# Availability of Fire Bellied Newts



## Kreations (Nov 29, 2012)

How readily available are these? I'm in the process of setting up an amphibian tank. I had a Chinese fire bellied newt when I was a kid and thought it'd be cool to get some more.

I'm having a hard time finding anywhere that stocks them now, they used to be in every aquatic shop!

Do people still sell them? Do I need to find a breeder?

TIA


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## Kreations (Nov 29, 2012)

I found somewhere that has them in stock! So looks like you can still get them.


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## Kreations (Nov 29, 2012)

Another Update: A local shop has been doing some digging for me and contacted a large wholesaler in England who said these newts are currently on their banned from import list, so some conflicting info here!


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## Kreations (Nov 29, 2012)

Kreations said:


> I found somewhere that has them in stock! So looks like you can still get them.


Turns out the shop thought I meant toads instead of newts.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

I did a bit of Google searching and was quite surprised by what I found.
The US have banned imports of amphibians from Asia, and it appears potentially that other countries have done the same, which explains the importer stating that fire bellied toads are banned from import. It would appear that the dreaded red leg disease wiping amphibians out globally originated in South Korea with oriental fire bellied toads, along with other species from that region.


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## Kreations (Nov 29, 2012)

Yea, the results of my research so far appears to be that there are holds on all imports of fire bellied newts at this moment in time. AFAIK there isn't a strict ban on them in the UK but they must be tested and accompanied with a health certificate to ensure they aren't carrying B.SAL. I assume the effort this requires makes them unsuitable to import.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Kreations said:


> Yea, the results of my research so far appears to be that there are holds on all imports of fire bellied newts at this moment in time. AFAIK there isn't a strict ban on them in the UK but they must be tested and accompanied with a health certificate to ensure they aren't carrying B.SAL. I assume the effort this requires makes them unsuitable to import.


For a definitive answer, give the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow a ring. They examine all imports of live animals coming into the UK, so are probably in the best position to confirm if these are still being imported or not.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

You will not find any newly imported nests and salamanders in the UK at the moment ( well legally anyway). There has been an EU ban on importing and moving them across country borders to try and combat BSal etc from spreading. Unless any of the big wholesalers set up quarantine stations this is unlikely to change. This is up for revision at the end of this year or early next but I doubt it will change.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

https://www.reptileforums.co.uk/for...s/1265979-blue-tailed-fire-bellied-newts.html


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