Regrowing a lost limb seems like an ability you’d see in a fantasy movie, not real life. Yet, what if we told you there’s an actual creature living among us that can grow new limbs from scratch?
Chances are, you’re thinking about the same creatures and wondering the same thing: Can newts regrow limbs?
Newts are partially terrestrial creatures that can live on both land and water. Most importantly, they can, in fact, grow any limb they’ve lost!
Be it a hand or a leg, newts can grow them back without any trouble in the world. So let’s see what else they can do in this little guide!
How Can Newts Regrow Their Limbs?
One of the main differences between us, mammals, and newts is how our bodies work regarding injuries.
Usually, if the wound is small enough, it’ll scab over, and we might have a little scar.
However, if we lost a limp? Well, it’s lost forever! No scab can cover that wound, and it certainly won’t grow back.
In complete contrast, newts rebuild themselves on the go. No need for scabs or covers; their bodies just go ahead and fix things up.
This is because their body contains two types of cells: skeletal muscle fiber cells (SMFCs) and muscle progenitor cells (MPCs).
The younger newts mostly depend on SMFCs to help regenerate their limbs again. As for the older ones, MPCs take over the job.
How Long Does It Take for Newts to Regrow a Limb Fully?
Generally, newts need a few months to grow an entire limb back. The process is a bit slow, as they’re not only rebuilding a functional limb but making sure it’s a perfect replacement.
However, some things can cause the process to take longer or shorter.
For instance, if the limp stump was severely damaged upon amputation, the little fellow must fix the damage first. After that, he can start working on the regeneration process.
On the other hand, if the cut is clean and the limb is tiny, like a toe, there’s a chance it won’t take too long to grow back.
What Other Factors Impact the Rate of Newt Regeneration?
Besides the severity of the cut and the limb size, other factors can affect how quickly newts regrow body parts, including:
1 – Health and Nutrition
Slugs, tadpoles, insects, worms, there are many things that newts enjoy feasting on. Providing a newt with these food sources can guarantee his health and well-being.
Thus, he can regenerate sufficiently and recover from any injury quickly enough. But, on the other hand, being malnourished can slow the regeneration process or even lead to some mistakes!
2 – Age
Many scientists agree that no matter how old a newt is, it can still regenerate limbs. The only problem with age is that it can slow down the process considerably.
Moreover, older newts are known to make mistakes when regenerating—especially if they’ve been repeatedly injured before. This means a newt can grow a faulty limb or misshapen one.
3 – Stress
Various things can cause newts to feel stressed in the wild. The primary stressor, though, is that they’re small, slow creatures.
Sadly for them, this puts them at the bottom of the food chain, with many predators looking to hunt them down.
This can cause them significant stress, which, in turn, slows down any healing or regeneration process.
If you have a pet newt, things like sudden movements, lights, and noises, can increase their stress levels and affect their overall health.
4 – Environment
In the wild or in captivity, there are factors that we can’t always control or notice quickly enough.
For instance, a sudden spike in temperature or humidity can be detrimental to the regeneration speed.
Other things like hygiene can also influence how fast a newt regenerates, as an infection or disease can affect the healing process.
Can Newts Regenerate More Than Just Limbs?
There are many scientific magazines out there that call newts “masters of regeneration,” and for obvious reasons.
It’s not just limbs that they can grow back; it’s anything that needs repairing in their bodies!
If there’s damage in their eyes, they’ll fix it. If there’s a heart problem, they’ll fix that too! Put simply, newts are incredibly resilient creatures and can fix themselves up no matter what’s wrong.
Final Thoughts
So, can newts regrow limbs? The answer here is a resounding yes! Newts can grow limbs and even internal organs.
Essentially, if there’s something wrong, a newt can handle it and regrow it back to new. However, the process isn’t easy and can take a few months to complete.
Various factors, including nutrition, environment, stress, and age, could also affect this process.
Ultimately, we simply want to say that if you have a pet newt with a missing limb, just give him some time and loads of care!
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.