Aquatic newts are especially fun and easy to raise pets. For ectotherms, they are relatively active, long-lived and aesthetically beautiful. They gladly accept pellet feeds and can be kept in insect containers with a place to hide and a few centimeters of dechlorinated water. For many people they can become the ideal pet.
Steps
Step 1. Arrange the home of your future newt well before proceeding with the purchase
A 35-liter container, where the animal will be comfortable even as an adult, is ideal. The species usually found in the store, Cynops pyrrhogaster, grow to a maximum of 10-13 cm and, with a 35 liter container, there will be no need to purchase a larger container as the animal increases in size.,
- The ratio of water to dry part must be three to one. The newt must have a dry area available where it can stretch out for the entire length of its body. You can arrange the rocks to create an island in a corner of the container or put a large stone inside; the important thing is that the surface is not slippery, to prevent the newt from struggling to get out of the water.
- Heating the water is not necessary, since the newts prefer cold water (10-20 degrees), but remember to keep the container away from drafts and windows (especially in winter).
- Not even a water filter is necessary, but you can still use one if you like. If you decide to use it, find a small one, so that it remains hidden under the water level and does not generate too strong a current. To make sure it works properly, leave it on for 24 hours before placing the newt in the container. If you use a filter to hang on the edges of the container and which expels the water from above, place a sort of breakwater under it so that the water drips down instead of cascading (a plant or a rock may be fine). It will not be necessary to keep it active round the clock, just run it a few hours a day to keep the water clean. Even with a filter, you will still have to change the water from time to time; do it every 2-3 weeks. Experiment until you get water that you consider to be of good quality.
- If you don't use a filter, change 25% of the water every week. Use a siphon to remove the water from the bottom of the container. If the surface (and only the surface) of the water is slightly cloudy, there is nothing to worry about. If you take the newt out of the aquarium, place it in a container with a safety lock (so that it does not escape). Replace the amount of water you removed with dechlorinated water.
- You will need a lid for your container. Tritons are true escape artists and are able to pass through the smallest crack.
- It is very important for a newt to have a safe place to take refuge. Fish houses that can be found for pennies in pet shops are great for newts (the best choice is the tiny "m" shaped house). It doesn't matter what you use, but a stone or a piece of wood is the ideal hiding place for a newt. Do not use items collected outside the home, but only use items that are safe for the aquarium. Many newts like to have seedlings (even fake ones) on which to climb (they are carnivorous animals and there is no risk of them eating any harmful plants), as well as rocks and gravel to dig. Make sure that the elements present in the aquarium are placed in a stable manner, so that the newt, in the act of digging, does not cause potentially fatal collapses.
- A thermometer isn't strictly necessary either, but it's still a good idea to use one.
Step 2. Buy your newt
- Go to a reputable dealer and (obviously) don't buy a newt from a container where there are dead specimens.
- Choose a lively one that does not show clear signs of illness. When moving on land or swimming it should move with agility and elegance.
- Evaluate the condition of the eyes, which should be clear, that of the fingers (four for each foot), of the back, which should be smooth, and of the tail, which should be intact, without traces of bites. Examine the container where it was stored to make sure that the animal is healthy.
Step 3. Take the newt home immediately
Do not pour the water from the store into the container you prepared at home. Use a net or your hands to take the beast out of the bag and place it in its new home. In case you use your hands, make sure you have washed them with soap and rinsed them thoroughly; do not grab the newt by the tail, but cupped a hand under its belly.
Step 4. Learn to handle your newt
Some people will tell you that it is absolutely wrong to touch such an animal with your hands. There is no risk, but it must be done with some caution. Newts produce toxins inside the skin and these could be harmful to your health. The best thing to do to avoid unwanted consequences is to wash your hands thoroughly before touching one. Keep your hands moist while holding your little friend, then, when his skin becomes sticky to the touch (approximately after five minutes), put him back in his container and wash your hands carefully. After handling a newt or a salamander, do not touch your face and do not take the food with your hands before having washed them again; make sure the people you allow to touch the merfolk do the same. Following these precautions will ensure that your health and that of your little pet are not at unnecessary risks. Amphibians have extremely porous skin and any chemicals on the surface of your hands could harm the newt's health. In addition to this, it is best not to hold a newt while standing (unless you keep your hands on its container); sometimes these animals squirm or make unexpected leaps and can consequently fall to the ground and seriously injure themselves.
Step 5. Feed your newt
In their natural environment, newts are attracted to things that move (they are always on the lookout for any prey). Worms, which should be the staple food for your newt's diet, shouldn't be difficult to find at pet stores. You could also breed worms yourself (mosquito larvae and sludge worms are ideal). Several species of worms are good for feeding newts and salamanders: Grindal worms, Lumbriculus variegatus specimens, mosquito larvae and sludge worms, Hermetia illucens larvae, mealworms, crickets and, occasionally, wax moth larvae, moth, specimens of Eisenia fetida or other earthworms. If the newt or salamander are large, they can be given more voluminous prey. Your newt may also like some frozen mosquito larvae.
Step 6. Initially vary the amount of food to be given to the newt to find the right dose
If you have problems, it is better to give him a little less to eat than to overdo the portions. Newts can do without eating for a week or two, which usually happens during the moulting period. You should be aware of when the newt begins moulting, as its skin becomes very thin, almost transparent. Many newts, once the moult is finished, feed on old skin (this is absolutely normal!)
Advice
- Look carefully at the newt at the time of purchase. Make sure you are well have clear, lively eyes and eat and breathe normally.
- Remove "dead" food from the bowl. Live worms can live in the newt's container and become an extra dose of food for him. Changing the water will ensure the animal a healthy environment in which to live (before pouring new water into the container, let it rest for at least 48 hours, to ensure that any potentially harmful substances, such as chlorine, evaporate).
Warnings
- You can not use water taken directly from the tap, because the chemicals inside it would kill your newt. Before pouring the water into the container of the newt, you must let the water rest in an uncovered container for at least 48 hours so that the harmful substances evaporate.
- Do not put newts of different species in the same container. They could fight each other and devour each other or become infected with potentially deadly diseases brought from their original habitats.
- NEVER release a pet! Such a creature depends on its master for its livelihood and would not fare in a wild environment. Furthermore - even more importantly - introducing an exotic animal into a habitat that does not belong to it could lead to extinction of native species (by competing with them for food or by infecting them with pathogens from distant countries). So, even if your newt has been caught outdoors, do not free it but entrust it to a friend, sell it or contact a veterinarian to kill it without making it suffer.
- Do not catch newts or salamanders until you are informed about local laws regarding the capture of wild animals. You could get a nice fine for threatening the ecosystem!
- If inserted carefully, aquarium plants act as a natural filter for water and counteract the formation of algae. Make the necessary assessments before purchasing plants for your container, otherwise you may find yourself with wild plants that may have passed you off as aquatic or semi-aquatic. Using the wrong plants could cause problems, as they could rot or contribute to poor water quality.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching a newt. Many newts secrete dangerous toxic substances. Make sure other pets, children, or intoxicated people don't start licking or even eating your newt.
- Collect as much information as possible about your future pet BEFORE you buy it. Many pet shops do not have a clear idea of the characteristics of what they sell and improperly store newts and salamanders; perhaps they subject them to high temperatures or keep them together with animal species with which they should not come into contact. The best thing is to buy a specimen born in captivity. Usually these animals are in better conditions, being used to living in contact with humans; they have not suffered trauma due to capture, from being shipped somewhere and having to compete for food with other specimens in a restricted container (moreover with a stress-weakened immune system).
- If you do not have a kit to assess the quality of the water, take a sample of tap water to the pet shop every two weeks. There they will be able to analyze the water and tell you if everything is okay.
