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Wednesday, April 16th
April's meeting will focus on how to safely handle and present your reptile to the public. Please feel free to bring your own animal to show off.
Meetings start promptly at 8pm in the Alumni Room of Medaille College.
Annual Banquet
PLEASE NOTE: The annual banquet and recognition dinner will be rescheduled due to conflicts. The new date will likely be a Saturday in May, please contact a board member for more information.
Rough Skinned Newt Care Sheet and Information
Please click here for a printable PDF version.
Common Name: Rough Skinned Newt or Oregon Newt
Latin name: Taricha granulose
Native to: Coastlines of northwest North America from southwest Alaska to the San Francisco Bay area of California
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches in length
General appearance: The rough skinned newt is a generally plain dark brown dorsally with a bright yellow or orange ventrally and a thin orange crest which runs along the lower tail. The skin is granulated in appearance except for some times during the breeding series when the skin is smooth. The rough skinned newt is also identifiable by its well-developed limbs and flattened head. The Oregon newt also secretes a toxin as a defense mechanism
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: A 36-inch terrarium is usually adequate for up to two pairs of rough skinned newts, though a larger enclosure will be needed for breeding rough skinned newts. The enclosure should be two-thirds land and one-third of four to six inches of water. Branches for climbing and hiding places should be provided.
Temperature: Because Oregon newts originate from a temperate climate, rough skinned newts can easily be maintained at temperatures of at least 60° F (typically room temperature is adequate).
Heat/Light: Ultra-violet light is not necessary with rough skinned newts and typically additional heat sources should not be needed. A 12-hour photoperiod should be provided and can easily be achieved with the use of standard fluorescent lamps and a timer.
Substrate: Aquarium gravel covered with sphagnum moss for the land portion of the enclosure. A synthetic foam can also be used as a substrate since it holds humidity well.
Environment: Rough skinned newts come from highly humid hilly or mountainous regions. Occasionally they can also be found in grassland areas.
Diet: Several different foods can be fed to Oregon newts. Tubiflex worms, small earthworms, small fish, brine shrimp, beef heart, and crickets can all be offered. Commercially available newt food or sinking fish food pellets can also be fed.
Maintenance: Some sort of filtration should be provided for the water or daily partial water changes should be performed. The land portion should be spot cleaned regularly. Thorough cleanings can be achieved by using a 5% bleach solution. Be sure to thourghly rinse the enclosure after using the bleach solution. It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the newt or cleaning the cage and cage accessories because of the toxic secretions of the rough skinned newt.
Other references or recommended reading:
Staniszewski, Marc, 1995, Amphibians in Captivity, T.F.H. Publishing, Neptune City, NJ
Flank, Lenny, "Oregon Newts" http://users.rcn.com/spiff.interport//main/caretxt/oregonnewtcare.html
Indiviglio, Frank, 1997, Newts and Salamanders, Barron's Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, NY
Remember that in many places it is illegal to take wildlife out of the wild without the proper permits from local, state, or federal authorities. Please do not release any captive reptiles or amphibians into the wild as this will disrupt the natural order of our environment. See our amphibian and reptile adoptions page for more information on what to do with unwanted herps.
Help further herpetology research and education by donating to the Marvin R. Aures Herpetological Grant