Marbled Newt poison defence

[damian]

Whilst cleaning out one of my Marbled Newt tanks this afternoon this female started to extrude this white coloured substance mostly from the flanks and tail which I presume is the toxin that they use to deter predators.
I've never seen any of my Marbled Newts do this before and was wondering if the fact that this female had just shed its skin had made the toxin more visible or just made the newt produce more?

Needless to say I washed my hands after handling!

 

[caleb]

Does this secretion have a distinct smell? Crested newt venom smells of crushed poppy-heads. I've handled wild cresteds that have made my hands smell quite strongly, but I've never seen any of the venom itself.

By the way, are you sure it's a female? The black markings on the dorsal line look a lot like an undeveloped male crest.

 

[damian]

Hi Caleb
Yes the secretion does smell, exactly the same as that from Great Crested Newts.
Yes this is a female, she is approx 5 years old now and has spawned before.

 

[mark]

Great picture damian,it looks as if she is still sheding(rear foot)

 

[sergé]

They do it very often, at least mine animals did. They were not used to being handled, so when I sometimes did they acted like this. But not all individuals, some seemed to be more 'trigger-happy'.
It has a parsley like smell as I can remember. And it all shows again what could happen if you keep different species together and they would strees each other...
Nice picture!