HobbyBiology
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- Aug 19, 2023
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- Cooperstown, NY
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Last year I found a red-spotted eastern newt with one eye while walking in the forest. I have experience with them, as I have 2 other eastern newts who are thriving in their 20 gallon long tank, which I'd say is like 25% land, 75% swimming space currently. I put one-eye in a large enough tank for him alone, he's been living in there for months and has been fine, but I think he wants some company and a larger swimming area, so I want to integrate him into my already well-established 20 gal long. I think that having access to water like that is crucial for development into the adult aquatic stage, and newts aren't exactly communal, but of course a newt in isolation is unnatural. I just worry about the pair I already have in there dominating over him when it comes to food, even though they are all roughly the same size.
I think his one missing eye does impact his spatial awareness, as it takes him a little to spot the food dish sometimes. I'm willing to add a lot more land so they can have their space and I can set out two dishes of chopped worms rather than one.
Sorry if this is typed and organized messily, I'm just kind of writing down my thought process. But I want to make sure that one-eye has the right environment for his handicap, but I don't want him to live a life alone.
He once had a small tank mate of the same species we picked up on the same day, one of those ones that are extremely skinny and refuse to eat, found it that way. I tried saving it but it disappeared in the tank one day. I tore the tank apart and looked everywhere, but there's not a trace even months later. I wonder if one-eye cannibalized the skinny one, he definitely is large enough to. So part of me feels that one-eye isn't as weak as I think. Not my proudest moment. but any input is helpful. Would it be a bad idea to put these 3 newts together and balance out the land to water ratio? Thanks!
I think his one missing eye does impact his spatial awareness, as it takes him a little to spot the food dish sometimes. I'm willing to add a lot more land so they can have their space and I can set out two dishes of chopped worms rather than one.
Sorry if this is typed and organized messily, I'm just kind of writing down my thought process. But I want to make sure that one-eye has the right environment for his handicap, but I don't want him to live a life alone.
He once had a small tank mate of the same species we picked up on the same day, one of those ones that are extremely skinny and refuse to eat, found it that way. I tried saving it but it disappeared in the tank one day. I tore the tank apart and looked everywhere, but there's not a trace even months later. I wonder if one-eye cannibalized the skinny one, he definitely is large enough to. So part of me feels that one-eye isn't as weak as I think. Not my proudest moment. but any input is helpful. Would it be a bad idea to put these 3 newts together and balance out the land to water ratio? Thanks!
