Vulgaris

C

chris

Guest
I have a trio of T.vulgaris in my fridge at the moment, at around 5deg.C. They went in late october/early November. When should I take them out of their cooling period?
I have a large tank set up outside with water, stones and pondweed. Should I put them straight in there or give them some time on land before they go aquatic?
Chris
 
Hi Chris...

depending of the subspecies. For Triturus vulgaris vulgaris it's ok an hibernation of 3 months, and then you can add slowly temperate water ( 15/18 ºc ) on his tank
 
Chris,

When you say outside, you mean outside as in sub-zero freezing temperatures?
 
Alan
Its basically one of those large storage tubs (about 2ft long) with a clip on lid. It would be about the same temperature as my garden pond, maybe a little cooler as it is not buried. I don't have a very large tank inside (just one of those low, flat critterpen type things). These adults come from a pond in a friend's garden which is only about 4 inches deep at the deepest point and has a very high population density, so I may put them in there instead.
So I should take the newts out of the fridge, remove the leaflitter and slowly add water until they go aquatic, then transfer them to the breeding tank.
Chris
 
I don't see any aquatic Triturus up here until late Feb or Early March, depending on the weather. Set it up as a 50:50 and let them decide when they want to go aquatic? You could sink a smaller storage tub into the leaf litter/compost as a pond.
Personally, I'd also give it frost protection so it doesn't freeze.
 
So I should definately use the outdoor tub instead of the smaller indoor tank, right?
Thanks for the advice, I haven't attempted Triturus breeding before.
Chris
 
Since you've had them in the fridge, I'd just put them indoors in a cool location. I suspect they'll be fine. if not, you can put them back outside when it get a bit warmer.
 
Hi,

i would take them out the fridge at the moment when you can find some Daphnia and Cyclops outside. It is much easier to feed the larvae then.
Here I can find the first newts wandering around in early February. So I will take out my newts out the fridge in the middle/end of January. My newts are in the fridge since End November / begin December.

Best greetings,

Kamil
 
Hi
Last summer i tried to hibernate some T.vulgaris in the fridge at 4 deg C for about two months, but nothing happened when i putted them in a 50/50 setup.
Here in Scandinavia(Norway) it is usually sub-zero temperatures from early october to late february, the coldest temps here were i live reach all the way up to -30 Celsius.
So im thinking about trying three months of hibernation instead of two, but if i should follow the nature around here were i live, the hibernation should maybe be closer to 5 months

Thanks

(Message edited by thomas on January 13, 2005)
 
Reproductive cycles are geared to local conditions. Several studies have shown that T.vulgaris starts moving to breeding ponds when temperatures rise to the 0-5C range. At a site in southern England, Smooth Newts were found under stone refuges throughout the year, but disappeared (presumably deeper underground) when temperatures fell below 2C.
In mid-Wales migrations seem to be related to temperature and rainfall, while in southern England temperature seems to be the important factor.
In Italy the Southern Smooth Newt (T.v.meridionalis) has a different seasonal cycle. Here the temperatures never fall below freezing, and newts aestivate from June to September. They migrate to breeding ponds when the rain comes in November, which lasts throughout the winter until March. The immigration to the ponds lasts longer than in northern Europe (5 months compared to around 3 months in Britain.
 
I took out of the fridge my spanish marmoratus a couple of weeks ago after 3 months of hibernation. Now they're in an aquarium at 11 °C and the male is growing the crest. I'm feeding them earthworms to plump them up even if they aren't skinny at all. I hope they'll breed cos it's my first attempt to breed this species.
Ciao
 
Decrease temperatures ( 7/12 ºc ) for two months is enough to breed the spanish marbled newts, even if an small hibernation is still better in order to obtain a big spawn. But, it's important to know the origin of the animals: Have not the same requirements the marbled newts from the mountains ( where reaches 2.000 m. ) than marbled newts from the northern coast of Spain.

Anyway, is not an exigent species

Good lucky...
 
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