Possible Bloating

Hi All,

My newt, Amethyst, has been quite round over the past couple of weeks.. 2 or 3 weeks, I believe. She seems to be floating quite a bit on the water...when she swims, she sort of floats and needs to really use her arms, legs and tail to help her get around. I read on the website that 'swimming funny' suggests bloat, and sadly, it sounds like there's not much I can do for this condition.

Is it at all possible for a pregnant newt to also swim in a funny way? Might a pregnant newt also float on the water? Or, is this most certainly a sign of bloating?

Amethyst once laid eggs 4 years ago.

Please offer me any suggestions/advice you may have. She is very dear to me.

Thank-you.

I should also mention that although round, she has always been a bit round in comparison to her male companion. She just seems a little bit rounder, lately, though it's not a very noticeable amount. This in conjunction with the floating is what is most concerning to me right now.

I cannot tell if her throat or limbs are bloated...it's hard to tell.

She is often on plants or in hiding places. She is also still eating as she normally does.

What kind of newt is she? Is there any way you can provide a picture?

What kind of foods do you feed them?

Hi, Kaysie! Thanks for your reply! She is a lovely Chinese Firebelly newt and I've had her for 5 years. I am unable to provide a photo right now, as I do not have a camera on hand at the moment. I can try to get a photo in the next couple of days.

She really looks round, not bloated. Her skin is healthy. Her appearance is certainly pear-shaped.Her limbs and neck are not bloated in the least. But, she is floating somewhat. However,she is able to sit on the bottom of the little container I put her in without holding onto anything. It seems that her movement is different when she swims...like she is floating a bit while swimming. I am wondering if perhaps she is pregnant. If this is the case, I don't want to isolate her from her male partner, as I would certainly want the eggs to be fertilized.

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank-you!!!!

PS~ I feed them a variety of foods...crickets, frozen bloodworms and red wiggler worms that I breed myself.

Pear shaped is a good thing. I suspect you may be right in thinking that she's carrying eggs. With cooler weather often comes breeding. Females will increase egg production in anticipation of that.

Keep an eye on her though, in case something changes.

Thanks, Kaysie! Actually, this is exactly around the time Amethyst had babies 4 years ago. Precisely so. I will keep an eye on her, though. I will also hopefully be able to post a photo in the next couple of days.

Your advice is appreciated!