My newt needs help!

[bluefooted]

I came into work today to discover that one of my red-spotted newts had eaten a rock. He seems fine, but he's not able to do the floaty-newt thing - he can only walk along the bottom. He's able to get up for air by just using his tail, but I moved him into a shallow bowl anyway. He seems happy and wants to eat, but there's no way that rock's coming out on it's own The rock-eating bastard in his hospital tank:



I've had this newt (and his two wives) since I was 16 - that's 13 years. I've gotten quite attached to them. Does anyone know what I should do? If he has surgery, chances are he won't make it anyway (and it would probably cost a crapload).

[Saint Kurt]

I looked at this and I thought "damn, they just don't talk about rock eating newts at all in vet school." So I called some folks in the herp and aquatic species club and they said it's pretty much something only a vet can solve unless your newt manages to pass the rock.

So if you keep your newt in the shallow tank long enough, he may poop it out. I don't envy him.

-e

[Bamfette]

aw, poor guy.... hope he pullls through....

as a n aside - 13 years? wow, i had no idea they lived so long...

[BamfChyck]

How is your little guy doing now? Has there been any improvement?
What is his name?

[bluefooted]

He got better! I really can't believe it - I thought he was a goner, but he went ahead and squeezed the rock out So now he's back in the 20 gallon tank with his two wives. Happy as can be!

I don't know how long they live, but I've heard they can last for about 30 years. No one's really cared enough to check, I guess.

BamfChyck: Sadly, like all my reptile/amphibian pets, he has no name. He's just called Newt.

[LadyErin]

Yay! Glad to hear he's better.

[BamfChyck]

If he's called Newt, wouldn't that make Newt his name? I went to junior high with a boy named Knute, and it was pronounced the same.

I'm very glad to hear he is doing better! That is excellent news. I'm glad he can live with his wives again. Are red-spotted newts social critters, like rats or dogs? He must have been lonely in the hospital tank.

I hope he won't eat any more rocks. I hope he learned from this experience. Even if Newt is a super duper pooper, it couldn't have felt very good.

[Loving Tears]

Awww newt the newt, I have a friend with a hamster and they couldn't agree on what to call it so the mum calls it Barney his brother calls it Doug and he calls it Hamster. Very inventive I think