Alpine Newt Efts

Hello all,
I'm new here and relatively new to keeping Caudata. I've kept slimy salamanders, a cave salamander, a red backed salamander, and I raised an eastern newt larva to adult but ended up giving him to a friend. Anyway, I ordered three Alpine Newt Efts and they'll be arriving on Tuesday. I've done plenty of research and I'm just really nervous and excited so I wanted to get some opinions here. Especially seeing as I couldn't find anything on alpine newt efts specifically(other than a paragraph in Reptiles magazine), has anyone raised these efts and would you recommend going the paper towel and simple hide route or the more somewhat natural route. I've already made a setup with primarily cocofiber and some sphagnum moss with some dead leaves on top, based off of this post: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...mus-taricha/86619-caring-very-small-efts.html
Should I change that and make it dirt like in the post? And I know his post is for a very different group of newts, that's why I didn't use dirt. And after all this, they'll probably be fine. The seller tells me they're already eating so I figure I'll get them to eat fine as well. Thanks in advance.
(P.S. I found out about the new ban right after ordering them. I'm going to do everything I can to help get it changed, but I'll still be getting them just in time.)

Even this is mostly for H.orientalis, the same still applies for most newt species that have a terrestrial eft stage: Caudata Culture Articles - Raising Juvenile Newts

Thank you, I had already seen that but hadn't clicked on the substrate link. Now I know to take out that sphagnum moss! Thanks again.

I've raised loads of alpines in the last couple of years, they are very hardy but you must have appropriate sized food which generally means you have to raise it yourself, springtails, white worm ,fruit fly and fruitfly maggots are the main foods I culture. I give my efts 24\7 food availability and actually encourage live food to culture itself in the tank by leaving bits of fruit in there and burying oats which the whiteworm eat. These guys benefit from a hands off approach, you don't need to disturb them like the link suggested, just check , feed and mist a couple times per week.

xxianxx said:

I've raised loads of alpines in the last couple of years, they are very hardy but you must have appropriate sized food which generally means you have to raise it yourself, springtails, white worm ,fruit fly and fruitfly maggots are the main foods I culture. I give my efts 24\7 food availability and actually encourage live food to culture itself in the tank by leaving bits of fruit in there and burying oats which the whiteworm eat. These guys benefit from a hands off approach, you don't need to disturb them like the link suggested, just check , feed and mist a couple times per week.

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Thank you so much. I have lots of food available even without my various cultures, as I have three trustworthy fish stores within a short drive and all have any food you'd feed fish and then some. But you may have just saved my efts by telling me to go the hands-off route. Thanks again.

The species in the link is different to alpines, basic care is similar but alpines do fine with benign neglect, i raised a bunch last year in a tub outside, just dumped daphnia in with them a couple times a week, they are now in my shed terrestrial and get looked at on thursdays and sundays, glad I saw the link though I'm waiting for Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens eggs atm

xxianxx said:

The species in the link is different to alpines, basic care is similar but alpines do fine with benign neglect, i raised a bunch last year in a tub outside, just dumped daphnia in with them a couple times a week, they are now in my shed terrestrial and get looked at on thursdays and sundays, glad I saw the link though I'm waiting for nopthalmus eggs atm

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Yeah, that's why I was unsure enough to ask. Should my coco fiber and bark/dead leaves be good? I don't know of any problems I could have there but I'll ask an expert since I have the chance. Thanks.

P.S. Good luck with the nopthalmus!

Joshuats99 said:

Yeah, that's why I was unsure enough to ask. Should my coco fiber and bark/dead leaves be good?

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That's what I use.

xxianxx said:

That's what I use.

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Okay, thanks again.