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RAUK - Archived Forum - signal crayfish and newts

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signal crayfish and newts:

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mynewt
Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
No. of posts: 12


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Posted: 20 Sep 2006

Hi there

I've just found signal (American) crayfish in a nice GCN pond - does anyone know whether they impact on our native newts - either by attacking adults or feeding on eggs in water plants ?   Is it too early to say - and is anyone studying this ?

In the Seychelles the biggest problem for hatching Aldabra tortoises is having their legs bitten off by land crabs, apparently - and crayfish have pretty big pincers too !


-LAF
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 317


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Posted: 20 Sep 2006
I'm not sure  if the GCNs toxic skin secretions would deter signals or not, but  I would have to assume that they would certainly eat our other newt species.  They are known to feed happily on amphibians and apparently are very fond of amphibian eggs.

The good news is that they taste delicious, boiled with a bit off dill then cooled and shelled like langustines. Makes manual removal more appealing.

Lee.
-LAF38980.4908564815
Lee Fairclough
AndyS
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Aug 2007
No. of posts: 95


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Posted: 17 Oct 2007

 well a bit late!! ( hey I'm new and still looking through the forums)

but it might still be relevant to others, if you're sure they are American signal crayfish and not our native crayfish, then where possible should be removed and disposed of e.g a number nine boot or as Lee suggested, cooked  washed in fresh water for a couple of days before eating is best just to flush them out

They breed prolifically and eat almost anything they can lay their claws on and also carry a virus which also infects and kills our native crayfish

over the past couple of years along the Basingstoke Canal they have trapped well over a 1000Kg of them with traps. and of course not being a native species if caught can't be put back.OK


Matt
Member
Joined: 09 Feb 2006
No. of posts: 23


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Posted: 21 Oct 2007
[QUOTE=mynewt]

I've just found signal (American) crayfish in a nice GCN pond - does anyone know whether they impact on our native newts - either by attacking adults or feeding on eggs in water plants ?   Is it too early to say - and is anyone studying this ?[/QUOTE]

Hi there

I had a similar problem earleir this year when I found a few Signals in a new GCN breeding pond on the edge of a development site.  I'm pretty sure the ones I found had been put in there by some of the local kids - apparently the signals can be found locally in nearby streams.  I think they would certainly predate newt eggs on vegetation if they could find them.

I netted them out and stamped on them.

Matt


BRAG - Berkshire Reptile & Amphibian Group
Suzi
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
No. of posts: 860


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Posted: 21 Oct 2007

Suz

- signal crayfish and newts

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