water ... However I am concerned they could squeeze out of the top?

I know most animals need planted tanks but am I right to just mimick where I found it? It was just a slow moving stream where it was hiding under a log so I was thinking Of getting a large water dish and putting soil so it can come out and give it lots of underwater hides and approx 1/4 land 3/4 water.

I have never captured and kept an animal before and if he proves to not do well in captivity I will rerelease him ( I think its male I did not look close)

These are very very common in my area however they seem to be good at hiding LOL.

My other phibs are all CB so this is all new to me.

 

[Azhael]

It would have been much preferable to have everything prepared in advance (both set-up and research) and then go looking for Eurycea.
Also, about the possibility of releasing it back if things don´t work out, be very, very careful, because you have other amphibians in your house and there is a very real possibility that crosscontamination could occur and releasing that animal would also release the pathogen. Once it has been exposed, i would advice against releasing it. That is unless you maintain a strict quarantine and isolation.

As for the set-up, just because there are few or no plants in their wild habitat it doesn´t mean they will be a problem in captivity. You could reap the benefits of having plants in the water area if you like. Beware of small water bodies because they will foul quickly and don´t have the ability to tampon chemical changes like large volumes do. You might want to use decent mechanical filtration too.

 

[Elliriyanna]

I did not know I would find anything ... I have not seen these little ones in YEARS ... I was just taking my dog for a walk and saw a stream and was like hey ... why not?

I am generally VERY careful about not cross contaminating, I also keep ACF and ADF and have separate buckets for the tanks.

I found a filter for a 3 gallon, Same kind i use to use for my bettas its a wonderful filter and the intake is in the back so it wont hurt the little one

My main concern is can it squeeze through the little bars on top of the critter keeper.

I kill plants like crazy but maybe I can get some elodea lol ... That seems to do ok.

I actually had been reading caresheets for weeks now just looking at different things but as I did not expect to get anything I did not set anything up.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Its dark now but I decided I can not keep a WC animal. Its not fair to him. I will release him tomorrow.

 

[JMH]

What Eurycea species is it?

I have kept E. guttolineata and currently keep E. cirrigera. I had kept my group E. guttolineata in a 20 gallon long with 60:40 land to water. Also had a small pump to keep the water moving and well oxygenated. Eurycea is a rather easy genus to keep, just make sure to have a tightly fitting lid, they will escape if you don't. Offer a variety of prey, they'll appreciate it.

Here is a picture of my old E. guttolineata setup for some ideas.

 

[Elliriyanna]

GREAT ... Its a white out ...