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I have a pair of mature Texas barred tiger salamanders that I would like to breed this year. The problem is that I am not quite sure how to go about it. I have never tried to breed salamanders before. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
DownwardSpiral

The best way to go about it is to over-winter the salamanders below 50 for 60-90 days, then inject them with LHRH hormones to stimulate breeding. I say that this is the best way because few keepers are prepared to meet their natural breeding requirements. In the wild they are stimulated to breed by two factors, For one, the temperature has to rise above 50f that the easy part, second they have to find a body of water that is large enough to support there larve to adulthood before evaporating. Base on observation of wild breeding the body of water should be 18-24 inches deep and at least 100 gallons. If you were going to do this then you should over-winter the salamanders and add the males to the breeding tank/tub a week ahead of the females. This is typical in nature and the competion may further stimulate breeding behavor. Ratio of males to females should be 2/1. Muddy bottoms and submerged plants on which to attach the eggs are prefered, good luck

"For one, the temperature has to rise above 50f that the easy part"

Say what? Please give a reference as to why 50F is a good temp. In fact, most tiger breeding populations can be found actively breeding just above freezing, in ponds still choked with bits of ice.

"then inject them with LHRH hormones to stimulate breeding"

I disagree with this advice entirely. It's not at all wise to be playing with your pet's endocrine functions (as this is well documented to lead to gland disfunction, cancer, etc. in many animals), especially when there are other methods which allow the salamander to breed more naturally.

"the competion may further stimulate breeding behavor."

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest competition promotes breeding. In fact, all observations on wild breeding aggregations show the exact opposite! Rival males often inhibit the female's ability to pick up spermatophores from either of them.

"Ratio of males to females should be 2/1."

Why? Do you have any references of wild population demographics to support that figure?

"For one, the temperature has to rise above 50f that the easy part"

Say what? Please give a reference as to why 50F is a good temp. In fact, most tiger breeding populations can be found actively breeding just above freezing, in ponds still choked with bits of ice.
Rick:: Yes they can breed at temperatures below 50, with but typically the barred tiger salamander breeds when the temperature rises above 50f, this is considered the main stimulus for breeding. I gave this temperature as the one that will produce the best results.

"then inject them with LHRH hormones to stimulate breeding"

I disagree with this advice entirely. It's not at all wise to be playing with your pet's endocrine functions (as this is well documented to lead to gland disfunction, cancer, etc. in many animals), especially when there are other methods which allow the salamander to breed more naturally.

Rick:: Natural breeding is prefered, but is,as yet unsuccessful, while breed with hormones is very successful. I have never had heath problems with salamanders bred this way. Nor have I heard of anyone who has. I agree however that risks exist, that goes without saying whenever you inject an animal, whether it be vitamins, antibiotics or hormones.

"the competion may further stimulate breeding behavor."

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest competition promotes breeding. In fact, all observations on wild breeding aggregations show the exact opposite! Rival males often inhibit the female's ability to pick up spermatophores from either of them.
Rick:: Thats not true, its a fact that males arrive first at ponds to compete for prime breeding territory, see the attached website link for further information.

"Ratio of males to females should be 2/1."

Why? Do you have any references of wild population demographics to support that figure?
Rick::Yes I do, see the attached website link. My recomendation is based on natural populations, but your argument is valid and a 1/1 may be better, I would however still allow the males to compete for territory before adding the females.
Link

"but typically the barred tiger salamander breeds when the temperature rises above 50f, this is considered the main stimulus for breeding."

Typically? Considered the main stimulus by whom? Again, where is this info coming from? I'm pretty familiar with the literature of tiger sals and I'm curious as to how you're coming to that conclusion, as I certainly haven't seen any info/data to back that up.

"Thats not true, its a fact that males arrive first at ponds to compete for prime breeding territory, see the attached website link for further information."

Of course they do, but that wasn't my question nor my point of contention. That would be where do you get any info that suggests male:male competition helps courtship? They do not compete for "prime territory", they compete for females. There is no competition at all until females are in the water, in which case males seek to disrupt the courtship of other males. Again, competition inhibits successful courtship, it does not in any way promote it. It makes no sense. As for the hormones, you haven't heard of any sals dying because virtually nobody does it. But there's a wealth of information on how harmful hormones can be to other organisms.

"Rick::Yes I do, see the attached website link. My recomendation is based on natural populations, but your argument is valid and a 1/1 may be better, I would however still allow the males to compete for territory before adding the females."

Hehe, say what? The link you gave showed that females outnumber males. Read for yourself:

ONE POPULATION HAD A RATIO OF 1.63 FEMALES: 1 MALE OF NEOTENIC LARVAE, WHILE ANOTHER POPULATION OF UNSPECIFIED COMPOSITION HAD A 1.9 FEMALES: 1 MALE RATIO.

To date there have been no substantiated reports of breeding terrestrial tigers.

Give it a try though..someone has to break it eventually.

>>I have a pair of mature Texas barred tiger salamanders that I would like to breed this year. The problem is that I am not quite sure how to go about it. I have never tried to breed salamanders before. Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>DownwardSpiral

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Hope my opinions help,
Rob

I attribute the lack of captive breeding to way that most terrestrial tiger salamanders are kept. I am confident that if the requirements that I outlined above are met that they will breed. The main stumbling block for breeders has been supplying a large enough body of water. The fact that neotenic adults that do not have to search or judge the size of a pond commonly breed in captivity further supports this hypothesis.

Do you consider hormone induced breeding to be true captive breeding? I personally don't...and I'm confident many others feel similarly.

Keeping them in a large body of water after low temperatures could help, but I don't think you have any facts to support your claim that it will work. It's a theory, which must be tried and documented before claims like that can be made.

It's good to have an opinion, but I think you're presenting it as fact instead of just one person’s suggestion on how tiger salamanders may eventually be successfully bred in captivity.

I personally have several ideas I would like to try with tigers that I think could help successfully breed them.

I would like to see you test and document your theories though, and strongly encourage you to do so to attempt to reproduce your claim of what you achieved years ago.

>>I attribute the lack of captive breeding to way that most terrestrial tiger salamanders are kept. I am confident that if the requirements that I outlined above are met that they will breed. The main stumbling block for breeders has been supplying a large enough body of water. The fact that neotenic adults that do not have to search or judge the size of a pond commonly breed in captivity further supports this hypothesis.
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Hope my opinions help,
Rob