Hello from Japan

I'm an American expatriate, currently teaching English in Japan's Kyoto Prefecture. After deciding on a long tenure here I've decided to take the plunge and get a newt! I had three Firebelly Toads when I was in the U.S. and so wouldn't consider myself a complete newbie to amphibian care, but newts are a horse of a different color, certainly.

I'm still in the process of setting up the tank, and since I'm trying to keep this as low-budget as possibe I'm scouring recycle/second-hand shops for all of my materials. Plus, with Japan being a perfect environment for newts, I plan to use some local vegetation for the tank.

That being said, yoroshiku onegaishimasu! Please guide me

Welcome to the forum!

I've no idea what's available in your local pet trade but certainly Japanese Cynops are very popular in the hobby - Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese firebelly

This list of caresheets should give you an idea of the most popular species kept in captivity:
Caudata Culture Caresheets

Mark said:

Welcome to the forum!

I've no idea what's available in your local pet trade but certainly Japanese Cynops are very popular in the hobby - Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese firebelly

This list of caresheets should give you an idea of the most popular species kept in captivity:
Caudata Culture Caresheets

Click to expand...

My local aquarium shop had axolotls and Sword-Tailed Newts. I definitely don't have the space for a long axolotl tank, so I am now in possession of two slightly disoriented Cynops blahblahscientificnameIcan'tspell newts. Now those flowerpots filled with nothing but dirt, earthworms, and my obvious failures are good for something. Hello, free newt food.

douzo yoroshiku. (I used to help teach people Japanese in America. It's like, you're the opposite of me. Then I went off the deep end and started translating strange experimental theatre and music, and I absolutely killed all my useful Japanese. Now I can barely make useful words and only do research in it.)

But... you're supposed to get a wooper looper!! (Do they actually say wooper looper at the shop? I'm deathly curious.) Just wondering, how much are they where? (Just so curious.)


...Are you gonna stay there? Or are you allowed to take them home when you finish teaching? (I dunno how long your teaching thing is. But I've known alot of people who only stay a few years for that.)

I wish I lived in a newty place. (Well, salamander-y for me...) Plants are so expensive, and I technicaly live in a desert. Wah. Totally can't help you though, cause, I'm new too. So I'll just say hajimema****e.