Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My room-mate purchased two fire-bellied newts a few weeks ago from a pet shop and set them up in our dorm. One had what looked like a bite taken out of the side of its face - the fleshy tissue was gone, exposing the bone. The newt was not very active, but the wound appeared to be healing over the next few days. The other newt was healthy and very active. We woke up one morning to find the other newt's injury worse - jaw was broken, too - and it was dead. The healthy newt acted normal for a few more days, but then began getting the same sort of flesh-erosion the other had. This was on its front right leg. The flesh quickly seemed to rot away, and the entire lower portion of his front leg fell off. the upper bone is now sticking out bare, but the flesh has sealed itself off at the "shoulder." There was never any blood. Its face is now starting to rot away, just like the other. What is going on with these guys? The remaining newt is now in a small container with moist papertowels and a few small pieces of hornwort. it is very cool, but maybe not cool enough? Is there anything we can do to save it, or is it best to put it out of its misery?

I've worked with fungi and bacteria before, but I've never seen anything like this!

thanks,
Brit

you have two options, either try to save and treat him with fish meds geared toward beacterial infections, and it probably wouldnt hurt to treat for fungus as a preventative. your other option is to put it out of its misery. you would just put him in a bag with a little water and stick it in the freezer. in this case i would go for the second option considering how fast the other died, but i have seen some pretty amazing recoveries, so you never know. if you try to treat i would clean out his tank about every day. give him about an inch of water and pile the paper towels on one end. put the meds in the water and put him in it. he will probably crawl out, but he needs to be exposed to the meds as much as possible. if he dies or you put him out of his misery, clean out the tank as best you can with something like de flea, it is made to sanitize reptile enclosures without risk to inhabitants the way bleach or soap would, if you use bleach or soap rinse very thoroughly. i would probably just throw away the tank but you can try to clean it.

Freezing is too inhumane to be used as an acceptable form of euthanasia.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/euthanasia.shtml

Sadly, this affliction is common in newly-imported Chinese firebellies. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/sores.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/euthanasia.shtml

I would say there is no problem using bleach to clean a sanitize a tank, as long as it's rinsed VERY well and allowed to dry before reuse.

>>My room-mate purchased two fire-bellied newts a few weeks ago from a pet shop and set them up in our dorm. One had what looked like a bite taken out of the side of its face - the fleshy tissue was gone, exposing the bone. The newt was not very active, but the wound appeared to be healing over the next few days. The other newt was healthy and very active. We woke up one morning to find the other newt's injury worse - jaw was broken, too - and it was dead. The healthy newt acted normal for a few more days, but then began getting the same sort of flesh-erosion the other had. This was on its front right leg. The flesh quickly seemed to rot away, and the entire lower portion of his front leg fell off. the upper bone is now sticking out bare, but the flesh has sealed itself off at the "shoulder." There was never any blood. Its face is now starting to rot away, just like the other. What is going on with these guys? The remaining newt is now in a small container with moist papertowels and a few small pieces of hornwort. it is very cool, but maybe not cool enough? Is there anything we can do to save it, or is it best to put it out of its misery?
>>
>>I've worked with fungi and bacteria before, but I've never seen anything like this!
>>
>>
>>thanks,
>>Brit