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RAUK - Archived Forum - Fairly certain its a smooth newt.

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Fairly certain its a smooth newt.:

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PsYcHoTiCMaDmAn
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Joined: 05 Oct 2008
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Posted: 06 Oct 2008



rescued off the road.






again rescued of the road, penny was for size comparison.

wondering about attempting to captive breed some to release into some nature ponds/marshy area when their big enough.

tim hamlett
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008

hi...nice pics

are you sure they're smooth and not palmate newts?

tim


dave fixx
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Joined: 13 Mar 2007
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008
Nice pics.Pop a pond in the garden(if possible) and in my experiance you will have no trouble breeding them.If they are in the area they will normally find your pond.
   Breeding in tanks is a different matter and one I have zilch knowledge for so cant help.Judging by their size I would say your a couple of years at least off breeding though.

Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk
tim hamlett
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008

newts will breed in a tank. you need natural water, food and the right sort of weeds for the females to lay their eggs. however, i would definitely agree with dave and put a pond in. it only has to be small and you will still easily be able to monitor the newts progress etc. you'll get other wildlife too.

tim


Suzi
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008
I have newts in my pond but I have only had glimpses of them and never see young. I look at night also with a  torch. My brother has bred them in tanks - at least you can see them easily.
Suz
Peter
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008

A pond is the favourite, and you can always set up an aquarium to observe courtship behaviour for a week or two during the season as well as egg laying if you provide some oxygenating plants.    

Looking at the solid continuation of the dorsal line on the tail, I would say that you have palmate newts.  Any shots of the animal`s throat?





PsYcHoTiCMaDmAn
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Joined: 05 Oct 2008
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008
no decent photos of the throat, most of mine I tried to get near eye level or above.

plus I keep the camera in full manual, so need both hands, so getting the newt into position wouldn't be easy

however, I did find another newt outside last night, and it looked quite different to what I was used to. about twice as big as the babies, but 1/3-1/2 smaller than the adult pictured at the beginning.





Peter
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008
Looks like it may be a male palmate.   It would be worth your while getting throat and belly shots (another pair of hands could assist you in this regard) which would make ID a good deal easier.



tim hamlett
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008

yep...palmates

tim


calumma
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Posted: 09 Oct 2008
Definitely palmate, one of the key things to look at is the dorsal stripe -
particularly useful for identifying efts.

In smooth newts, the stripe disappears along the back. In palmates it
continues down the tail.
Lee Brady
Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant

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PsYcHoTiCMaDmAn
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Joined: 05 Oct 2008
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Posted: 09 Oct 2008
that would make them all palmates then.

will keep an eye out for them, as the babies in particular are very cute.

though I wish they'd stop moving so I could get better photos

Caleb
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Joined: 17 Feb 2003
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Posted: 10 Oct 2008
[QUOTE=Peter]

Looking at the solid continuation of the dorsal lineáon the tail, I wouldásay thatáyou have palmate newts.á Any shots of the animal`s throat?

[/QUOTE]

Throat colouration is no good for identifying juveniles- juvenile smooths and palmates both invariably have unmarked throats.
Peter
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Posted: 12 Oct 2008
Thanks Caleb

The first animal looks like an adult female.  I didn`t make my self very clear.

To the original poster,    where abouts in the country are you?   Palmates are a good deal commoner than smooth newts locally to me also (south wales).
Peter39733.31



PsYcHoTiCMaDmAn
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Posted: 14 Oct 2008
west Wales, below Aberystwyth.

found a few more since, and they have spotted bellies and plain throats,

got to upload some new photos sometime

Peter
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Posted: 14 Oct 2008

I know the area well! 

Are you as far south as Newquay or not that far?  Feel free to PM





- Fairly certain its a smooth newt.

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