Fire Bellied Newt

Eye of newt is an ingredient in the potion cooked up by the three ugly witches in Shakespeare's "MacBeth", granting newts a place among my list of potentially scary pets.

While newts do make fine pets (the one pictured here is one of my own), they do produce a potent skin toxin, so they do warrant care when handling. The toxicity level varies with the species of newt. One of the most toxic newts is the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa). The little guy (?) above is an oriental (Chinese) fire bellied newt (Cynops orientalis), which is not nearly as toxic as the rough-skinned newt but could still make you pretty ill if you were to swallow one. Be careful after handling them: don't touch your eyes or mouth (or open cuts) as the skin toxins are said to be quite irritating, causing a burning sensation. As long as you wash your hands after handling them or cleaning up after them (and of course, don't eat them), newts are most definitely not dangeous.

• Fire Bellied Newt Care