Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently aquired some young wc ensatinas and some young slenders of a species that is either garden, pacific, or california. i cant quite tell. What do i need to do to keep them alive. currently they are in a box equivlant to a 10 gallon tank with a tinsy bit of soil and a hide. they are outside since i know they prefer low temperatures. can someone give me a basic run over of the care and stuff?
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sincerely,
Jonathan D. de Kluyver
JDDK Reptiles
Quality Reptiles and Amphibianswww.jddkreptiles.com

Hi, you need help quike, Please sign up here

www.caudata.org

and post your question in the help forum, good luck!!! I don't know about them being outside, it might be too cold, especially with the little soil you have, good luck again.
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Mark B.

no i know its not too cold.... i can catch these things locally if i wanted too. ill sign up and post there
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sincerely,
Jonathan D. de Kluyver
JDDK Reptiles
Quality Reptiles and Amphibianswww.jddkreptiles.com

Well, first I'd return the slenders from where they came. Honestly, they may be a little more work than you may want, especially diet wise.

For the Ensatina place about three inches of slightly damp soil in the container. Add some leaf litter and a couple of slabs of bark for cover. You can feed them small crickets, small earth worms and small wax worms. As far as the container being outside, I would recommend against that. Depending on where you live the temps may become too extreme. Even worse, any direct sunlight would heat it up quick. Do you have a garage for the time being? Do you know which subspecies you have?

RUSS

im almost certain that there monterey....they came from an area near big basin in santa cruz. i live at the base of the san gabriel mountains... there in the shade and during the day there cage is probably around 65 at night probably in the low 50's...... its better than my 80 degree room. i dont think the garage would be any colder.... but i could try it. the slenders came from santa cruz and i dont want to have to drive back up there. i know they can be found locally so if worst comes to worst ill find a nice little nick in the nountains and release them. there really cool though and i would like to try to keep them alive.
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sincerely,
Jonathan D. de Kluyver
JDDK Reptiles
Quality Reptiles and Amphibianswww.jddkreptiles.com

Probably so, or intergades with E.e.xanthoptica. I'd keep the slenders for now, definately don't let them go in away from their original location.

Check out www.caudata.org if you get a chance.

RUSS