The seasons & breeding in European land salamanders

[matthew]

Doing the rounds today in my garage I was struck by how unsuccessful I have been in - say - the last three years breeding some of my (very healthy) fire salamanders. I have had some successes, e.g. terrestris...but... if I think about my Ukrainian S. salamandra, for instance, they are always plump and I am permanently expecting good news...

Why does a year's seasonal temp / light cycle enough for my terrestris but not my salamandra?
Is it to do with place of origin?
What else can I do?
Does anyone get this effect?
Thanks for any responses or help...

 

[sergé]

Well, I think seasonal temperature change and light are important. Ukraine animals would however in nature have a few of hibernation. It could be that they need that as well. I had gallaica that were raised as larvae but still gave birth to larvae in autumn, which is normal in their natural habitat. So some genetic fixation seems also important.
Besides that: quality of food is very important as well. We don't know much about that, but in nature they for sure have a much wider diet and perhaps some things are lacking which are essential for reproduction. I have had some larvaes which were malformed or clutches of unfertilised eggs, although the animals look perfectly healthy.

 

[chwan]

Hi, nice to meet you ! Do you mind if you can help me for ID the sex of the fire salamander??? Thank You!

the photos as follow:

(Message edited by chwan on February 22, 2005)

 

[chwan]

 

[mike]

Hello, and welcome to Caudata.org.

It's a male.

 

[chwan]

Hello Mike, nice to meet you!

Mike, do you mind to share some photo of the female cloaca ???

 

[mike]

Will do, as soon as I get my new camera!

 

[michael]

Hello Mike,

what makes you so sure, that this one is a male ?

Greetings Michael ...

 

[ingo]

Hello Mike,

I am also very interested in your method of sex-identification; which signs do you use?

Is it, in your opinion, possible to identify the sex according to the shape of the heads?

Greetings,

Ingo