# chinese firebellied newts



## nickvelez (Aug 18, 2006)

here's a few pics of my chinese firebellied newts _Cynops orientalis_
I've had them for a few years now. bought locally from a petshop selling tropical fish.
they'll eat small pieces of chicken or pork as well as flies, maggots, worms. haven't noticed any breeding behaviour yet, i reckon they are 2 males and a female.


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## indicus (Aug 18, 2006)

What bent looking little critters Nick.... :shock: 
Awesome shots to mate.
Cheers Tree 8)


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## MoreliaMatt (Aug 18, 2006)

theyre awsome! great shots too!

do they have to be on license? or are they just like fish?


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## AGAMIDAE (Aug 18, 2006)

hehehe their cute....love the hand feeding


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## Gregory (Aug 18, 2006)

There used to be lots of these and other newts available here in Australia. I kept what was known as Japanese Fire Newts 25 years ago. Awesome little critters. I don't know what the legalities of keeping them these days are or whether they're still available.






Cheers, Greg.


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## CodeRed (Aug 18, 2006)

Greg, if you had them 25 years ago then they are still probably available now.

hmm... I have a spare tank


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## salebrosus (Aug 18, 2006)

I'll fight you for them CodeRed, they're so adorable!

Simone.


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## scotchbo (Aug 18, 2006)

very cute and very tiny lol id be to afraid of breaking them lol


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## Magpie (Aug 18, 2006)

Obviously very timid little critters too.
Awesome Nick, do they need water to swim in or just high humidity?


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## pythoness (Aug 18, 2006)

awwwwww soooooooo cute, ohhhhh.


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## Xenogenesis (Aug 18, 2006)

*Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*



CodeRed said:


> Greg, if you had them 25 years ago then they are still probably available now.
> 
> hmm... I have a spare tank


My thoughts exactly.


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## NRE-808 (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

how do i get me some of them...? they are awesome looking little things


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## deathinfire (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

Nice pics 

They are TINY!


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## moosenoose (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

They are gorgeous!! What is their life-span?


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## Veredus (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

Does anybody know for sure if these gorgeous critters are available in Australia, I cant see why they shouldn't be seeing as axoltl's are allowed


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## Australis (Aug 18, 2006)

*Re: RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

Ive seen tiny newts for sale in petshops in the past, but im not sure how legal they are in Australia





Veredus said:


> Does anybody know for sure if these gorgeous critters are available in Australia, I cant see why they shouldn't be seeing as axoltl's are allowed




"The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says Japanese fire-bellied newts, which pose a risk to Australia's native frogs"

http://abc.net.au/victoria/news/200406/s1121163.htm


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## Sdaji (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

These used to be quite common (although expensive) in Melbourne pet shops about 10-15 years ago. I know a few people who have kept them and two who still do (on permit). Back when I was younger and newts were in every second pet shop and aquarium, I naturally assumed they were legal and obtained some larvae (I swapped seven for a Blue Tongued Skink), which I raised and bred for a few generations. Lovely little things and lots of fun, I eventually got sick of them and with no alternative I euthenased them all. It wasn't until a few years later that I found out they weren't legal and it wasn't until a couple of years after that that the department decided to inform everyone about the situation and the newts disappeared from the shops. I'm sure there are still quite a few going around in illegal collections, perhaps a few people still don't realise they're illegal. I know of one person who surrendered theirs to a research centre after discovering that they were illegal, which I think was about five years ago. I definately think we're best off not legalising these things if we want to keep our southern waterways exotic free as newts are quite fierce little predators. One or more species would newts would probably have become established in Melbourne during the 80's if it wasn't for the introduced mosquito fish.


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## geckodan (Aug 18, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*



> I don't know what the legalities of keeping them these days



They were legal in QLd up until only 5 years ago until the NPWS found Smooth Newts living in an inner city drainage ditch and then banned the lot. Fire Bellys are still kept in NSW to my knowledge (I saw some about 9 months ago as well as cresteds)


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## hornet (Aug 19, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

so newts are still legal in nsw?


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## MannyM (Sep 6, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

Wow, gorgeous little things. Like a frog/salamander mix.

Would love to get my hands some, pending legalities. But the word 'chinese' in the name screams exotic to me...


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## RevDaniel (Sep 6, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

Cool stuff mate.


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## Retic (Sep 6, 2006)

*Re: RE: Re: RE: chinese firebellied newts*

ALL newts and salamanders are exotic and yes the word Chinese is a dead giveaway :lol: 



MannyM said:


> Wow, gorgeous little things. Like a frog/salamander mix.
> 
> Would love to get my hands some, pending legalities. But the word 'chinese' in the name screams exotic to me...


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