Question: C. pyrrhogaster: strange behaviour...what are they doing?

[evut]

Hi, I have recently noticed some strange behaviour in my Japanese FBNs.
They are about a year old or less (I think they morphed in December last year). Three are fully aquatic, one lives on land. Of the aquatic ones two are probably females and one is male (he's very noticeably different so I guess the other ones would have developed the same male signs like him by now).
About two weeks ago I watched the biggest female shed skin. The male came to her when she finished and started sniffing her. Then he began to court her (I was shocked...I consider them to be kids :lol:
The strange thing was what the female did - she kind of put "her hands behind her ears". I thought the posing of the female was part of the courtship but I noticed the male doing this too the other day. I managed to take some photos, sorry about the quality. One of the photos is of the male now - his cloaca is huge and his tail is funky.
Does the posing have something to do with mating or dispersing poison from their glands or what is it? Should I be worried?

 

[Azhael]

That strange position is purely an indiciation of shedding. It helps the newt loose the skin from the head so that the shedding procedd can begin. Sometimes they still do it after the process is finished, i guess like some kind of reflex. It´s perfectly normal, and common to all newts.

 

[evut]

Thanks Azhael, that's good to know. I was wondering if it has something to do with shedding but because I saw them do it afterwards it was not so obvious.
My other theory was that they'd been listening to "Walk Like an Egyptian" so it's a relief :grin:
Thanks again!
Eva

 

[dipsydoodle]

My other theory was that they'd been listening to "Walk Like an Egyptian" so it's a relief :grin:
Thanks again!
Eva

You never knw hahahaha

 

[Azhael]

xDDDDDD
After reading your commentary i automatically looked for the song in my music folder (yes, i´m the kind of person who actually enjoys listening to The Bangles), and what do you know, after the third replay or so one of my dobrogicus started to shed!!!
I wonder if 80´s music can be therapeutic for newts as well as humans

 

[evut]

That's hilarious! Who knew newts were into 80's pop

 

[damien]

If so, maybe 80s love songs will do wonders
I always find it funny to watch shedding newts, they look só uncomfortable when they shed

 

[dipsydoodle]

Only one of my newts has shed his skin (ok I haven't had them that long yet); I went in to empty the rest of his food bowl out and there was a skin sitting in there; I suppose at least he minimized mess for me. haha

 

[Joost]

I've seen this behaviour in all my Cynops-species (male and female), when they are resting. It's a kind of sleeping behaviour i think.

Regards Joost

 

[Azhael]

Joost, it´s most definitely a shedding behaviour without any doubt, it´s been very well described in all aquatic salamandrids.

 

[evut]

Hi,
just wanted to share a couple of pictures of one of my newts struggling to loosen her skin the other day. The skin might be from one of the other newts, it's not from the same day:

 

[Jennewt]

Yep, that "pose" looks familiar. We also have a photo of it in the CC FAQs.

 

[Kerry1968]

I love the perfect little 'newt jackets' that they shed! The first time I found one in my alpine newts tank I took it round to every member of the family to show them! I never knew they shed the whole skin, plus I thought they ate it after they shed.

Thanks for the photos evut.

 

[dipsydoodle]

I love your last photo of the skin. It just looks so prefect haha.