All around help on newt/salamander care required!

Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

Derp. My tank is now missing another 2 guppies. I'm not certain if Takorr's chowing on them, since he's still eating plenty earthworms. His tummy is suspiciously round though... Maybe he eats them at night when nobody is around to give him worms, haha.
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

Is it normal for newts to glut on worms? I'm starting to think mine is; he's been eating 1-2 worms everyday for the past week. His tummy is close to 3.5cm wide, definitely larger than his head. He's about 8cm long, not including his tail (which is close to same as his body length). Should I moderate his feeding, or just continue feeding when he wants to eat? Earthworms are not too much of a problem because behind my backyard is a forest, and my dad has taught me how to search for big batches of earthworms (I admittedly butchered a few when I was picking them out of the soil, have to be mindful of my strength when I collect them).
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

Yes some species will just eat and eat! Your Paddletail's natural environment is fast flowing streams so he will grab anything he sees before the current washes it away, even though now he's in captivity this won't happen!
You need to slow down on the earthworms, maybe offer them every other day or so. I don't see anything wrong with leaving him a few guppies to snack on but use your judgement and keep an eye on his size, if he seems to be getting fat slow down with the feeding for a while.
Hope this helps :)
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

That does help :) Thanks! I caught close to 10 worms just yesterday and they'll last probably a week or so, I hope. If not, eh, I can always dig for more. x3 Mom did say he looked bloated haha.
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

Uh, I'm getting slightly worried ever since my family members mentioned 'bloat' and I found bloat articles. :/ Takorr is still very active, and I had to resist giving him more earthworms when he gives a certain face. However, I'm not sure if he's just plain plump or not, so I'd rather have some clarification.

Didn't take pics so I'd give a description. Since the last pic I posted, he's plumper on the whole after his forelimbs, his hindlimbs got really fattened up, as is his tail (like long and round). His forelimbs seem fine, though he put on a bit of meat since I got him, it's a lot thinner than his hindlimbs. His whole mid-area is round and smooth, when he turns lots of ribbed wrinkles appear. His head looks fine, his throat is smooth; there are still a line or two seen when he exhales. When I transfer him to a holding container to clean his tank, his throat seems more swollen out of water. He has grown brighter and more flashy spots all over his belly and tail, which can be seen even without shining a light over it. His toes are all stubby and cute-looking and healthy.

...I'll grab pics and post them later.
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

There. Taken about an hour after I fed him the smallest whole earthworm I could find in my container, just to ensure he's still eating.
 

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Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

He looks healthy enough to me The vertical wrinkles down his sides are normal for Pachytriton like Takorr. I think he should probably start the new year on a diet, though. :)
 
Re: All rounded help on newt/salamander care required!

Yes, I agree with Chinadog, you should cut down on his diet a bit. Those "rib lines" are coastal grooves, normal additions to salamanders. And the reason that his throat looks bigger when he is out of water I think is because he is kind of stressed. Mine do that too. When you pick them up and take them out of the water that stresses them a bit. Looks healthy though. -Seth
 
Feeding should be only every 2-3 days. The digestive system of a newt is better suited to that schedule. Everyday feeding can lead to health problems
 
Okay! Thanks for the advice! :D Too bad there isn't any hamster-like wheel accessories for Takorr to walk on to lose those fats, haha. It's a cute mental image anyway. He just chills at the bottom of the tank and turns his head to look at people who stare at him.

My cousins came to my house the other day and saw the new addition of a tank in my living room. I told them I was into rearing guppies now and that Takorr was a toy, they actually believed me (which was hilarious, who rears only 1 guppy in a 20L tank?) and then Takorr moved and they screamed. Good times. Everyone thinks I'm abnormal though, something about lizard things are gross and the like.
 
Update! :D

Takorr doesn't seem to have slimmed down, it's quite hilarious to see him try to move out of the higher barrel entrance/exit. I'm feeding him on Wed/Fri/Sun [nowadays 1 whole earthworm], with Wed & Sun for tank cleaning, if any is needed. He's pretty healthy and like to (insert whatever he does here). I don't know since he hides in his barrel home and all I can see is his tail. He's aware of what's happening, which is awesome; I wave my hand around the tank and he pokes his head out of the barrel! So darn cute, but I think he thinks it's feeding time. He's gotten quite adept at using his tail to get away from me and make a splash into the tank when I have to take him out of the tank and protests with his mouth open before trying to crawl away out of water.

Anyway, I grabbed a pic of him posing there, I couldn't resist.
 

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Panicking, this morning I saw he was quite all right, if a little clingy to his barrel. He ate well. But I got quite a shock when I saw his throat area all puffy, his tummy has gone to the extent that his hindfeet aren't touching the floor anymore (nighttime now); he's hiding in his barrel now.

Meanwhile, any suggestions? I really don't want to find another newt when Takorr is perfect...
 

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It looks like Takorr might be bloated... The fact that he's eating well is a good sign, but I'm no expert on newt illnesses. In the meantime, these articles could help:
Caudata Culture Articles - Illness Part 1
Caudata Culture Articles: Bloat
Best of luck. If he is bloated, it's probably because he has an underlying illness that's been hidden until now. You might want to check him for sores, just in case. Just look at him from all angles, as well as underneath and look for little pink scars or holes. Give us an update on him soon.
 
I'm really hoping it's not that... :( It's morning now, he's just out of his barrel. He seems to breathe alright, no discomfort, but it looks quite bad, an exhale just a slight indent that fills back up almost immediately.
 

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I would say feed him less, and see if it makes a difference. Some newts overheat until they become obese, but most just stop when they're full. Take pictures every day and then compare them to see if there's any difference.
 
Takorr does not look at all well :(

What temperature is his tank kept at?
 
No sores, or abnormalities, just the roundness and puffy-like stuff. I've been feeding him only 1 worm every 2-3 days, I'll reduce it to twice a week, then once after that.

Thermometer died (have to get another...), dad says temperature is about 20-23 degrees Celsius.

Mom and sister are telling me to just buy another newt and let Takorr run free; ugh, it's frustrating to keep my mouth shut.

EDIT: I'm searching for amphibian vets in Singapore now, just in case. Now to see if my mom is willing to bring me to the vet or not...
 
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Okay, I've booked an appointment on Monday (Saturday now), we'll see how then. Suggestions to help Takorr greatly appreciated.
 
You've done the right thing by finding a vet, many people wouldn't have bothered. Whatever happens now you can say hand on heart that you did all you could to help him.
For what it's worth I really hope he gets better and is back to his old guppy munching self again soon! :)
 
I hope so too! One relief is that he's still his cute and grumpy self. He got stuck around the barrel and spent the day trying to poop, haha.

I'd like to know which method would be more comfortable for him during the trip to the vet: a tub with water and lid with holes, or a tub with little water and extremely saturated paper towels and lid with holes? I will be (from home, after school) walking to the bus stop, taking a short bus trip (<8 minutes) taking the train (about 25-30 minutes), taking another bus (no idea how long, probably 10 minutes), and walking a short distance to the clinic. I will go the same way back home.

Let me know what you guys think Takorr would be most comfortable (add in anything you might think best too!) and I'll try to add it in tomorrow before school. /praying the fees won't be too expensive
 
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