Help with Palmate Newts and enclosures please?

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buginson

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Hi I have some palmate newts accidentally hatched from pond weed for a science experiment. (don't worry I was experimenting on the pond weed not the newts!!) They have been stored in a tank of water since hatching with weed, some water lice and flat worms (all came from the weed). Now they are loosing their gills and adventuring out of the water and I need to know a few things.

Can they still feed as they are out of the water?
If they need to feed on land what should I set up?
What food would they need?

(at present they are feeding on daphnia in the water)
(am getting live microworms in the post soon)
Should I set up an area of soil for them, or grass?

They are only about 2 1/2 > 3cm long so can't handle large food stuffs.

Any help would be great! Thankyou.
 
It’s quite a challenge raising such tiny newts. At the point of metamorphosis the newt will normally stop feeding for a few days. There are enormous physiological changes taking place and food is often ignored during this period. Once they’ve recovered from the trauma of morphing they will start feeding on tiny bugs. Ones you may have access to include; spring tails, fruit-flies (D.melanogaster are the smallest), lesser waxworms, micro-crickets (these are newly hatched crickets), white worms, live bloodworm, chopped tiny earthworms and tropical woodlice. For someone who has no experience with micro foods for minuscule amphibians this could all be rather tricky. Check with your local pet shops – If they can order you micro crickets you may be in luck.

Their instinct is to head for land. If kept aquatic there’s a risk they’ll drown.
 
Also, they are so small it is easy for them to escape any small hole in their enclosure. They'll crawl right up the side of glass or plastic. (These are L. vulgaris, right?) I have some in a kritter keeper (plastic container) with a piece of glass flush on top. I open it every day for air exchange and the close it again, and nothing can get in or out, not even a small fruit fly. They sure are tiny!!
 
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