ive never wondered how a newt signs thier stress. but when the bottom of thier mount makes like bubble like face like frogs do is that the stress sign or are they just breathing for air?
If you mean when the skin under the jaw pumps in and out, this is a mode of respiration called 'buccalpharyngial respiration'. Instead of taking a lungful of air, they'll use their buccalpharyngial pump to move air over membranes in the throat. It takes less energy than actual deep breathing. If you watch, they'll follow a pattern. Usually 6 or 7 pumps and then one big one, where air actually moves into the lungs.
It depends on the species. Aquatic species will move on land. Most caudates will start refusing food. They'll all hide instead of 'begging'. If you keep them in a proper setup, you shouldn't be worried about stress.
To answer the original question - the respiration that Joan describes is normally very rapid when the animal is scared. Presumably it aids any flight response by increasing the volume of oxygen in the body. Understandably the newt is fearful of you and so it will seem to be breathing quickly whenever you are near the tank. This is a healthy response, a sick animal may not behave this way. As long as you don’t prolong the animals stress i.e. stare into it’s enclosure all day long, it should have no long-term effect on it’s health.
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