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Some help on a firebelly newt

J

jameswei

Guest
Hi

Recently, i purchased two firebelly newts.. One of them is eating like there is no tomorrow and the other is not eating at all. I'll call that one Porkchop from now on... Well, Porkchop was eating a week after i got it when i was hanging black worms in front of them. But a week after that it stopped eating. Upon closer examintion i foudn skin lesions all over its back and a some what nasty open wound on its left shoulder. I tried giving him frozen blood worms, black worms, and pellets and live fruit lives but to no avail. Hanging the various foods in front of the newt doesnt seem to stimulate its eatiing instinct any more. (last time, i am buying from a sketchy chinese aquarium).. It has been a week plus, possibly two weeks since it has last eaten... I tried various things like a melafix solution for a week. I tried using some neosporin, still using, and some dilute contact solution... The skin lesions seem to be getting smaller but the wound is still there. I decided to call the vet, but the staff told me it would cost 96 dollars for a vist... all that for a 3 dollar newt.... i am not sure what i should do at this point. Look for more vets... with a more reasonable price... Buy a new newt... Etuhanize this one... Or let it work it self out and pray for the best... if anyone can give me an idea of what i should do i would be extreemyl grateful.

well thank you guys for listening to me... tak care.
 
J

john

Guest
hey man,
Heres what worked for me. Dig up some small earthworms from a garden or something. Cut a piece off and put it on a tweezers. It should be wiggling. Put it infront of the newt, but don't let it touch him cause it might startle him. Newts have a good sense of smell and should become interested in the wiggling piece. Just hold it there until he grabs it. Be patient, sometimes it can take a couple of min. Bye the way, newts only eat about 3 times a week. I feed my every other day. Keep trying that until he eats. Mine are spoiled now and dont even want any frozen food, its live or nothin. After hes been eating for awhile, try feeding him some chopped wax worms. Also, look for a cheeper vet, to take my leopard gecko in it was only $34 for a visit. Otherwise send a private message to Tim (TJ) he's the moderator of this forum and he just had some wound problems on a newt as well. He treated some of it himself. Mabye he could help. By the way this is not the help forum. Go back to the main page and scroll to bottom to post in Newt Salamader Help forum.
 

TJ

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Well put, John
lol.gif
Yep, I'm afraid this thread is another prime candidate for being moved to the Newt and Salamander Help area in a few days -- so look for it there if it disappears here

Sounds like you have a major problem and I wish I could help. Yeah, try worms if the newt's not too far gone to eat. The poor critter needs nutrition if its going to get better! I'd personally wouldn't try force-feeding and would instead take it to my vet, but then he's not somebody who would charge me $96 for a visit! I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure you should be viewing it as a $3 newt. Sure, that's how much you paid for it, but is that really how much it's now worth to you? But I'd think twice about that vet of yours and shop around a bit before deciding my next move...

(Message edited by TJ on August 26, 2004)
 
M

marion

Guest
I can't offer advice on how to deal with your newts injuries. However, if it does pull through I'd be checking their possible cause - perhaps, as you suggested, a sick specimen bought from a dodgy shop. My experience has been that my pregnant female had a voracious appetite. Fed bloodworms daily, she'd have the lions portion and the male was looking quite emaciated. I often had to tempt him by dangling blood worms directly in front of him. I did notice, as soon as he ventured too close to the frozen worms, the female would bite him in the face, on his leg or tail. If you have one eager feeder, this animal may be the cause of injuries to the other. I solved it by feeding them in opposing corners of the tank and both continued to thrive and breed throughout the season.
 

TJ

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<font color="ff0000">** This thread has been moved here from the Fire-bellied Newts discussion area **</font>
 
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