Natural History

Posted in wildlife | Tagged tiger salamander, water dog | 10 Comments

10 Responses

1. on January 8, 2013 at 5:38 am chervilmeadow

   Talking of the axolotl, they have, in experiments, been persuaded to evolve into the adult form of tiger salamander through gradually reducing the water in their tanks.

   
   
   • on January 8, 2013 at 7:40 am retrieverman

     It’s actually not a nice thing to force an axolotl to metamorphose. It shortens their life expectancy significantly, and tiger salamanders, which are lazy and like to lie around in their lairs, aren’t nearly as interesting pets.

     
     
2. on January 8, 2013 at 10:09 am massugu

   Do terrestrial Tiger Salamanders and Axolotls ever interbreed?

   
   
   • on January 8, 2013 at 3:05 pm Dave

     Yes.

     
     
   • on January 8, 2013 at 3:20 pm retrieverman

     Yes they do. I’ve read that many axolotls in captivity are actually part tiger salamander. I can’t find confirmation anywhere.

     
     
3. on January 8, 2013 at 11:02 am chervilmeadow

   “metamorphose”, yes that’s it, why can’t I remember these words. I recall the local pet shops and aquariums used to sell them up to some decades ago – both white (albino?) and coloured. In more recent times sale of exotic pets in general, around here at least, have diminished, whether from less demand or increased regulations I don’t know. I don’t think it is legal anymore to sell most wild caught fauna in Britain – a good thing of course. The axolotls are kosher of course since they are always captive bred.

   British native birds, for example, can only be sold if they are closed ringed with regulation rings that cannot be faked. T

   There is a necessary loophole for keeping birds and animals in captivity if they had to be rescued for some reason.In 2012 we had record rain in the UK and this resulted for example in soaked an unable to fledge youngsters of the rare, recently reintroduced red kite falling from the nests. Fortunately because they are such large birds people easily notice them struggling on the ground and so they tend to get taken to our excellent rescue organisations , especially one around here called St Tiggywinkles. St Tiggywinkles, incidentally, was originally set up for rescuing specifically the little insectivorous mammals called hedgehogs, many nests of which get into trouble through second litters having been bred too late in the year and so unable to get fat enough for succesful hibernation. Sorry if that became too diverse and off topic.

   
   
4. on January 8, 2013 at 11:44 am chervilmeadow

   I forgot to mention, the rescued red kites get released as soon as possible and this is proving to be a successful rescue and release programme. There is a great deal of useful expertise with this species in Britain resulting from nestlings being taken for release in other parts of the UK and Ireland as part of their reintroduction.
   It so happens that red kites will produce up to three chicks with gaps between each, but the third one (and the second one in bad years) gets used as emergency ration by the older chick(s). Therefore the rentroducing people rescue chick number three to be raised artificially in aviaries set up in the new areas and then tagged in these areas before being released. It has turned out to be one of the world’s most successful reintroduction programmes ever. Mary and I have even have a pair of them based in our garden where they reared one chick in 2011. This pair looks as if they may be preparing to nest in our garden again in 2013. Even though they only produce one or two chicks a year they invest great effort and live for up to 25 years.

   
   
5. on January 10, 2013 at 12:30 am shibasaya

   I had a tiger salamander as a pet he was pretty neat. Loved his food. :)

   
   
6. on January 10, 2013 at 1:20 pm UrbanCollieChick

   I used to help care for the tiger salamanders and axolotls at the Bronx Zoo. There was an awesome guy named Frank Indiviglio who wrote a neat comprehensive care book for amphibians. Yes, it’s a Barron’s book but it goes far beyond the usual ” care and feeding of” items you would expect in most basic care books. I believe he covers a good deal of this stuff in there. I loved the tigers I used to keep back at home, and spotteds. I hope they stick around in nature for a long long time.

   
   
7. on January 10, 2013 at 1:21 pm UrbanCollieChick

   Oh, here’s the book I mentioned. Whoops! http://www.amazon.com/Salamanders-Barrons-Complete-Owners-Manuals/dp/0764142437/ref=la_B001IQZNHU_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1357841832&sr=1-3

   
   

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