Male:female C.O. ratios

[gabby]

I'm getting 3 or 4 C. Orientalis and I was wondering what male:female ratio would produce the most larvae?

For 3: 1m:2f OR 2m:2f

For 4: 1m:3f OR 2m:2f OR 3m:1f

What combo do you recommend?

thanks,
Gabby

 

[benjamin]

I'ld say one male and 3 females. I've read that you should have two males to a female for fertility, but I had one male to one female, ended up with 183 eggs only about 9 of which were infertile.

 

[jennifer]

I think that orientalis are not picky about the gender ratio. Any of those ratios will reproduce, once they are healthy and well established. If it were me, I'd get 2:2. That way if one dies at some point, you've still got a breedable group.

Here are a couple of cautionary notes. First, many C.o. from pet shops don't make it. Do whatever you can to get healthy ones. Second, if you ever have to "replace" a newt with another one from the pet shop, quarantine is necessary, as they tend to arrive diseased. Third, there isn't much demand for captive-bred orientalis, so I'm wondering why you would want "the most larvae". I can understand wanting to raise a few, but I don't know what you'd do with a whole lot of them

 

[gabby]

Its not that I want the most larvae its just that I was curious if more males vs. more females meant more or less of a reproduction rate...

g.m.

 

[pamela]

Hi Gabby,

Raising larvae is as challenging as it is interesting. But, Jen is right, not much demand for C.o. That doesn't mean not to breed your newts, just plan on keeping the majority of the progeny. I now have my females and males separated.

There will probably be a bigger demand for C.o. in the future -- after the market dries up, and they are no longer available. Not only are they beautiful, but are quite easy to care for.

Breeding newts is a wonderful, educational, experience for sure, so go for it, at least once