Philadelphia
Chinese Fire-bellied Newt
Acquired: Pet store
Gender: N/A
Good for Vivariums
I bought 3 fire belly newts to fill out my vivarium, since the entire bottom was water and I felt like it needed something. The newts were super inexpensive, about $2-3 each, and very easy to keep. They required the same humidity/temperature as all my other tropical amphibians and reptiles in the tank, and every once in a while I would thrown in blood worms for them. My newts mostly hid under the rocks- one actually got stuck and drowned before I could get him out. The only time they really came out was when I put in the frozen blood worms, and then they were very active chasing the pieces around. But overall all they wanted to do was hide. I don't know if having them in a less elaborate tank would make a difference in terms of having them as a pet, but overall I think they were a really cool addition to a tank I already had set up but I wouldn't get them to have just them as a pet. I didn't see enough of them and you can't really handle them. But they are pretty and it was nice to see them occasionally.
