Question: CFB weird curved posture?

Hello,

I had originally posted on here not too long ago for help with picking out a newt. (First newt/salamander thread http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58111). Ends up there was a suddent drop in temperature and it was not safe to ship newts so I caved and bought 2 at a local petshop not wanting to wait until spring. I asked a girl and she said she had been working there for 3 or 4 months and I was the first to buy a newt!

Either way I have 2 questions.. They keep taking this curvy posture, kind of like a scared cat. They put their heads on the rocks and peck. Are they looking for food/hungry? They kind of do that when they eat. I've been feeding them everyday since I got them incase they had not been fed enough at the petstore. They are hungry little guys! Doesn't show that much in the picture but she (i think it's a she) will really curve up and put her head in the rocks.



Question 2: They are always in the water. I have a floating plant they could go on and driftwood that breaks the water with a little area to rest on/rock trail to facilitate climbing on it and they have not used it at all. They just walk around the bottom of the aquarium and swim up for a "gulp of air" every now and then. Is that normal?

Thank you!

PS. I have other pictures of the newts here.

Your newts sound perfectly healthy to me; Mine have searched for food that way before. Cynops orientalis is a highly aquatic species, so them spending the majority of the time in the water is actually a good sign. Good Luck!

p.s.- Have you considered using sand as a substrate? Often times food gets lost/trapped between the cracks in gravel and can cause water quality issues if it is not removed. Sand looks just as nice and makes clean-up easier.

Oh, I had understood that I was supposed get rocks that are too big for the newts to accidentally swallow.. I got a turkey baster and suck up the remaining food with it once they stop eating though. Mind you they are pretty determined to eat every single piece I put in there! Pushing rocks with their feet/legs when they are in the way. I'll keep that in mind incase it becomes a problem :]. Thanks!