Some questions about T marmoratus and T carnifex

[garfield188]

Hello caudata members, I have some questions about Triturus marmoratus and Triturus carnifex, which are now about 1,5 years old.

-At what length does Triturus marmoratus reach sexual maturity? The males I have here are now aproximately 12cm in length and my largest female is 13 cm.

-Is the Triturus carnifex showed on the picture a male? I wonder about this because he has a small crest of about 1mm in height, yet doesn't have a large cloaca at all.

-What is the best way to hibernate these species? And shouldn't you feed them at all during hibernation?

I have read a lot about these species on the internet, but i would like to hear your opinion as well.

 

[Otterwoman]

I think the marms can breed from the year the males get a crest in the spring.

I have kept and bred both species just by letting them experience the temp changes in my basement through the year, with no hibernating.

With dobros, the males get a blue streak in their tails during mating season. I could tell more from the tail and the cloaca than the picture you have there. I think this species is similar with the blue streak but I can't remember for sure.

 

[otolith]

The newt pictured looks like a female to me, but without a better view of the tail and side it is hard to say for sure. All of the Triturus are generally pretty easy to sex, the same rules apply for all species. It is not unusual for some females to have very small crests year round, my female dobrogicus also have faint white tail stripes.

I keep Triturus dobrogicus, T. marmoratus and Lissotriton and have never hibernated them. Seasonal temperature changes have always stimulated breeding. The summer temp gets up to about 21C and winter temp to 11-13C. Breeding usually starts as soon as they get above about 15C and will continue until the water begins to warm more than 3 or 4 degrees. If the temp stays cool the breeding season can last 4 or 5 months in my experience. Sometimes my T. dobrogicus will breed once in the fall and again in the spring. My Lissotriton seem to breed twice a year as well if switched from a terrestrial to aquatic setup. If your winter temperatures are close 10C I would do smaller feedings once or twice a week, warmer than that I would do a normal feeding schedule.

I do not have experience breeding T. marmoratus, I have several sub-adults being kept terrestrially and will try them in an aquatic setup this spring. Good luck with your groups! I would very much like to keep T. carnifex some day.

 

[garfield188]

Thanks for the responses.

Here are some pictures of the animal on which his, or her, cloaca is better visible.

 

[Otterwoman]

I would guess a female at this point.

 

[vince59]

also think a female. Sexual maturity in marmorata is 3 to 4 years. For Carnifex, is like cristatus, between 2 and 3 years

 

[Niels D]

I got T.carnifex eggs from 1 year old animals in the beginning summer which develloped fine, so you never know.

 

[garfield188]

Found one of mine T. marmoratus in their small waterbowl today. I will try to get the males in water in about 5 days. They will have experienced cooler temperatures (5-14°C) for little more than 5 weeks by then, will that be enough?

 

[garfield188]

At what watertemperature do you keep your Triturus marmoratus after them entering the water for the first time?

And how long does it usually take before the male builds up a large crest?