sneaky2 Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 so much the same behaviour as fire bellied newts then! so what's the issue again? if the issue is Chytrid Fungus fungus which is probably everywhere like most fungi and spores, then wouldn't the cause of infection be crashed immune system due to environmental toxins/pollutions? and assuming if biosecurity caught a wild specimen, doesn't that imply that there's a few out there? n doesn't that imply that they have been there for a while ? :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruru Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I had a chat to some of the people involved a few months ago. They are working on eradicating the newts, but that is proving tricky because they can survive well enough even if their pond is drained. There is a very high incidence of chytrid in the individuals caught so far. It is both illegal and potentially catastrophic for our native/resident amphibians if members of the public capture these newts. If anyone here has inclinations to take some into captivity: PLEASE DON'T. It is not worth risking what we already have in order to have another pet. It is not just your own animals you are gambling with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaky2 Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 possibly not a good post then. so its gone from one newt to several, now there will be herp nutters flocking down there to collect :facepalm: not this herp nutter! :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruru Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 I thought it would be pretty obvious that there was more than one newt. If there was only one individual, what are the chances of anyone finding it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaky2 Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 unless it was (discovered) by a member of the public,who may have been trying to legalise them aye? has been known to happen! so we can assume from your post theres way more than one, cause if a few have been found there must be shiploads out there aye! so they must have been released a fare while ago aye! cause there reproduction and survival in the wild cant be that fast if there anything like fire bellied newts aye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aotealotl Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 a healthy female can lay up to 250 eggs in a season. after four to five months they go thru the metamorphosis and leave the water. adult ones are only in the water for the mating season. they are not easy to find when they are not in the water. they change colors to a darkish gray, very good camouflage to live a very hidden life, even the orange belly is way less bright. if someone did release a breeding pair or lots of larvae a couple of years ago there could be hundreds out there already. they don't have many predators out there. trouts love them but if there are no trouts where they breed up there, nothing will stop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 eels, frogs, herons, rail, bitterns, rats, weasel and ferrets all to contend with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aotealotl Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 I forgot to mention they are nocturnal, while the larvae in the water can easy be picked by frogs and birds the adult ones hide in the mud on the ground if any danger occurs. on land they are well hidden during the day. I am not sure if rats, weasels and ferrets actually eat them, in Europe these are not the predators of these newts. Trouts, Ringelnatter (Natrix natrix), Wasserspitzmaus (Neomys fodiens) and some birds are the natural predators (and all the cars who run them over in spring time when they swarm and cross the roads on the way to the water holes and ponds.) if DOC does a good job they got rid of these rodents anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aotealotl Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 they reach sexual maturity after one to two years and can get 20 years old and older. if DOC does not get rid of them soon they will become native Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaky2 Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 so they must be in fish free ponds ,dams,streams n quarys then? cause most native fish would smash over the spawn n young wouldnt they? not toxic untill they morph arnt they? :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaky2 Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 so by deduction they cant be surviving in healthy rivers and waterways,they wouldnt stand a chance would they?so if they only surviving in fish free water,that sounds like dams,quarrys n seasonal ponds so no wonder they got chytrid cause the water quality is most proberbly crap! high in phosphates,bacteria, e-coli,nitrite e.c.t especialy if farm land is involved! :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reuben.a Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 Sorry for bringing back an old post lol but one guy is saying because they are nocturnal, only enter water to lay eggs so there arent many predators and stuff and then there's others that are very confident they would have many predators to compete with, then whats the problem with them existing here? Other than the possible one or two native frog eggs/tadpoles that were actually eaten because of the almost unexistant number of native frogs anyway. I mean why waste money fighting a losing battle? Surely the predators will keep the numbers balanced anyway just like predators in Ausy keep certain species balanced. I do love native frogs but if mpi or doc or whoever it is that manages the them let them be kept privately then there would be many hobbyist that would be more than happy to help out and get their numbers back up. Just like native reptiles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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