Illness/Sickness: A question of ethics.

Hi I'm not a newt or salamander owner, I'm only a new axolotl owner so I apologise for what could be a rookie question. I noticed a small local fish shop has started selling fire belly newts (if memory serves they are small black with small amounts of a crimson red).
As mentioned I am not even confident identifying newts let alone criticising their care. But this shop keeps them fully aquatic and I've now noticed several are showing sins of limb loss and fungus. This same fish owner suggested a malachite green compound for a potential fungus infection with my axolotls.

My question is this something I should bring up to him or an organisation.
I say again I'm not a newt keeper but these little guys look unhappy. If I'm just sticking my nose where it shouldn't go then don't hesitate to tell me. Just want to do the right thing


Sent from the comfort of my throne room

I think if you feel up to it, then telling them off for their negligence if the conditions are really unsuitable, is completely valid. After all, it is a case of animal cruelty and as such it is a matter of inmorality even if we trivialize such things some times. However, if conditions of temperature and water quality seem correct then it would be unfair to blame the shop for the state of the animals. Granted, you could still validly complain about their involvement in a commercial system that severely mistreats animals and caused the suffering of those animals in the first place.
This is sadly very common...the majority of shops that offer newts of any species have this problem for two reasons, a) where they get their animals from and b) their lack of knowledge or interest. As such, regretably, giving a piece of your mind to those people is not really going to change anything. Newts will still be collected in the wild in mass and imported under terrible conditions for a modest profit. A more likely to succeed aproach, i think, is to not participate of the commercial imports. By reducing the profit that this system creates, it would be possible to end it or reduce it very significantly. A sort of passive action...

Still, every little step counts, so as i say, if you feel like it, do complain. You might even succeed and achieve a small victory , although to be honest this is not likely as other people who have tried, me included, could tell you.

Forgot to say, i wouldn´t bother with any organizations, that´s just not going to earn you anything but a headache.

Do not use any medication with Malachite Green in it, it is very toxic for amphibians. I tend to check ingredients by using the search link, which is on the green bar towards the top of the page. Fungal infections are best treated with salt baths or almond leaves.

I know malachite green is toxic. That's my point, he clearly has no clue why so ever how to look after amphibians and was wondering how far I can take it. I've a friend who works for the local press. I'll get him to poke about and see how far it should be taken. It infuriates me how he can sit there spouting rubbish that causes suffering. Obviously to the newts but but also he keepers, how many people have tragically had to deal with the loss of a pet on account I his incompetence.

In short... GRRRRR


Sent from the comfort of my throne room

Pet shops generally are, to coin a phrase ' A jack of all trades and a master to none' . I try really hard not to look in any aquatic sections now for fear of what I may see. My heart sinks every time I see axolotl kept in gravel filled tanks, newts with goldfish and so on. I now always speak to a member of staff and express my concerns, usually along the lines of the way the animals are displayed. If they are displayed in incorrect environments, the purchaser will more than likely copy it, believing this to be the correct way of doing it. I have only had one success, and that was because the assistant decided to act on my advice rather than wait and tell the department manager.

King Canon- I think that you have every right to inform the store of the animals poor care. At the very least give them some suggestions about their care and see what they do, if no progress has been made in a reasonable amount of time then perhaps you should inform a "higher-up" of these poor conditions and the employees inability to provide adequate changes.

Bellabelloo- I agree with you 100%! When I first bought my newts I was under the impression that you could fit many in one tank and that they were extremely social (preferring many tank mates). But after a little research I realized that you have to be careful of the amount you put in a tank to avoid stressing... More to my point I went to the store the other day and saw a 1 gallon tank like the picture I attached that had 2 H. Oriantalis's in it. This only encourages people to put this little guys in very bad living conditions.

I have never seen newts in pet shops around here where I thought they were being taken good care of - always overcrowded, inappropriate housing, and obviously ill animals. Embarrassed to say, but I never had the courage to confront these shops and try to get them to change this practice. I regret my lack of action. If you decide to take action, I doubt you will regret it.
Heather

Well I've had a go. I've forced him to sell the lot at cost to a more appropriate keeper. He now sells them on a piece meal basis. As and when he is asked. He's has run ins with the RSPCA and it all went peachy. I didn't tell him how to run his business I just read him the riot act and that I would be more then capable of making his life very difficult by following the letter of the law.

It was more the rubbish information he was handing out. Telling me they were best treated with harsh chemicals, that they didn't like land. They looked like Fire bellied newts but newts aren't my are of interest at present so my information is less then a noob. But I could see they weren't well let alone happy.

To those who want to speak out contact local animal welfare organisations and find out exactly how to word your concerns and the legality issues around the care of said species.

I'd have rather given him a slap but hey ho


Sent from the comfort of my throne room