# Caecilians



## Kazerella (Jan 7, 2008)

Hello

I just wondered if anyone on here kept the burrowing type of Caecilian?

And if so, what are they like to keep?

I know the aquarium Caecilian (_Typhlonectes natans)_ is more common, but I wondered what burrowing types are available in the pet trade?


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## sean k (Dec 20, 2007)

i would also like to no more about these fascinating amphibians.


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

seen blue caecillian's (dunno scientific) for sale a few times dont know much about them to sorry


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## Kazerella (Jan 7, 2008)

I'll look them up. 

I had previously heard of Purple Caecilians, but didn't know if they were kept as pets.


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## Kazerella (Jan 7, 2008)

Just :google:'d Blue Caecilians and the webpages have come up with the common name of Cameroon Blue Caecilians, but three latin names:

Herpele Squalastoma
Geotrypetes Seraphini
Borumuelleri Lamottei

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me doing the research :lol2:


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## Kazerella (Jan 7, 2008)

The fog is clearing:

Apparently the 3 names google said are not all Camaroon Blue Caecilians, only Herpele Squalastoma are.

Geotrypetes Seraphini is the West African Caecilian and the Borumuelleri Lamottei that's for sale on Exotic pets is actually a cross between two species: Crotaphatrema bornmuelleri and crotaphatrema lamottei.
No wonder they are marked ???? after the Latin name. Even they are sure :lol2:

(P.S- let me know when I start to bore you) :2thumb:


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

I've kept T.natans, G.seraphini, & H.squalastoma, all are pretty simple to care for.

T.natans requires a standard tropical aquarium setup with a good fitting lid and plenty of nice tight spaces to squeeze through and curl up in. They feed on earthworms, fish, bloodworm, & prawns among other things.

H.squalastoma & G.seraphini normally come into the country together as a mixed lot under the name of B.lamotteii. These are both fossorial species that require a deep substrate of soil, leaf litter, etc. I like to use cocohumus as it's easier to regulate the moisture content than with soil. I normally aim for a depth of about 12" which for H.squalastoma I keep fairly damp at the bottom and let it dry out a bit toward the surface whereas G.seraphini like it nice and moist throughout. They both spend most of their time burrowed but when it gets dark they stick their noses out of the burrows and catch insects as they pass by. They feed well on the usual small - small/medium crickets, earthworms, woodlice etc. I've also been told they will take bits of prawn if left by the top of their burrows but I've never tried this myself.


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## Kazerella (Jan 7, 2008)

Pollywog- is there nothing you don't know about amphibians?:lol2:

:no1:


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

Kazerella said:


> Pollywog- is there nothing you don't know about amphibians?:lol2:
> 
> :no1:



does he know where u can get your hands on a few :lol2:


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

I can get natans almost year round. Geotrypetes & Herpeles would normally start to come in around this time of year but with the economy the way it is at the moment there have been fewer imports the later part of this year so can't say when they will come in now.


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

sorry to but in but how much are the natans when they come in and can they be couiered


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

Price depends on how many you want and yes I can courier them.


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## philfrog (Feb 20, 2009)

*caecilians*

I believe there are 163 species of caecilian, but I too am unfamilar with which ones make good pets, or indeed are available. Although they look like earthworms, they are more advanced than frogs and salamanders in some ways - they give birth to live young and some retain the developing young in their oviducts. 

To me they don't look so attractive, but they are certainly interesting.


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## TheToad888 (Dec 18, 2008)

Wow. Pollywog is amazing! How much would they be i wonder?


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## JoeR (Dec 24, 2009)

Major Bumpage
That'd be cool to know
PM your way Pollywog.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

A number of years ago I bought some from Tom halverson. Im nit sure the excate species. The first type was bright purple and the other was a darker colour. I kept them in rubs of coco fibre and kept them moist. They took earth worms, mealworms and crickets. Don't let medium get wet just damp is fine.'water bowl for soaking. Cost me about a £10 each but that was some years ago. People can charge what they want as they are not often about.


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## JoeR (Dec 24, 2009)

Thank you Animalstorey


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Just to add the ones I had where African imports. They were approx a pencil thickness in size and about 12 inches long.


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## JoeR (Dec 24, 2009)

Thank you 
I'll look them up some more today cos i'm really interested in them now and they seem very rare so definitely something nice to have!


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