Plant Propogators as raising nurseries/ enclosures

[terry]

Hello folks,
Does anyone here use plant propogators as enclosures or nurseries to raise their metamorphed newts/salamanders?

The reason why I asked is because I've got a lot of those lying around and was wondering if they would be suitable as a make shift nursery?

 

[john]

plant propogators? Is this like a flat used to start seeds?

 

[terry]

It is more like a box or a tray with a plastic cover and two or more ventilation slits which can be opened or closed.

 

[ester]

They seem pretty ok to me. Nice large surface area only minor downside is that you can't get more than a 2-3cm water depth. The lid is nice to keep the newts from escaping once they begin morphing.

Have you figured yet where you are going to get the water fleas?

 

[mark]

I’ve thought about using them before but never given it a go. The obvious flaws are that plant propagators are designed to provide warmth, humidity, maximum light and suitable drainage. If you could plug the drainage holes (to stop escapees), improve the ventilation and keep it away from sunlight I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

 

[terry]

Hello ester!
Yes i do know where to get water fleas. fortunately i live nearby a lot of big and small bodies of water around me here in A'dam zuid-oost. In spring there are tonnes of daphnia and other microscopic "zooplankton" in the freshwaters, just a single small "schepnetje" full provides me with loads of goodies! ( i do of course sort out what is withing the catch since damselfly larvae and other unwanted invertebrates get included often enough.

Mark and Ester: As for propogators, I have a fairly larged sized one which allows possibly 2-5 cms water. Placing it at an angle, it does provide a sort of gentle slope towards a sort of bank. Am experimenting with a make shift one with just some reptibark stones and moss on top. I placed it upon an old tree stump at an angle and opened the ventilation slits on one side. The rains this autumn filled up a decent enough area in the propogator and the other land part seems to be fairly dry enough and not soggy. No newts are contained within because, as I said, it was a test. Temperatures inside remained a lovely 15 degrees at night. Too warm?

(Message edited by terryschild on October 25, 2005)

 

[pollywog]

I have used plant propagators to raise juvenile anurans, they work well, the only problem I had was that with such low sides to trays when the lid is removed the wee critters would easily hop out, this shouldn't be such a problem with caudates.

 

[terry]

Well these wee little beasties will not be able to climb out of the propogator I have prepared for them as the "Great Eye"is ever watchful!.
Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[terry]

Folks,
I decided to post some pictures of the propogators I mentioned to give you folks an idea of what I mean:

This one contains moss on the right and sphagnum moss growing on the left. Yes I have checked the PH level of the water as I was afraid that the living sphagnum would soften the water.

Here is the dry nursery:

It is basically a large plastic shoebox I bought in the Hema (supermarket chain here in NL) and it contains broadleaf litter and soil from a clean forest about 3 inches deep topped with more pillow moss of different varieties. The cover is being worked on as I still need to drill holes to provide adequate ventilation.

Nothing lives in these enclosures at the moment as I still am testing them to see if they are suitable. comments and recommendations?

Terry