Illness/Sickness: Very Bloated SRN Female

[achiinto]

Attached photos are the newly acquired Female SRN I have (got her 4 days ago). The source suggested that she was a laboratory animal for 10 years. Although, she is possible to have eggs, but the roundness and the swelling around the limbs, tail and neck seems to suggest that she is bloated.

Do you think she is bloated in your experience?

She has been fed mainly chicken heart as her staple diet, which I will change that to an earthworm diet instead. Do you think a chicken heart diet for 10 years might lead to a bloated female?

I have isolated her to a plastic tank with daily 100% waterchange and a fan to cool down the water in the basement. I have been feeding her everyday a little bit of earthworm. She seems very hungry and very demanding for food. Which is a good sign, does that suggest that it is possible to cure her from her bloat?

I have noticed that she has not passed out anything after eating yet, is that a concern or does it suggest anything? I have found out that she was not kept in a gravel substrate enclosure in her history, so I guess there is not internal blockage due to swallowing a gravel.

It also doesn't seem to be bacterial infected, since other SRNs (males) which from the same source and also shared the tank, is not bloated and rather healthy except for the cloudy eyes.

Your help and advice and greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ian

 

[troutnerd]

Ian:

I wish I had better news for you..but both my SRN died of bloat several years ago..for no apparent reason.

They didn't die at the same time..but within 6 months. They were large and eating like pigs. Then they would blow up like balloons and die. Very strange...I tried the salt dip on my 2nd one..but it didn't work. Hopefully yours is not going down that road. Bloat is a very frustrating ailment.

Good luck.

Gord

 

[achiinto]

Is it possible that they require winter cooling? Cause I heard that Tiger Salamander requires winter cooling, otherwise will die early of age.

 

[fishkeeper]

Could it be from kidney failure due to high protein diet(perhaps not good to make an analogy between humans and newts)...or simply age? Someone correct me if I am wrong but they are reported to live 8-12 yrs.

 

[Nathan050793]

Could it be from kidney failure due to high protein diet(perhaps not good to make an analogy between humans and newts)

I don't think that is an inappropriate analogy- to my understanding, kidney failure in Caudates can be caused by just that- a high protein diet. If I'm correct, that's why obesity/feeding mice as a staple diet is such a problem.

 

[achiinto]

Could it be from kidney failure due to high protein diet(perhaps not good to make an analogy between humans and newts)...or simply age? Someone correct me if I am wrong but they are reported to live 8-12 yrs.

If 12 years old is the max, then I have traded in a group of old newts that will not stay with me for long. That is kind of disappointing. Based on this site, it also suggested that SRN only live up to 10 years old. http://www.pawsforthoughtpetcentres.co.uk/amphibians.html

 

[Nathan050793]

You never know- with better treatment under your care, they may live longer. Life spans upwards of 14 years is not unheard of in Caudates, however, this does vary by species.

 

[fishkeeper]

Ok, did some further research and a captive longevity record of 20 years is out there. Previous info was from amphibiaweb for wild specimens. However, simply due to faster growth we really cannot expect as long of lives from larger bodied Triturus/Pleurodeles than from, say, Cynops.(some cases of phyrrogaster and ensicauda being 25+ and no signs of old age).

 

[achiinto]

Thanks Joseph, it is good to know that a SRN might live up to 20 years old. As for the sign of old age, what kind of sign will that be for an old newt? I am seeing my Male SRNs limbs or digits shaking with no particular reasons, dont know if that is a sign of aging?

 

[Jennewt]

I don't think that is an inappropriate analogy- to my understanding, kidney failure in Caudates can be caused by just that- a high protein diet. If I'm correct, that's why obesity/feeding mice as a staple diet is such a problem.

I'm not sure this makes sense. Caudates are carnivores - ALL of their foods are high-protein. Pinky mice do tend to cause obesity, but I believe this is because they deliver a whomp-load of calories all at once. In other words it's because they tend to cause overeating, not because they are higher in protein or fat than the usual worms & insects diet.

The Slavens Longevity site lists ages of 9-19 years for various Pleurodeles:
http://www.pondturtle.com/lsala.html
Keep in mind that these are minimum possible ages, as the animals were still alive at the last recorded entry. Too bad the Slaven's project ended.

 

[achiinto]

I think a hidden concern of my newt, next to the bloating is that she is eating but not passing things out. Weird. Dont know if there is anything I can do. However, she is very eager to eat. Unless she is eating whatever she passed out, cause I have not noticed anything in the bottom of her temporary quarantine enclosure.

 

[fishkeeper]

Jenn: Interesting thought, good point.

 

[achiinto]

Just FYI, the SRN female is still alive, but it color changed from dark to pale. Recently, the left eye seems to be decaying or being blinded. I have now again moved her to quarantine. But the situation is getting bad.

However, my other three SRNs are doing great.