Taricha going downhill?

[Guillerm0]

Hey all! I've come here seeking help for my dear newt. He is about 8 or so years old and hasn't been doing too well lately.

He has gotten incredibly thin and I do not know why. There has been no changes really. I tried putting a filter in for awhile but took it back out and still no change. He has always eaten pond fish pellets and more recently turtle and newt stick things.

He lives in a 10 gallon tank, mostly filled with water with leaves and a little platform. He spends most of his time on the platform but he doesb't dry out so I assume he goes in the water at some point.

Water changes do not help. =/

Any suggestions here?

Thank you for reading!

 

[JM29]

I don't know well Taricha, but why not trying live food (earthworms) for a change ?

 

[Guillerm0]

Thank you for the replies!

I have had him for the 8 years or so but I do not know how old he was when I got him. I am also not sure of species. I am at school now, but I will post before and after pictures later today. He's gone through quite a bit of mistreatment in his life from my 10 year old self that first purchased him.

I will try earth worms, but would bait worms be better or just ones dug out of the yard? I don't want to give him anything with pesticides. =/

 

[Guillerm0]

Ok! I'll go digging after dinner then~

Here is a picture of him before:

He is nice and plump and alert and swimming.

And here is a picture I just took:

He's just laying there and has trouble getting around in the water. He did switch from one end of the cage to the other though.

Do these help any?

 

[tmarmoratus]

Along with earthworms, try checking around your local pet stores for wax worms. Wax worms are high in fat, and will help put weight back on your newt quickly.

 

[Guillerm0]

He is sosososo thin its depressing. =/ I found a worm and chopped it up (ew) and its wiggling all over his nose and right in front of him and he isn't biting..?

 

[Azhael]

Uh....that newt has the shine. That´s very bad news indeed....
Keep it cool (15ºC would be nice), completely terrestrial, and as was already mentioned, try to find waxworms.

The diet you were providing was rather poor (specially not knowing the contents of the fish pellets). In the first picture, were you think it was plump and healthy, it was already quite thin.
Have you seen this?:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Taricha granulosa

 

[Guillerm0]

The worm was rather slimy I guess. :c

He passed away last night after I cleaned his tank.