Small terrestrial setup for CFBN.

[BouBou]

Hi.
I would like to present You my terrarium-box 38x33x16[cm]. It is filled with universal soil (pH about 5.5-6.5) to one third of height. Reservoir with water is about 18x13x5[cm]. There is no artificial lighting, only sunlight- this setup lays next to the window. Flora consists of Callisia repens, Fittonia, Hedera, Tradescantia, Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', Cryptocoryne and so on. I provided ventilation doing little leaks on opposite walls of tank. Rectangle cut out of the cover matters too in this issue. I counteracted eventual escape by localizing stones on the corners of lid.




Inhabitant- Hypselotriton orientalis adult adapted to life on land, during the day prefer hiding among the plants, especially in the midst of Callisia repens.




Greetings
Michal.

 

[esnailme]

I really like your setup. It is beautiful. Will the newt be able to escape by climbing up the plants or it this area pretty much escape proof?

 

[BouBou]

The plant would rather bend under the influence of newt's weight. Otherwise I don't think that this newt is enough agile to climb up on it.

 

[MelancholyMiss]

Wow! Bet he LOVES that

 

[esnailme]

Did you have to let plants catch (as in make sure the plants would survive) before you added the cfbn?

how does the newt find its food? What do you feed the newt?

I want a setup like yours.:happy:

 

[Molch]

sweet! Lovely setup.
I wouldn't underestimate the newt's climbing skills, however - I'd be worried that one fine day he'd find his way out of that hole via the plants.

Other than that, if I die and come back as a newt, I'd want to move right in!

 

[evut]

Hypselotriton orientalis adult adapted to life on land

Can I ask why? I've never heard about this species being terrestrial as adults.

 

[Mark]

I don't think that this newt is enough agile to climb up on it.

Believe me, your newt can climb those plants and escape. Never assume they don't have the ability. Over the years I have uttered the phrase "How the heck did you get up there?!" more times than I can remember.

 

[BouBou]

Thanks You all. I put the newt inside for the next day after terrarium creation. Since then, Callisia repens has grown a lot. Hedera has grown a lot too. In this setup there are a lot of springtails and some Enchytraeidae that I put inside. However I have never seen newt eating them. I feed this specimen using tweezer: krill, small pieces of european smelt, bloodworms, white mosquito larvas, Enchytraeidae, small pieces of
Lumbricus terrestris. I have just cut off that protruding Tradescantia. This CFBN specimen adapted to life on land when I made aquarium with soil for cactuses as substratum under gravel. Unfortunately it was not good idea to use soil for cactuses. Then all Melanoides tuberculata died, appeared a lot of algae and newt began to stay out of the water. That is harm that I failed this aquarium:

Now i am thinking about tankmates for this newt but I have no ideas.
Greetings.
Michal

 

[Jennewt]

I agree with other comments: beautiful terrestrial setup. But the newt can climb the tall plant and escape.

I also have one other word-of-warning to anyone else who may be thinking about making this kind of setup. Potted houseplants sold in stores are often treated with pesticides and strong fertilizers. If you buy plants, rinse them well and re-pot them in soil that you trust. Better yet, use plants or cuttings that have been growing at home for a while, rather than buying fresh ones. If you don't have houseplants, maybe you have a friend or relative who has some and will let you take cuttings.

 

[Molch]

Now i am thinking about tankmates for this newt but I have no ideas.
Greetings.
Michal

the only really suitable tank mates would be other newts of the same species. Don't mix with fish, frogs, or anything like that.

Why not get more fire belly newts, and before ya know it, you'll have eggs and babies!

 

[BouBou]

I was thinking about adult newts from China's surroundings. However it will be difficult to find other Cynops adapted to live on land. And the most difficult would be to breed terrarsistical specimen.
Greetings.
Michal

 

[allegoriest]

Wow, that's really pretty~ I still have one plant. ;__; So much variety~

I've caught my salamander standing on his tail, scaling the glass walls, and all kinds of things. I'm amazed he HASN'T reached the top yet. Of course, when he gets there, there's a lid with a bottle of water and his stuff on it he'll have to deal with. I know Edouard is planning his escape as I type this.


I don't think other amphibians like eachother. D: I think to keep them from eachother's nest, they secrete chemicals that other species don't like. So in close proximity, they probably will just make eachother rather sick. D:

 

[BouBou]

I have a question- whitch terrestrial caudata is the easiest to breed?
Greetings.

 

[monkeyfrogman28]

I found fire salamanders very easy to breed if you can acomodate the cold temperatures needed

 

[BouBou]

But in Poland it is illegal to own fire salamanders.

 

[Azhael]

Reproduction is impossible on land, it can only take place if both genders are aquatic.
Never understimate the climbing habilities of these guys....they are surprisingly good at it. Any enclosure that contains newts should be 100% scape proof, you should take no chances.

 

[BouBou]

The setup has changed a lot

 

[BouBou]

Several days ago I put the newt into aquatic tank, and since then it switched into aquatic mode. For a while, in the begining it had some air in skin, between glands, see the pic below.

So this setup is not existing any longer.

 

[Cleigh9579]

Ok so is the Newt aquadic now? I am slightly confused.
I love your set ups though.