Eastern Newt Rescue, advice needed

I went to my local pet store and they were selling newly changed adult Eastern newts, so this past summer/fall they became aquatic in other words.

The bad news is they were WC right from my area here (they are native here and can be found in local ponds/lakes/streams). I knew this right away and the guy told me they were caught around here, I told him I knew where he got them from and was interested in buying them to rehabilitate them so they can be returned back to the wild in Spring, so he gave all 7 of them to me for free.

The tank they were in had the original pond water, by now it was green and filled with rotting food and a dead newt and it smelt horrible! The newts are all stick thin, some have protruding bones and are very weak and pale, but none have any visible injury or missing body parts. They basically were starved they had dropped pellets in and they werent eating them much only enough to stay alive.

I took them all home, set up a brand new 10 gallon for them with a land area and rocks underwater to help them reach land, 3 of them were happy to see land, at the store they were in all water. I already had aged purified water de-chlorininated since I own a chinese firebelly (they were not mixed by the way) I gently rinsed them with the water before adding them to the tank to wash away all the dirty water off them, right away they became more active almost as if to say "clean water yay!".

6 out of 7 then went exploring in the water, the 7th is the weakest, I guess he/she never got to eat much and was weak.

I then added frozen bloodworms and live blackworms in the tank, Every newt immedietly started hunting and fighting each other for food, one newt tried to swallow another arms but luckily I was there and picked them up and the newt let go, the other was fine luckily. I sat and watched them for 30 minutes, everyone was eating, even the sickly looking ones, and they all kept there food down no regurgitating.

I checked back an hour later and everyone is submerged hunting and eating and no more fighting everyone was getting plenty to eat I could see bigger bellies already! Once they get a little stronger I will feed them small earthworms from my yard I use no chemicals or pesticides.

My goal is to release them back to the spot they were caught in spring. Being they only were kept with the other newts they were caught with, and no domestic species, do you think they are parasite free (with the exception of their own dirty water). I want to make sure they are 100% healthy. They are all eating so that's encouraging and all chase down the live blackworms.

Unless you can get them to an expert herp vet who can test them for diseases and parasites, it's actually a big risk to release them. The food you feed them can also infect them, even if they don't actually suffer any symptoms. It can even be against the law in some areas.

If you're not as interested in keeping them, they are great educational helpers for schools. With proper education, a lot of teachers are happy to take them so the kids can learn about these critters.

As nice as it would be that they could be returned to their original habitat, there is far too much risk of passing on diseases. Be happy that you've given them a good home and a good chance.

Isn't there some way to have them tested or some kit at a pet store I can buy if they do have something I want to get rid of it. If they do it;s from the water they came from and it wont be anything the other newts werent already exposed to in the area.

As far as the foods they are eating, cant be any worse than nightcrawlers or bait fish sold and are used on fishing rods in ponds and lakes. There will always be organisms introduced especially in an area full of people like here in NY, these newts can be found in ditches in some areas, talk about unsanitary and yet they thrive even with polluted water and garbage.

'Fraid not. They can harbor all sorts of pathogens, especially given that you keep exotic species (was your firebelly w/c?). Where they got them could be any number of places: the collector, the pet store, etc.

Food is a concern. Just because everybody else is jumping off the bridge doesn't mean it's a good idea. Blackworms are farmed in California; who knows what they've picked up there.

It's not to be mean to you, so don't take offense. But the truth is, it's dangerous; and in many areas, it's actually illegal.

I just want to make things clearer sounds like you might be confused.

The Eastern Newts have had NO contact at all with my firebelly newt, the 2 species are housed in seperate tanks and I have seperate cleaning supplies (ex. Nets) for each too.

The Eastern Newts were captured from the pond I wanted to release them in, they were put in a never used critter keeper with water from the pond, and some tap water when the water level got low. They were fed newt pellets in the pet store.

They have NEVER been in contact with any other animal or water with another animal, other than their own kind from the Same pond.

We understand, but they still cannot be released.

Regardless of who they come into contact with (do you have them in an entirely separate house where there is no possible air contact between the two? And do you change your entire hazmat suit between the two?), it's still illegal in most areas to re-release captive animals.

Yup. It would be entirely unethical, illegal and reckless to release them back to the wild. There is absolutely no way to know whether or not they pose a risk of contaminating or harming the ecosystem. Seriously, don't do it. They'll be fine being captive as it is.