T. shanjing in a nutshell

[alex]

Hi bros,

I have two male T shanjings,( cant get any females) hai....

anyway this two have completely different preferences, one is super tame and always accepts food from the tweezer. the other is super shy

i alternate food like tubifex, mealworms, small crickets with vitamins powder, but as u all know they're slow creatures and is it good that i cripple the crickets for the slow shanjing???

last nite i have to go to the extend of plucking 4 legs out of the small poor cricket before arousing hte shy guy's attention and even that he took a stare so long at it till i almost fell asleep.

is there a way to better train that guys feeding habits??? i dun want the crickets to run round and then rot in a corner of the tank

lastly i intend to setup a new tank for them, i read the caresheets and tok about dry conditions, i am wondering if they are good in humid conditions? (as in on land with lots of driftwoords and plants) without direct sunlight)???

please advice

 

[foster]

Alex,
I have 6 T. shanjing and I forcep feed each one individually. As you noted with yours some in the group are much more outgoing than others however most eat at every feeding. At times there will be an individual or two that does not seem interested in what I have to offer that day but all have good weight (perhaps too fat) so I certainly do not worry about an occasional skipped meal.
Chip

 

[edward]

Use pieces of earthworms to accustom them to feeding off of tweezers.

Ed

 

[carlos]

Hi,
I also have the same problem with my Tylototriton taliangensis, i drop some earthworms in the tank and they only smelling the earthworm, but they don't try to eat.

 

[foster]

Carlos,
I have noticed that behavior with the T. tailangensis that I have as well. At any particular feeding, an individual (no one in particular) may investigate whatever food item that is being offered only to turn away. At another feeding the same item will be taken. I have seen this behavior in many of the lizards that I have worked with in the past but I had no idea that it is present in newts as well.
Chip

 

[alex]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Foster Reves (Chip) wrote on Monday, 17 January, 2005 - 21:52 :</font>

"Alex,
I have 6 T. shanjing and I forcep feed each one individually. As you noted with yours some in the group are much more outgoing than others however most eat at every feeding. At times there will be an individual or two that does not seem interested in what I have to offer that day but all have good weight (perhaps too fat) so I certainly do not worry about an occasional skipped meal.
Chip"<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

hey thanks man, think hes jus choosy, hes onto crickets already, but they jus loves to stare before they eat,

anyway, i am currently still working on a enclosure, may i noe how well they climb???

 

[foster]

They can climb fairly well (over landscape structures), especially for a robust species. I have yet to see any of them climb up the sides an enclosure however I certainly would not chance it. As with almost any herp, a secure lid is essential.
Chip

 

[alex]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Foster Reves (Chip) wrote on Wednesday, 19 January, 2005 - 23:54 :</font>

"They can climb fairly well (over landscape structures), especially for a robust species. I have yet to see any of them climb up the sides an enclosure however I certainly would not chance it. As with almost any herp, a secure lid is essential.
Chip"<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

hey thanks Reves for the replies
certainly been a great help, too bad i only have 2 males, would like to have more but over here they only come in once a while, me intend to set up one with more hiding spaces, cos the present ones are relatively lacking in them but wouldnt have much water area.

will post more pics soon