Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello there - Hoping someone might have some info for me. I recently purchased two Chinese Fire-Bellied Newts from Petsmart. They looked very healthy at the store, and very energetic. I was keeping them in a goldfish bowl temporarily while I get their tank ready and today I noticed they each have small open cuts on themselves. I have seperated them in case its a disease...

The one which appears worst has several small lesions and a raw red lesion on its tail. Also its cloaca is swollen.

Both are very small, appear to be juveniles or young adults.

Any idea what disease this is or if its an infection? And any suggestions on how to treat it?

Thanks
Farvoyager

The swollen cloaca is an indication of a sexually mature male and Cynops orientalis is a fairly small newt. Most of the ones that I have seen in the pet trade are full adults. These newts should be kept cool (below 72 F) and the closer to 65 F the better.
There is some information that you may be able to use here http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/articles.shtml and here is a good care sheet on this species.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_orientalis.shtml

Ed

Thanks Ed,

I'm afraid in this case though it's something more serious. Since my last post, the lesions on the larger newt have grown and in fact his tail has rotted off almost to the base despite every attenpt I've made to help him... He is still alive though he won't eat, and his cloaca is swollen and discharging something constantly. At this point I am considering putting him down because I can't stand to see him suffer like this. I have very little hope that he will survive.

The smaller newt is improving since I separated them and has finally begun eating chopped worms so I am hopeful think he/she will make it.

Farvoyager