Cool floor and hides

Spread the specified substrate and set cork and low hides close to the ground without burying entrances in litter. Keep both moist and less-moist retreats reachable and test leaving the shallow dish. Aquatic larvae belong in the separate tank described under breeding.

Testing and access

Connect specified heat sources to compatible thermostats and guard against contact. Secure probes according to device instructions; measure air at resting sites and heated surfaces separately with independent instruments. In housing with water, also check water temperature and quality: one zone’s thermostat does not control the others.

With the complete enclosure running, record day and night readings and compare them with the sheet. Test doors, cable openings and cleaning access, keeping vents clear. Change one variable at a time and recheck after each adjustment.

Light in the animal’s daily life

Keep opaque moist retreats and prevent lighting from overheating the enclosure. Zone 1 is not a compulsory dose: the practical peak remains to be established.

An example layout in the enclosure

The sheet does not establish one minimum height. To explain mounting alone, imagine lighting supports 60 cm high: this illustrative height does not set minimum housing dimensions. Aggregated entries require species identification first.

In a wooden enclosure with internal lighting, imagine the tube 55 cm above the floor and the back or head at 25 cm. The geometric distance is therefore 30 cm. The branch or platform lies below animal height, according to body size. Place lighting over one side, with a route to fully screened retreats.

In a glass enclosure with a mesh roof, retain the same animal height and imagine the tube 5 cm above the mesh: distance becomes 40 cm. Mesh attenuates UV variably; ordinary glass roofs block UVB. Increasing the percentage alone is insufficient: measure beneath the mesh and adjust height, output or layout as needed.

These distances describe the example, not a safe clearance for every lamp. First establish a verified UVI target for the identified taxon. Also respect the minimum clearance specified for the model used. Recheck with furnishings, guards and mesh installed, including the highest reachable points and animal growth.

Choosing and checking lighting

First define the patch that should illuminate the whole body and the route to a screened retreat. For a broad patch, select a linear tube with reflector; consider a compact only if its useful patch covers the body and leaves an accessible gradient. Check model, output, reflector and mounting distance, then compare measured UVI with the species target. Label UVB percentage alone cannot determine distance and intensity.

The decisive check uses a UVI metre facing the source at animal height. Check the centre and edges of the exposed patch, the highest supports and retreats, which must allow withdrawal from UV. Repeat after moving equipment, changing lamps and plant growth. Without a metre, use the manufacturer’s instructions and measurements for the exact configuration, including safety clearances.

When UVB or UVA are absent

When keeping without UVB, D3 must be supplied through a complete diet or species-appropriate supplementation. Calcium alone does not replace D3. Check existing amounts in prepared diets and multivitamins before combining products; dosage also depends on diet and cannot be derived from lighting hours.

UVA has no dietary replacement. Maintain appropriate illumination and photoperiod without adding an intense source to compensate for unverified information: amphibian exposure must be evaluated by species and life stage.

Sex, maturity and readiness

Confirm subspecies and origin. This pathway concerns forms giving birth to aquatic larvae; some Iberian populations produce already metamorphosed young. Adult males have a more prominent cloaca; maturity and growth take several years.

Start a record for each breeding animal with identity, origin, documented age and previous weights. Compare the weight trend with growth and body condition; delay introductions for animals still growing rapidly, losing weight or recently acquired. Use stated ages as guidance alongside these checks. If sex cannot be identified reliably, obtain assessment by qualified personnel before pairing.

Preparation and seasonal cycle

Maintain a cool cycle consistent with origin and ventilated damp hides. Offer the female a shallow tray with a ramp she can enter and leave without swimming. Prepare separate larval tanks before the birth season.

Before encounters, prepare and test offspring enclosures and have first foods available. Check records for regular adult feeding and good body condition, then verify access from exposed areas to retreats. If the species protocol includes seasonal changes, adjust settings gradually and record the response. Record night-time air, surface and egg temperatures separately, noting where each is measured. Keep water available throughout preparation.

Courtship and mating

Mating takes place on land through spermatophore transfer. Observe without handling the pair and separate fighting males. Sperm storage permits birth without recent mating: keep the full introduction history.

Pregnancy and preparation for birth

The female releases live larvae into water, sometimes in multiple batches. Inspect the tray daily and transfer larvae with a small container, separating them from adults. Do not look for eggs to bury in vermiculite: initial development occurs inside the mother.

Larval birth and metamorphosis

Rear larvae in cool, oxygenated, clean water with cover and similarly sized individuals. Metamorphosis varies: as gills shrink, provide a ramp to very damp land. Terrestrial-birth forms require this second enclosure immediately.

First meals and juvenile care

For larvae offer Daphnia, small cultured aquatic larvae and appropriately sized earthworms, checking every individual. After metamorphosis use supplemented small insects and earthworms in ventilated damp housing; avoid deep pools because terrestrial juveniles can drown.

Observe each larva’s feeding, growth and developmental stage daily, avoiding unnecessary capture for weighing. Also check water quality, injuries and size differences: a feeding group does not establish that every larva eats. Separate injured individuals or those excluded from food, and adjust space and diet as they develop. For forms that become terrestrial, prepare gentle exits and shelters before the transition to land.

Female recovery

Keep the female in a cool, stable environment with accessible water and her usual foods. Monitor weight and appetite and keep checking the basin: further larvae may be born later. Wait for body condition to recover before new introductions.

Equipment and example diary

Prepare a birth tray with a ramp, covered larval tanks, water tests, thermometer, siphon and terrestrial housing for metamorphosis. Record each birth group, accepted food and transition to land; births may be spread over time.