N.v.viridescens eating an earthworm.

[Azhael]

One of my Notos recently became aquatic and i´m chuffed to bits with it´s new lifestyle hehe.
He has changed it´s colouration quite fast although he is still quite red(less red than it looks like in the video though).

Sorry for the quality of the video...and for the fact that it has nothing actually interesting, but it´s my first aquatic Noto and i´m loving the little fella

By the way, i noticed two things with this species that i hadn´t seen in any other species before. First is the fact that they have a very functional neck. They can move their heads up and down quite a bit and use it to aid in swallowing prey. Never saw such maniobrability in other species.
The second thing is that this fella helps himself with it´s hind legs to squeeze the feces out. I saw how it pressures it´s abdomen to aid the process. Never saw this in such an obvious way in other animals either.
Have any of you observed the same things? I´m quite fascinated with how different they are compared to our european newts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0bW7Xsr6mI&feature=channel_page

PS: A very special thank you to Ian(Rigsby)..you have no idea how much i´m enjoying your newts

 

[grius]

Look good! They are a beautiful species and wery cheap what i have seen, can i ask why?
regards.

 

[Azhael]

I´m sorry, i´m not sure i understood the question. Were you asking for the price?
If so, they were a present(which i will never be able to be thankful enough for). The animal pictured and the others i have are all CB. The WC ones are cheap but most do very bad in captivity...the majority of the europeans that i know who keep WC, pet-shop animals of this species have had them die shortly after purchase.

 

[grius]

You understood my question right. Ok so the most are wc animals, dartfrog.com have a bunch and cheap too, but now when i look i cant see any about cb or wc(great shop so no complain from my side hehe). But that may explain why all the other i have seen for sale have been so cheap.

Thanks for the answer and good luck with your newts new lifestyle

 

[slowfoot]

Nice looking newt, azhael. They are a fun species, aren't they? Mine are very interactive. I'm glad your little guy went into the water for you.

 

[Azhael]

Thanks Erin..he´s so fat and happy

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Notos have been one of my favorites since childhood. I hope to add a few to my "zoo" in the near future.

Thanks for the video!

Congratulations!

 

[Jake]

I´m quite fascinated with how different they are compared to our european newts.

I'm not sure I agree with this statement totally. I've kept a few of the subspecies of N.viridescens and still can't get over how similar they are to Lissotriton vulgaris and helveticus. They all go through the "eft" stage and are close in size and body shape.

Notos are a lot of fun, thanks for sharing the video!

 

[Azhael]

Yeah, the general appearance is very similar....freakishly similar actually xD
However, from my very limited experience, i can see differences. The very movile neck was the first that struck me.
Also, look at the breeding behaviour...although it shares a few characteristics, the rest is completely different to anything european xD.
They are very obviously salamandrids, but different enough to make me full of excitement hehe. I´m loving this species...i can´t wait to see them in breeding splendor.

 

[Azhael]

Another one has gone aquatic
And another interesting observation xDDD I was watching the newly aquatic animal shed it´s skin and i saw that it used it´s hind legs to push the skin down the body. I never saw this behaviour before, completely new to me. My other newts rub themselves against plants and decoration, but never use their hind legs to actively grab and pull the skin. Fascinating little creatures...

 

[Kurt]

These are very cool salamanders. I am hoping to catch a few this summer up in New Hampshire.

 

[Azhael]

Just a couple of pics of the newly aquatic one and the one on the video. He´s changed a lot, to think he(i think it might be a he) looked just like his new tankmate.