Ichiban Petto
Chinese Fire Belly Newts
Meet my chinese fire belly newts (Cynops orientalis). The name is derived from the newt’s bright orange belly, which is decorated by black markings and spots. These black markings or spots are unique to each fire belly. No two fire bellies will ever have the same marking.
What’s a Newt?
They are usually mistakened for lizards (which are reptiles). Newts are amphibians, just like frogs, which have the ability to breathe through their skin underwater or with their lungs when on land.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
1> The tank I used to house my first batch of fire bellies in my first office - Mangodotlime.
2> My current tank, in my current office - Arachnid. Tank and artificial rock purchased from Ikano’s Pet Safari for RM22 each.
3> Meet Monday, my ichiban petto 
He has the most perfect marking I’ve ever seen. He’s also the longest surviving newt since 2004.
4> "Monday here. Nice to meet you"
5> My #1 pet. Newts use their tail for support and balance, which sometimes serves as a fifth limb.
6> Monday really loves Paris yo!
7> 2 NEW NEWTS ADDED (25/11/06). Monday on the right.
8> This idiot actually killed Monday and then, here’s the best part.. killed himself by climbing several feet away from my office desk over the weekend. I no longer keep newts. The end.
Sensitivity, Origin and Diet
Fire belly newts are totally harmless, and eventhough they excrete
some toxin, it’s not sufficient to cause any harm. In fact, because they have such sensitive skin, the oil from our hands are even more harmful to them. So, wash your hands before handling.
They originate from the Eastern Hemisphere of China, in the provinces of Kiangsu, Tchekiang, Kiangsi, Nganhouei Houpe, and along the lower Yangtze River.
I feed them frozen dried worms, live worms and insects like baby cockroaches that I catch around the office table 
^Monday eats baby roach
Love Thy Newt..
[✗] WRONG! [✓] RIGHT!
Believe It!
Newts have the remarkable ability to regenerate several anatomical
structures and organs including their limbs, spinal cords, hearts,
tails, retinas, lenses, optic nerves, intestines, and upper and lower
jaws. Time lapse image here. More info here.
