C. Orientalis not swimming

[stanleyc]

I've had my fire bellies for a while now and they've been going in and out of the water pretty regularly since staying on land all the time during the first few days. But I still haven't see them swim, when they are in the water, they were always crawling on the bottom. Is this normal.

Also, can anyone help me figure out how old these guys are, they are all about 2 1/2 inches long from snout to tip of the tail.

 

[Azhael]

If WC, it´s impossible to know the age. At this size they are adults and therefore they could be 3 or 15 years old for all we know...

This newts are bottom dwelers, mostly(they also like hanging on live plants)...i´ve rarely seen mine swimming except to go gulp some fresh air. I wouldn´t worry much about that.
I´d worry more about them going in ang out of the water. They should be fully or almost fully aquatic, so if they spend a substantial amount of time on land, it might mean that there´s something in the water that is not ok. It´s worth checking just to make sure.

 

[iam1ru12]

I've got six of them and four are totally aquatic - crawling at the bottom, getting to the water surface to gulp air, and explore the tank as much as they can. However, two of them prefer to stay on the dry area in the vivarium, only getting to the water at night (I usually see them on the driftwood in the morning; so I'm assuming they went to the water). One of the two has even dug a burrow for itself in the dry soil area.

I was thinking that if something's wrong with the water, then ALL of them would stay out of it, wouldn't they? So, I think these two are in the transition to adulthood.

 

[vistajpdf]

I agree. Mine, after the terrestrial phase, have become completely aquatic but really just hang out in the water, surfacing quickly for air. They creep along the tank's bottom and only swim around if I'm cleaning out the filter and they want to get out of the way!

Good luck,
Dana

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

This species can be kept aquatic or terrestrial. If the newts become really dry they assume to live on land. If you want your newts to become totally aquatic then keep them really moist where the skin does not dry. If your trying to get your newts to go aquatic then it'll take a month or 2. Just decrease the amount of land and than increase water but make sure there are still places where the newst can comeout of the water and rest.

 

[Critter Mom]

My tank has been recently set up so that it is aquatic with some land areas and some areas where they can perch, as well as plants that stick out of the water. They at first just refused to go in the water and would panic if in it, then they gradually started to explore a bit. My smallest has explored the bottom and come up. Sometimes they will climb on the glass or the filter or it's cord, but they also take turns in the water. I have not seen them swim a lot either. I see them more and more around and in the water area every day. I think it just takes them time to adjust. It has been about a week in it's present set-up. What is cute is that they like to watch the bubbles and water coming out of the gentle waterfall style filter for hours on end, and I saw the littlest riding the lid to it like a person would ride a bull!

 

[stanleyc]

thanks for the replies, Ive had these guys for about 3 weeks i believe, so they might still be adjusting and getting settled in, which is why I think they might be spending time in the land areas as well as the water. But I'll check out the water quality just to be sure.