are chinese fire belly's worth getting?

[lordniko]

everytime i get a chinese fire belly they die? i've had paddle tails that have lived fine and never have problems with but every time i have tried to own a chinese fire belly something happens like they dont want to eat and there legs start falling off? is the japanese fire belly more hardy or should i try again with a chinese?

 

[MRIGUY]

I have always found Co's to be easy to care for and quite hardy. Can you detail the set-up you are using ie aquatic vs terrestrial vs 50/50 etc. What temp, light, water parameters? Any tank mates? What were you feeding etc????

 

[lordniko]

the water was semi cold with a big rock in the center so they could climb on it. i was trying to feed them newt pellets but never saw them eat once. i should have tried blood worms but never did.

 

[newtron]

while chinese fire bellies are a naturally hardy species, they normally can not survive the stress of their travel. What you normally get are poor and sick salamanders that are incapable of fighting off normal pathogens. It might be better to stick with Paddle tail newts. On a side note, japanese fire bellies are incredibly hardy, and the vast number you will run into will tend to be healthy, as they their presence in the states are usually due to being breed here.

 

[Jennewt]

Yes, the japanese firebellies are much more hardy, but they aren't available in pet shops these days. They are available from breeders, but usually as juveniles, and juvs have a whole host of other difficulties to deal with.

If you ever try CFB again, ditch the pellets. Most of them don't even recognize it as food. They might not even recognize bloodworms.

 

[MRIGUY]

Wise words. Newt pellets are well balanced and a nice source of protein but as Jenn said the newts have to be taught to eat them. Early on blood worms, redworms, and chopped earthworm are the way to go. To train the newts to eat floating sticks I have had success with the following......

Break a stick in half and slip it into a section of chopped worm. Little by little decrease the worm use a longer section of stick. At some point you will have no worm and just a stick which has been rubbed with worm. Once they realize the floating things are edible they will be cool. Once they reach that stage I feed them sticks regularly but every third feeding is still worm. I have used a rotary auto feeder to drop sticks and keep my Tg's happy for 2 weeks while I was away. Some of the others (marms and cyanurus have not yet taken to sticks alone but have no problem witht he small pieces in their worms.

 

[Otterwoman]

Hey, MRI, That's really clever! I never read that before!

 

[MRIGUY]

Thanks Dawn. I used to travel a lot and full time worms was not something I could manage. The sticks transition just grew out of that.

 

[salamanderguy]

please note that juvenile cfbn are land living for the first year

 

[Slimy2]

hi

I thought that they spent the first few years on land. 2 to 4 years as juveniles.

 

[dani]

I would definately recommend getting chinese fire bellies, I have lost one or two soon after getting them home due to one having the shine and an escapee, ( a mistake i definately wont let happen again.They are sold in terrible conditions at pet shops most of mine were at deaths door with starvation, and with fungal infections due to fight injuries because the pet shop kept them in with dwarf frogs, however they're definately worth getting once they're healthy and established.