Feeding my 3 Paddletail newts I noticed that ones' cloaca was really swollen and it seems to have these black spurs, spines, or what I don't know around the cloaca opening. There is another newt who's cloaca is really swollen also but does not have these thorny projections. The 3rd one does not have a swollen cloaca. Does anyone know what these could be? I can't get a good pic of it. It almost looks like a cockle-bur in the way the spines are sticking out but they are not coming from the opening just around the opening. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks. Steven
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"I am all that is Divine, I am all that is Evil.
I am the one who brings forth Death,
On the wings of a Weevil." JSKII
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Unusual black spurs around cloaca of a Paddletail Newt
Physignathus
Oct 26, 2004 04:29 PM
Replies (5)
EdK
Oct 26, 2004 08:37 PM
Congratulations you are seeing sexual maturity in your newts. The projections are to increase pheremone levels in the water.
Ed
Physignathus
Oct 28, 2004 09:07 AM
Thanks for the info 
So I am assuming that I have at least one male that is showing signs of sexual maturity? Also, does a female show the same signs? I have a total of 3 Paddletails. I'll post a pic of the biggest of my 3. Steven
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"I am all that is Divine, I am all that is Evil.
I am the one who brings forth Death,
On the wings of a Weevil." JSKII
EdK
Oct 28, 2004 07:24 PM
No, only the male.
Depending on the species of Pachytrition you have, you may end up with only two in the tank. Males and females of the commonly available species are very territorial during the breeding season and readily kill each other (even in large tanks like 40 gallon breeders).
Good luck,
Ed
Physignathus
Oct 29, 2004 07:55 AM
Wow! I can understand being territorial but you would figure they would be a bit more careing towards one another during breeding season as the survival of the species depends on it. I guess I will be doing as much watch duty as I can on them to make sure they don't wipe one another out. Thanks so much for the info. Steven
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"I am all that is Divine, I am all that is Evil.
I am the one who brings forth Death,
On the wings of a Weevil." JSKII
EdK
Oct 29, 2004 08:10 AM
P. labiatus comes from a food and shelter poor habitat and so aggression to defend its turf is a adaptive trait. If you have the space keep an eye on them so you have a place to seperate them as soon as you see any problems. If you wait to set up a seperate enclosure then you may have a dead animal or at least one (or more) that are missing limbs.
Ed
