Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,
I've worked with the following (Typhlonectes natans Schistometopum thomenses, Dermophis mexicana, Geotrypetes seraphina and Afrocaecilian tatiana)and am willign to discuss all aspects of caecilian husbandry.
Ed

hi,
what speciemen is the one with black color base color and yellow stripe on it?do you also have some baby of the species that you have for sale?i new in these.
thanks,
phil

Hi Phil,
The one you are referring to is Icthyophis kohtaoensis, an Asian species. I have a little experience with these guys from about 15 years ago. Keep them in a damp to wet soil and they should feed just fine on small earthworms and soft bodied invertebrates.
I do not have any babies for sale as I work(ed) with the various kinds at a Zoo.
Ed

Ichthyophis beddomii also looks like this. It's one of the few caecelians I've personally seen. Also, Ichthyophis bicolor might look like this, I can't really remember.
Chinmay

However the two species you mention have not been imported in the country recently afaik.
Ed

WOW!

What zoo did you work at? I own a pair of aquatic caecilians, as well as a terrestrial species. I hardly know anyone who keeps the terrestrial kind. Mine is about 5 inches, slender, and a mix of dark brown and deep purple. I treat them like kings; i love all of my caecilians and many other pets. I wanted to know what is a good thing to start feeding this one; he is very, very small. I am pretty sure it was wild-caught, because the terrestrial species are almost never bred. Its good to know that there is someone else who specializes in caecilians; 3 of my 26 pets are these fascinating limbless creatures

DAVE

DO you have any caecilians at all for sale? If so i might be interested if not then do you know where i could get one?

I manage live animal collections at a university. Among other neat critters, we have one Typhlonectes natans, 2 Dermophis mexicanus, and 6 Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (on the way this week). I have been able to read about Ichthyophis care from a German breeder, but I haven't found much for Dermophis care.

My Dermophis are currently in a 36"x18"x18" glass aqu. filled with about 8" of coconut bark soil. There is some sphagnum mixed in, and they have a length of bark for hiding and a shallow water dish. It has a glass top and I do not use any lighting or heating in addition to the room lights. They are at ~75F. I feed nightcrawlers and simply dump in more when I notice the nightcrawlers are becoming hard to find. I also feed my nightcrawlers (of course) veggies and fruit.

I began with 3 adults last year, and one had babies (8 total, but one died before I found them) 3 months later. I do not know if the mother came in pregnant, but this is probably the case. All babies died within a couple months, and I think the parent(s) ate them. I didn't seperate them because I thught they had ample room and food. The smallest adult died a few months later.

I am very dedicated to excellent animal care. All I have been able to find in amphibian husbandry literature is to keep them at mid 70s F and feed earthworms. Am I using the right size tank? Should I seperate the 2 adults? How can I sex them? I'm pretty sure which one is the mother because she got a lot thinner around the time I discovered the babies Am I feeding the right food? The right substrate? I have a difficult time telling if they are in good health - neither look bony or fat. We occasionally see them at the surface, but can always find lots of their tunnels when I dig around.

Thank you so much for your time and advice!
-Shell Stachowicz
greyhoundgirl@usa.net

My Dermophis are currently in a 36"x18"x18" glass aqu. filled with about 8" of coconut bark soil. There is some sphagnum mixed in, and they have a length of bark for hiding and a shallow water dish. It has a glass top and I do not use any lighting or heating in addition to the room lights. They are at ~75F. I feed nightcrawlers and simply dump in more when I notice the nightcrawlers are becoming hard to find. I also feed my nightcrawlers (of course) veggies and fruit.

We use soil that doesn't contain manure or otehr additives such as wetting agents. The soil is changed every three to six months. The soil is kept damp enough to allow the caecilians to form stable tunnels but not wet enough to be able to squeeze water from the soil. The ones at work have survived temperatures up into the mid 80s F with no obvious ill effects. There are offered food twice a week and all uneaten food items are removed the next day to prevent worms from dieing in the soil and fouling it.
They will also eat pink mice and are recorded taking lizards and snakes.

I began with 3 adults last year, and one had babies (8 total, but one died before I found them) 3 months later. I do not know if the mother came in pregnant, but this is probably the case. All babies died within a couple months, and I think the parent(s) ate them. I didn't seperate them because I thught they had ample room and food. The smallest adult died a few months later.

Its more likely that the adults outcompeted them for food but they also seem to like it slightly wetter, I had a similar experience but the female was seperated and all of the offspring were recovered and seperated out. They did fine for several years and succumbed to an unidentified viral infection.

Am I using the right size tank?

We keep a larger group together but the space seems to be about right.
How can I sex them?

Unknown, you may be able to sex them by using ultrasound and looking for follicles.

Ed

They come from southish mexico. i keep mine at 85 (with a cooler end) all day and it drops to about 75 at night. they like it warm, all of mine always stay in the warmest spot. They are also opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat almost anything. I find the best foods are worms, crickets, and beef heart. They love all of those. I also offer mainly crickets, because i have witnessed obbeseity with diets of just heart. Also kind of fun to watch them chase a cricket If you ever get babies again and are looking to sell them, i will buy any and all terrestrial species (especially if they are CB/CH)

Hi, Can you tell me a good medium and temperature to keep Dermophis mexicana (and non-aquatic caecilians in general).
Also, can you suggest a good honest source that sells this species or other burrowing forms.
THANKS, Dennis