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P. serratus ratios

JMH

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Hey guys, I just recently found 3.3 (very likely) P. serratus. I decided to set them up in individual pairs. Each pair is in a 76 oz container with a 60:40 ABG:leaf litter substrate and a few 2-3 inch long PVC pieces buried into the substrate.

I was just interested in seeing how others keep them and in what ratios. Also any breeding tips would be great.

Thanks!
 

TristanClark

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That sounds fine as this isn't a very particular species when it comes to habitat or what they need in a setup. I find them everywhere and have kept them for a little while. Keep it moist and add alot of flat bark pieces. The hardest thing for me was finding food small enough. I have no experience breeding them but it sounds fine. Do you have any pics of the setup?
 

JMH

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Sorry for taking so long to get some pictures up. All three groups seem to be doing well and are apparently eating fruit flies and possibly springtails.
 

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jaster

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Those setups look pretty ideal. I love the use of tupperware for Plethodontids, but keeping it enclosed and moist is also good for fungi. I would always clean and introduce new soil from the woods during warm months. That would also help to bring in more little bugs for food, which I guess is what you're relying on? If you dont know how already, taking a two liter bottle, cutting of and inverting the top, filling it with leaf litter (with moist substrate in the bottom of the bottle) and placing it under a desk lamp or any light source is a good way to capture little bugs like springtails to add to your enclosures. I plan on getting some more salamanders to tend for this year, all I have at the moment are frogs.... I suspect I'll be doing a lot of this. Good luck with the breeding!
 

Yahilles

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What's wrong with fungi as long as the salamanders are healthy? In nature, under logs, stones and foliage the fungi live along with the caudates.
 

JMH

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I like using a substrate that I trust and know, so I like to use either sphagnum or ABG. Plus, I can easily see what and if the animals have eaten the food I have offered.

Like Janusz mentioned, no need to worry about mold or fungus. I have about 20-25 holes poked into each lid and open them up twice a week for feeding and maintenance, providing plenty of air exchange to occur. Also fungus is good (for the most part), anything uneaten by the animals will be eaten by the fungus, making my job a bit easier.

I am also working with three different springtails, 4 different isopods, and both Drosophila sp., so collecting wild bugs is not necessary. But that would be a good method for collecting them.
 
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