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Ailing Newt

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    Posted: 28 May 2003 at 10:48am

I received an inquiry this morning about a bloated common newt in difficulties in a garden pond.

I have observed this once before, and recovery was affected by placing the newt in a moss filled container for a few days.

I was just wondering if anyone else has observed this condition, knows the cause or any effective treatments.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2003 at 2:28pm

Hi Tony,

Same guy on the BBC site as mailed me this morning.

Caleb,

Yes it is a definite symptom of "something" he described the newt as floating on the surface belly up in severe difficulties.

The one I treated sounds like it may have had one of the less serious conditions such as egg retention, but again was in difficulties, unable to submerge and in quite an unnatural position at the water surface.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2003 at 4:19pm
Hi Caleb, that was the advice I gave this morning, I've given Micheal the link to the info you provided and RAUK so hopefully we'll be kept posted.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Hyde Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2003 at 8:16pm

Hmmm , Interesting.

What's the full address for this BBC site ? I'd like to check that out.

Thanks,

Alan

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2003 at 8:46pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote daniel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2003 at 2:32pm

Hello all,

I 'm not sure if anyone has any more information on this but I have a male common/smooth newt in the pond in my garden which seems to have air trapped inside it's body cavity and it therefore unable to submerge and behave normally.

I usually see it belly up in the pond and am concerned that it will either die slowly or get pulled out by a cat as the speckled orange/black underbelly is quite obvious. All the other newts in the pond are fine.

I wondered if anyone had any suggestions for treatments of this symptom? I read all of the information in the caudata.org link but that didn't seem to be appropriate.

I have tried emailing various amphibian and herpatological societies to ask for their advice but haven't heard anything as yet.

Any advice would be greatfully received.

Many thanks,

Daniel Earl.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnclare Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2003 at 8:16pm
################
John Clare, Owner/Administrater of Caudata.org
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote test Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2003 at 11:56pm

Hi John, welcome to RAUK,

I've been trying to remember back to the one I treated, was a female T.vulgaris, and the bloating occurred just forward of the cloaca, giving the appearance of a bubble, the skin was quite translucent, distended and this large bubble of gas was quite clear to see, this led to a head and tail down attitude in the water with the bubble uppermost (I'm trying to avoid saying it was "bum in the air, but the right way up" but that is really the best description!) In this condition the newt seemed quite moribund, listless and unable to support herself in or out of water. She had been actively egg laying until about a week before. I used  a similar method to the one you described but a little more terrestrial, with just damp sphagnum moss, cool and dark tub, within 3 days the bubble had gone and I returned her to the water.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnclare Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2003 at 12:52am

Thanks for the welcome :).

That one seems a bit of a mystery alright.  Sounds like it could be a possible egg issue given the position, but also a gut blockage.  At least she recovered.  Well done to you for your careful thinking.

John Clare, Owner/Administrater of Caudata.org
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2003 at 9:48am
Just like to let everyone know that Micheal mailed me this morning to say the newt has recovered using the moss box method
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