K
keegan
Guest
Hi all,
I haven't been on in ages. It's been good to catch up on a lot of reading here!
I thought I posted a question about this quite a while ago (6 mos- 1 yr?), when one of my female t.a.apuanas had the trouble, but can't seem to find that post. That newt died, but my male and second female have continued to be seemingly healthy. Now my other female is exhibiting the same symptoms:
Problem may initiate in the lower back (maybe just in front of the hind legs?), extending to the tail: - unusually bent to the side, with the tail also bent sideways upon itself (somewhat accordian style). She can move her hind legs, but to little avail. Attempts to swim are similarly hindered by shape she seems stuck in. Recently went off food. Also seems to have unusual bulges in the abdomen - though whether this is a cause of the trouble, or caused by the trouble I don't know.
Any thoughts?
From what I've read, it could possibly be Metabolic bone disease (MBD)or a nutrient deficiency (Usually fed a staple of worms with occasional frozen foods, but newts were left with a friend while I traveled, and apparently fed mostly waxworms - could be a nutrient deficiency causing that much of a disfigurement?) Alternately - would I see this in an egg-bound female? She was somewhat small / runty to start with and I wouldn't have expected her to be laying... they have been mostly aquatic for 8 months, but do have some land access. A few aquatic plants with thin gravel substrate, but no elodea or "preferred" egg-plants.
Thanks for any thoughts all.
Keegan
I haven't been on in ages. It's been good to catch up on a lot of reading here!
I thought I posted a question about this quite a while ago (6 mos- 1 yr?), when one of my female t.a.apuanas had the trouble, but can't seem to find that post. That newt died, but my male and second female have continued to be seemingly healthy. Now my other female is exhibiting the same symptoms:
Problem may initiate in the lower back (maybe just in front of the hind legs?), extending to the tail: - unusually bent to the side, with the tail also bent sideways upon itself (somewhat accordian style). She can move her hind legs, but to little avail. Attempts to swim are similarly hindered by shape she seems stuck in. Recently went off food. Also seems to have unusual bulges in the abdomen - though whether this is a cause of the trouble, or caused by the trouble I don't know.
Any thoughts?
From what I've read, it could possibly be Metabolic bone disease (MBD)or a nutrient deficiency (Usually fed a staple of worms with occasional frozen foods, but newts were left with a friend while I traveled, and apparently fed mostly waxworms - could be a nutrient deficiency causing that much of a disfigurement?) Alternately - would I see this in an egg-bound female? She was somewhat small / runty to start with and I wouldn't have expected her to be laying... they have been mostly aquatic for 8 months, but do have some land access. A few aquatic plants with thin gravel substrate, but no elodea or "preferred" egg-plants.
Thanks for any thoughts all.
Keegan