Would Adult CFB's ever eat smaller ones?

[TLaw]

I was looking at some c. orientalis at a pet store today, and the only ones they had were extremely small. I currently have three that I've had for over a year now, they range in size from 5.5 cm long to 9.5 cm long, and about an 1 - 2 cm 'thick'. But the ones I saw today were practically microscopic in comparison, like 3.5 cm long and extremely narrow, like maybe 5 mm thick, if not less. Yet it was aquatic, not a terrestrial juvenile. Is it normal to see young 'adult' newts this small?

Secondly, if I were to acquire a newt this small, would it be safe with my larger newts (like my female that's nearly 10cm long)? Or would the other newts eat it/kill it?

 

[Mac Myers]

I don't keep Newts so this is just an educated guess but.... anything that eats other things will eat anything that it can fit in it's mouth regardless of what it may be.

 

[Azhael]

Lately more and more people are reporting small sized C.orientalis in the market. As far as i´ve been able to tell, they were all young adults.

3,5 cm sounds like way too small to be sold in any pet-shop, really...was that a guess or the actual size of them?

Anyway, this species is not agressive and i seriously doubt the adults would ever attack a grown on juvenile. I´ve kept my CB male with his parents since he was 5 cm long and there has never been the slightest problem at all.
However, i would very strongly recommend that you do not acquire those animals...aside from the WC issue, and the fact that you would have to quarantine them, such a small animal can´t possibly take an importation well...you´d most likely be acquiring a seriously troubled animal.

 

[Coco]

Hey,
when my cynops orientalis reproduce, I usually keep some larvae in their tank and the adults simply ignore the larvae, they don't even chase them, so I would say that this kind of newt is really not aggressive at all....

 

[Melanie]

I have seen cynops orientalis eat thier own eggs. As for adults I would say that they mostly leave each other alone. However, if the new young newt is not doing well (sick) and can't fend off an attack or a mistaken for food bite then it would be possible for it to be eaten or at least injured. I think it would be safer to quarantine the new newt if you do get it and grow it up a bit on it's own before introducing.

 

[webzdebs]

I have a group of these newts, so far living happily together, one of them is very small and thin and the biggest one is probably double the size of him if not bigger and theres been no attacking or anything.