Sickly marbled juveniles

I have acquired 10 or so pygmy marbled newts (last years babies approx. 9months old) i have had them 2 weeks and they were kept on damp/wet kitchen towel in a large sealed plastic tub with live bloodworms and some bark to hide under.

I have now found that 6 of them are really pushing on with growth and 2 have died from what looks like there back legs and feet turning into red swollen lumps, followed by the newts not eating and just dying, almost as if the legs have gone all fungal or too soggy????

please tell me am i keeping them too wet, im doing the same as what they were in, but admit my tissue base is wetter than what they were on, but i also dont want them to dry out???

I dont want to lose them all, or is it survival of the fittest and out of 10 of varying sizes, im destined to lose say 40% of them???

Lee

Sounds like you already know the answer, you've been keeping them too wet,along with the DAMP paper towel put a lump of moss in at one end then they will pick the place they feel most comfortable .

Just because they are newts doesn't mean they will dry out. A land-adapted newt really doesn't need much moisture.