New Chinese Fire Belly Newt Owner

if you've had it for several months and it is healthy, then it's probably ok to combine it with others of its own species. But I wouldn't get my hopes up for that pet shop newt...
 
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After a little more research I think the first newt I ever had was a rough-skinned newt, not a paddletail. But the second one was definitely a paddletail. I know that for sure.
 
When I woke up this morning, the paddletail was dead... Damn pet store. -_-

The fire belly was swimming around though, and when I got a close look at his foot, it appeared that his toes were growing back. He still wouldn't eat the worm I was trying to feed him with tweezers though. Do you think he might make it?
 
Okay. So the paddeltail's not dead after all. It was on its back and wasn't moving, so I assumed it was dead, but it's moving a little. But I don't think it's going to make it. :(
 
The paddletail is dead for sure now... :(

EDIT: This is a bit off-topic, but I wasn't sure where to post this. Can anyone tell me where I can learn about all the different species, subspecies, breeds, colors, etc. of Caudata? I'm really interested in learning this.
 
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Scorpion go to the main page of this site and look for Caudata culture-has lots of information about newts including what you want to learn!the link is in someone's signature but can't see who's because my phone doesn't show them :(
 
You probably already have come to this conclusion, but: Never get anything from that shop again
 
Thanks, Kia. It was Kaysie's sig.

Yeah, I have, Angie. In fact, I probably won't buy newts or salamanders from any shop again.
 
I was wondering. I've always wanted to go to a reptile show. Would any salamanders and newts I find there be healthy and okay to buy if I were to go sometime soon?
 
In my experience, it is rare to come across caudates at reptile shows, and even rarer they be captive bred (unless one attends the shows in and around PA ;)). Go anyway. Shows are pretty fun, and you never know who you might meet and what might interest you.
 
An update on my last fire belly:
His missing toes have gotten worse. In fact, he went from missing a few toes to missing all of them to missing his foot to now missing part of his leg. His leg looked infected, so I put some thermadene on it (which is the same as silvadene, right?), but I don't know if I was very successful. It might have washed away in the water. :( I still can't get him to eat the pieces of worm from the tweezers. I've been putting some soft sinking newt pellets in his tank. I hope he's been eating those, though I'm not confident because he's been skinnier. I don't know if that's because he hasn't be eating, or because he's sick, or for both reasons. I don't know what else to do. I've been trying to take as good care of him as I can. He looked good at first, but he's been slowly getting worse. I'm not sure he's going to make it... :(
 
try some live food, like bloodworms, the movement might catch his attention and get him eating. Sorry to hear about the infection, I hope he recovers
 
The only live foods I have are earthworms. I have small ones, but I still need to cut those up to make them small enough for the newt. I tried looking at the pet store for live foods small enough for the newt but didn't find any. Also, I can't buy any online at the moment because I don't have the money to. I wish I could. I don't think it matters though. At this point, I don't think it's a matter of if the newt will die, but when. He's gotten much skinnier, his leg is worse, and he doesn't move around nearly as much as he did. I wish there were something I could do. I'm not buying newts from the pet store anymore. All I've gotten is death. It's so sad watching the newt waste away like that...
 
I don't recall if anyone else has posted this link, but read this article: Caudata Culture Articles - Sores
There are more articles dealing with illness and injury and I suggest reading them all, and then reading them all again to make sure you absorb all that info. It doesn't sound too good for your remaining newt but I would still try keeping it cool in addition to other tips in those articles. Best of luck,
Heather
 
Thanks! No one else has given me that link as far as I remember. I'd have to check the entire thread again. I am keeping the newt cool though. If I can't get him to eat though, I don't expect he'll make it.
 
When I first got my 3 fire bellied newts they wouldn't eat anything I put in there. Finally they ate some live brine shrip (most pet shops have these) and later live black worms and frozen blood worms
 
Last night I got my newt to eat a piece of worm!!! I could only get him to eat one though. I would've tried again this morning but he was hiding under a rock in the water. Also, he's been spending more time underwater. I don't know if he's looking any better though because it was too dark last night to tell and today he was hiding. So do you think there's hope for him yet?
 
I think that's great news, Alexander! I would try again soon, but I also think its important to not stress it by removing it from a hiding spot too frequently. I would try feeding again tonight or tomorrow morning.
Heather
 
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