How to Care for Newts
Newts are hardy amphibians that inhabit varied habitats including terrestrial, aquatic and semi-aquatic. Also known as salamanders, newts are active and inquisitive, providing you with several hours of entertaining viewing. Colorful fire salamanders and fire-bellied newts are among the more popular pet species available. These low-maintenance animals make an ideal pet, especially if you are a first-time amphibian pet owner.
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Things You'll Need
- Tank
- Fluorescent light
- Appliance timer
- Live prey: brine shrimp black worms, crickets, tubifex worms, earthworms and small slugs
- Dead prey: chopped pieces of raw lean meat, maggots, shrimp and tiny water snails
- De-chlorinated water or bottled spring water
- Unpowdered vinyl gloves
Instructions
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Provide a habitat tank based upon the type of newt that you own. Prepare an aquarium for an aquatic newt; a divided tank with an aquarium on one side and dry area on the other for the semi-aquatic newt; and a dry tank for the terrestrial newt.
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Place a fluorescent light inside the tank. Connect the light to an appliance timer, setting it to automatically switch on or off, based on the light hour in the animal's native environment. Newts are cold-blooded creatures and require an external source of heat to maintain their body temperature. The light also enables these nocturnal animals to regulate their biological clocks.
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Offer your newt a balanced diet comprised of live or dead prey, nightly. Feed terrestrial newts live prey such as brine shrimp black worms, crickets, tubifex, earthworms and small slugs. Provide aquatic and semi-aquatic newts with dead prey such as chopped pieces of raw lean meat, maggots, shrimp and tiny water snails. Remove uneaten or leftover food from your newt's habitat within two hours of offering it.
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Provide fresh dechlorinated water or bottled spring water at all times. Place the water in a clean shallow dish, and change it whenever it turns murky or dirty.
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Handle your newt with wet hands or unpowdered vinyl gloves, if you need to hold it. Keep handling to a minimum, as newts possess a sensitive skin that easily absorbs salts and oils from your hands. Also, newts secrete a toxin that can irritate your skin.
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Tips & Warnings
You can handle aquatic newts with a small nylon fishnet instead of your hands, and gently scoop them out.
Cover your newt's habitat with a wire mesh to allow air flow and prevent escape.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
