Eastern Newt Help

usafaux2004 · Dec 16, 2013

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but SDE prompted me to do it now.

I got some Eastern Newts, about a year ago at a LFS. I now know they are most likely wild caught and highly stressed, but need help and advice on the best care for them anyway.

One, the bigger swims a lot more than the other, but they do spend a good amount of time on the dock. The smaller one spends a lot of time on the dock, and looks skinny. I know they both get access to food (bloodworms).

I'm looking for all input, on what the best habitat for them is, best food, best food deployment (water/land), and anything else from anyone with experience. Also advice on sexing them. The larger one is about 4" long, the shorter one maybe 3.5".

Here they are:

Big One:

Small One, Note the two bumps by tail...bones?

Any help/advice welcomed.

sde · Dec 16, 2013

Hi Usafaux2004,

I don't have experience with this species but it looks to me like they are both females. Cone shape and size is what I am going off. Hope this helps! -Seth

Edit: Yes, they look like bones. On a side note maybe the second one is a male? It does have long legs, and a larger vent. I am not sure though.

slowfoot · Dec 16, 2013

I'm pretty sure the big one is female and the small one is male. He does look thin. Are they both eating? In the water? On land?

I would try fattening him up with chopped live earthworms (night crawlers, not red wiggles). You can buy them at Petsmart or at bait shops. You can also try small waxworms.

usafaux2004 · Dec 16, 2013

slowfoot said:
I'm pretty sure the big one is female and the small one is male. He does look thin. Are they both eating? In the water? On land?

I would try fattening him up with chopped live earthworms (night crawlers, not red wiggles). You can buy them at Petsmart or at bait shops. You can also try small waxworms.

He's been that skinny since pretty much we got them. I've observed both of them eat defrosted bloodworms in the water. How small should the earthworms be? Nightcrawlers are huge! (feed them to my axies), should I get the skinnier types? Feed him on the dock?

slowfoot · Dec 16, 2013

Sorry, my iPad likes to 'fix' my spelling for me...

Mine won't eat red wigglers (the smaller worms they sell) so I just chop large earthworms up for them. The pieces should fit in his mouth. You can chop across the worm and lengthwise to get smaller pieces. Even if these don't move, they should still eat them if they are taking frozen bloodworms. I'd feed in the water for now.

sde · Dec 16, 2013

I agree with slowfoot, he does look a bit thin, but I think most males are thinner that females ( I amphibians anyway XD ). Chopping the earthworms is best.

I changed my mind, I now agree with slowfoot, the second is a male, for a few reasons.

A. Because it does have very long legs.

2. because it is skinny, in my experience males tend to be skinnier than females.

IIV. because it does also have a larger vent.

And D. because it has a long tail compared to its body.

XD

Jennewt · Dec 16, 2013

To follow Seth's A, 2, IIV, and D...
5) wide back legs.

Here is a classic article:
Caudata Culture Articles - How to Feed a Large Worm to a Small Newt

When you feed them in the water, push the little one off the dock to make sure he's in the water when the food is there. If you can get pieces of nightcrawler small but still wiggling you can try placing them on land.

sde · Dec 16, 2013

usafaux2004 said:
I've been meaning to post this for a while, but SDE prompted me to do it now.

You may call me Seth .

Jennewt said:

To follow Seth's A, 2, IIV, and D...
5) wide back legs.

^That's the alphabet right?
Good one Jennewt, I will look for that in the future.

As for care on this species I think you will find this article nice:

Caudata Culture Species Entry - Notophthalmus viridescens - Eastern Newt

Good luck, and a happy new year.

Click to expand...

Niels D · Dec 17, 2013

Though males are more skinny than females I think it doesn't hurt if you try feeding them (chopped) waxies like Erin said. I also agree with everyone who claims you've got yourself a couple.

usafaux2004 · Dec 19, 2013

He's been eating! One day, I dropped the frozen cube of bloodworms into the tank, and he was ON IT! He wrestled the cube until he could rip pieces off.

But now..I'm looking at all the resources, and males have a fin-tail? Neither of these does.

Chinadog · Dec 19, 2013

If they've gone into terrestrial mode for whatever reason the tail fin will be less broad. From what i've seen, the tail fin on the males is at its most developed in the breading season almost like a toned down crest.

usafaux2004 · Feb 21, 2014

Bad news. The skinnier one was eating well, swimming lots...went to feed my Easterns. Couldn't find him. Ripped up the whole tank...he's gone. Probably climbed the heater, fell out, and either the dogs got him, or he went into one of the floor heat vents...I've spent all night looking all over this damn split level house...

This on top of all my axis eggs that I've shipped coming in lyced. Probably the worst few days of my Caudate keeping life.

slowfoot · Feb 21, 2014

I know it sucks, and it hurts worse knowing you might've prevented it. These guys look clumsy and awkward on land, but then they'll go and climb right out of the tank. The only eastern newts I've lost that weren't teeny metamorphs have all been tank escapes. And each one sucked

usafaux2004 · Feb 21, 2014

slowfoot said:
I know it sucks, and it hurts worse knowing you might've prevented it. These guys look clumsy and awkward on land, but then they'll go and climb right out of the tank. The only eastern newts I've lost that weren't teeny metamorphs have all been tank escapes. And each one sucked

I've had them in the setup for well over a year I think...I just don't understand what possessed him to try now. It wasn't an easy climb, and before they never could get up there, but loved chilling between the glass and the heater.

Chinadog · Feb 21, 2014

Yep, it sucks alright! One of my juvenile pyrrhos escaped at feeding time when the lid was open, I didn't notice I had one missing for a day or two so by the time I found him it was was way too late! All my fault for not paying attention and checking where they all were

Just out of interest, why do they have a heater?

usafaux2004 · Feb 21, 2014

To keep a steady temp. By the window I noticed it can fluctuate.

sde · Feb 21, 2014

Yah, it totally does suck. I had what I thought were a male and a female A. macrodactylum and had them in a terrestrial setup. There was a little hole in the lid, but they were almost never on the surface of the moss ( it was rocks and wood covered in moss, and the were almost always under the moss ), so I thought it would be fine.
I was taking it apart searching for them to put in a breeding setup, but he was gone. I search all over, but couldn't find him. I learned my lesson though, now I put ducked tape around the rim of any tank that's covered by one lid and might have a gap somewhere. Since then I haven't had any escapes, even with tiny juveniles. I was so mad though, wont forget that!

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