Eastern Newts Gender

Eastern Newts Gender

It took me a while to figure out the gender of my 3 wild caught Eastern newts. 

Adult Eastern males and females look all very similar through the most part of the year.

Gender differences can be observed during the mating season at the end of Winter through the beginning of Spring. 

I got my newts at the end of September 2022. 

Though, soon enough my newts accepted normal room temperature as a sign of early spring.

 The change in water temperature prompted the mating season. 

Interestingly, one of the newts starts showing a very different behavior from the other two. 

A friendly and very curious newt I named SheShy for her behavior. 

This newt even ventured on the land part one time. 

She wasn't hungry - just looking around and exploring surroundings. 

I assumed this newt is a female based solely on her behavior before mating started. 

Coincidently or not - I was correct in my assumption. 

I could not verify if this type of pre-mating behavior is common among female Eastern newts. 

Please let me know about your observations in this regard. 

Eastern Newt males can be identified during mating season by three prominent characteristics. 

Male Eastern newts have much larger rear legs and wider tails than females during mating season. 

Here you can see a male newt with enlarged rear legs. 

A row of black patches appears on the inside of thighs only during mating season. 

Here you can see the black patches.

 This male has a very gorgeous tail during mating season. 

Here is a closeup view on another male. 

Very beefy rear legs with black patches and enlarged tail. 

Eastern newt females appear to be the same through the entire year.

 Here you can see my female newt SheShy. 

She has normal sized rear legs and a streamlined tail all year around. 

She also has a more rounded, plump body compared to males. 

Though, I don't have any other female newts to compare her with.

 I need to mention that all my newts get fatter living in an aquarium than wild newts. 

Eastern newt females don't get black patches on their thighs.

 Observing Eastern newts during mating season is the only reliable way of finding out their gender.

 Here is a male newt to compare with. 

Also I have to point out that it takes longer for some males to go through mating season changes. 

The lighter green male on the top still does not have black patches as in this example.

And yet, newts compete and fight all the time regardless of the season. 

Eastern newts fight and mate in a very similar manner.

 Mating males make fanning movements with their tails helping to spread male pheromones. 

Each male newt has unique pheromones. 

Those "charm" or "love" pheromones attract female newts to a specific male newt. 

Only male newts make the fanning movements with their tails. 

And male newts do it only during mating.

 The fanning movements of the tail is the sure give away of male newt gender. 

So, we have 3 ways of identifying males.

 Enlarged rear legs and tail, black patches on their thighs and fanning. 

All three traits can be observed only during mating season.

 I would love to hear if your female Eastern newts are also curious and friendly and probably a bit plump the way SheShy was.

 Have fun and happy newts :)