Firebelly size and longevity

[michael]

Hey All! Umm...I have an old newt (c.pyrr.sasayama), female, in good health, mostly aquatic, 17 cm length. "Newtie" joined my family in 1970, and was handed into my care for the past 14 years. I'm curious about size: Newtie was about 5.5" in 1992, and is now 6.5", but I think the growth came about as I increased tank size in '96 and '04. Has anyone had similar experiences with age, or size?

 

[jennifer]

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/7/54913.html?1141413504
http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/7/54932.html?1141416593

Looks like newty is a "she". Good going on the longevity! The general wisdom these days is that the size of a newt (or fish) is not constrained by the tank size. So the growth may not have been due to the tank enlargements.

 

[kylee]

WOW!! she's a senior citizen

 

[hayden]

Very nice job keeping her healthy all these years. Is she kept all by herself?

 

[michael]

Yes, she's been kept alone all these years, on a diet of garden worms, or bologna strips during lean winter months. I was really pleased to find year-round panfish worms at Walmart, let me tell you!

 

[Lillajag]

Yes, she's been kept alone all these years, on a diet of garden worms, or bologna strips during lean winter months. I was really pleased to find year-round panfish worms at Walmart, let me tell you!

Is that little cute one still alive?

 

[alienator064]

wow 14 years? well done!!

 

[Joost]

I have a pair of C. e. ensicauda, collected from the wild in 1993, they were adults back then. How old they are now, I don't know, but they have to be at least 21-22 years old, regarding they normally reach maturity in 3-4 years. They still breed every year.

 

[suztor]

Am I reading this correctly? She joined the family in 1970... making her 40ish? and she's been with you for the last 14 years?