Fire-bellied Newt care sheet: Supplied by forum member Fish_geek

(Cynops orientalis)

Classification: Amphibian

AKA: Oriental Fire-bellied Newt, Dwarf Fire-bellied Newt, Fire Belly Newt

Origin: China; found in a variety of environments; most are wild-caught,

though some people are starting to breed them in captivity now

Adult Size: 2-4 inches (including tail)

Average Lifespan: 3+ years

Temperature: they like it cool; 58-68 F is ideal, keep temp below 74 F!

Setup: minimum 5 gallon tank, mostly shallow water (fill the tank no more than half full), if using tap water make sure you use water conditioner to take the chlorine out; make multiple small land areas using rocks, plants, etc.

Feeding: it’s possible to train them to eat commercial pellet foods like Newt Bites, but not all of them will accept this stuff and you don’t want them to starve! It’s best to offer a variety of foods, especially if your newt doesn’t seem interested in its pellet food: small or chopped red worms, small tadpoles, ghost shrimp, wax worms, bloodworms (live and frozen), and freeze-dried tubifex worm cubes, just to name a few.

Handling: not really the kind of pet you can hold or cuddle with, but if you do need to handle them, do so carefully with clean hands and do not allow the newt’s skin to dry out or stick to your hand. Be careful not to grab the tail, and remember these guys can wiggle and run faster than you’d think!

Sexing: In general, Males tend to be smaller, thinner, have a larger tail fin & shorter tail, and a more pronounced anal/genital area; females are usually bigger, fatter, more box-shaped with a longer, thinner tail

Common Behavior Issues: Relocation Stress- when you first bring your newt home, it may refuse to eat for days or even weeks. It may also stay away from water and hide a lot at first. This is a very common reaction to going to a new home, and the newt should start to behave normally within a week or so.

Main Health Threats: parasites, bacterial diseases and other similar problems, often due to overcrowding, stress, poor water quality or improper setup/diet

If you have more questions about this type of animal or just want to connect to other people with the same interests as you then visit the amphibians section of our forums here.