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New Chinese Fire Belly Newt Owner

Scorpion

Scorpion

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Got him to eat another worm piece! Couldn't get him to eat more than one though, and they're small worms. I'll try getting him to eat again tomorrow morning. I hope that now that he's eating, he'll recover. He's not looking good. His hip bones are sticking out, and I can see his ribs. He's really skinny. Maybe it has to do with this was the first time I had a chance to feed him in the water? I've tried feeding him before, but before he never went into the water, so I had to feed him on land, and he would never eat. But yesterday, the first chance I got to feed him in the water, he ate it. It was easier to wave around in front of him too, because of the way the worm dragged through the water.
 
Scorpion

Scorpion

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My little guy ate three worm pieces today! I'm so happy! He's been looking so emaciated, but now that his appetite's growing, maybe he'll make a recovery? I'm so hopeful for him right now.

I have a question too. Does anybody know a good method for getting rid of uneaten food waste? One that won't disturb the tank too much and doesn't take too much water out in the process? I think someone suggested I use an air tube to suck it up, but won't that take the water out too? Because I've been throwing a lot of newt pellets in his tank in the hopes that he'll eat them (before he started eating the worms), and now they're everywhere, and I really really need to get them out of there. Except now that I think about it, I suppose I could filter the food waste from the water I suck out and then pour the water back in the tank. But how would I filter it? Anyway, any help would be great!
 
Molch

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an airhose or turkey baster is easiest. Why worry about sucking out some water? That's a good thing, it means you just replace it with fresh dechlorinated water and you get a water change at the same time :)

Great that your little guy is eating! Don't overfeed him too much at first; if he hasn't eaten in a long time, his system has to get going again. A couple pieces per day or so is probably best at first.
 
Scorpion

Scorpion

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I sucked the waste out with an air tube. There's still a tiny bit of it in there, but hopefully the snails will take care of it. Also, when I took one of the hides out and was about the put it back in, I forgot that one of the snails was hiding in it, and he fell out, hit several things, and cracked his shell. I feel so bad now... I hope he'll be alright.
 
Scorpion

Scorpion

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I have a question about the substrate I'm using. I'm using gravel, which I've heard across the forums is a problem for some species that ingest it. Is it a problem with my Chinese fire belly? Right now the gravel's too big for him to swallow, so I wasn't worried about taking it out right away and didn't want to do that in case it would stress him too much. But when he gets bigger (which I hope he will), will it turn out to be a problem? Should I get the gravel out as soon as possible, or will it probably be okay?
 
AngieD

AngieD

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In my experience, gravel is ok for the 5 newts we keep. I have never seen them attempt to eat gravel, and their style of eating tends to be a forward 'snapping' motion, as opposed to 'hoovering'.

How is the little guy getting along - is he still eating?
 
Scorpion

Scorpion

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Yep. Still eating. :) He hasn't seemed to have gotten any fatter, but as long as he keeps eating, I have hope for him yet. Even if it takes a really long time, I'm sure he'll fatten up. At least I hope he will.
 
AngieD

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When he's recovered he should start plumping up a little. Sounds like he hasn't got thinner, which can't be bad. How is his bad leg getting along?
 
Scorpion

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Eh, about the same. Hasn't gotten better, but hasn't gotten worse it seems. I don't know if he still has an infection. I don't think so, but I'm not completely sure.
 
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