Fully acquatic Palmate advice

[gerard2479]

Afternoon,
I currently have Palmate newts in a garden pond. I’m about to move house and the new occupant wants to fill in the pond so the newts will move with me. The new house has a raised pond that with an overhanging lip that makes it pretty much impossible for anything to get out and it’s a courtyard garden so anything that does escape will struggle for food. I have two questions:
· I have heard that Palmates can survive in a fully aquatic setup so I think the adults will be ok in the new pond. Will the larvae survive when they turn into efts or will I need to move them elsewhere to avoid them drowning?
· The new pond is brand new and currently dry. Is there anything I can do to encourage a natural food source in the new pond? I do not want to transfer the water from the old pond as I have had a problem with blanket weed this year.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Gerard

 

[Jennewt]

Can you build some kind of island area within the pond? Will the pond freeze solid in winter?

I would transfer some water from the old pond, despite the weeds. Or get some water and sediment from another pond.

 

[gerard2479]

Thanks for the response. The pond is small, 85cm x 120cm or 33" x 47" in old money, so there isn't enough space for a meaningful island.

Gerard

 

[Azhael]

This species has been kept aquatic year-round in captivity, but in the wild they have a markedly terrestrial period...i think it´s likely that if forced to be aquatic, at least some of them would drown.
I would suggest looking for suitable new homes around the area where you used to live. They must have come from somewhere..either a nearby brook, or a neighbour´s garden, or something. Rather than moving the animals around and into a habitat that seems unsuitable, something close to where they used to live would be much more preferable.