Juvenile fire belly newt setup?

[keithp]

I got a 6 month old juvenile newt, it is reluctant to stay in the water so I want to set up a basic terrestrial tank. Would sphagnum or peat moss and a shallow water dish be fine, ocassionally misting with water for good humidity? How do I know when it wants to be aquatic? I'm pretty sure I see tiny bumps where the gills used to be. The room it's in is around the 60s F, the person I got it from had it under a heat lamp in water and it looked very stressed so I read they prefer cooler temps.

What should I feed it? I'm reading flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets, waxworms, and earthworms. Does it need calcium or vitamin dusting on food, once aquatic im pretty sure that's impossible to do.

 

[Asevernnnn]

Sphagnum peat moss is know to be acidic and shouldn't be used unless tested first. Try coconut fibre or moist papertowel for a substrate instead.
I would also read up on the sticky in the newt and salamander help section.

 

[Chinadog]

If you are feeding earthworms regularly there is no need for calcium supplements, if the diet is based on the pinhead crickets and waxworms you should dust them with calcium powder and work towards getting it on an earthworm diet as a staple.
Young Chinese fire bellies are quite easy to turn aquatic. If you start of with a set up with no completely dry areas and about one inch of wafer with loads of live aquatic plants that the newt can rest on near the surface. As long as the water quality stays perfect and there are enough plants, the newt will soon learn to submerge and look for food underwater. Once it becomes confident in the water you can gradually increase the depth until the aquarium is mostly water and masses or plants, its plain sailing after that

 

[keithp]

This newt is very thin and weak so I don't want to risk drowning, that and the water reluctance I think a few weeks of land and fattening up are best until it's strong and then might decide to swim by itself.

Paper towel was mentioned as bottom lining, aren't white paper towels full of bleach or no? I have bounty paper towels that are plain white no prints.

Also as far as calcium and vitamins (for now until it starts eating earthworms) what brands are best and how often? I have Petsmart and Petco by me to shop at. Thanks

 

[Rays Ark]

Hey guys. I was just wondering if this is an adequate setup for this type of newt?

 

[Asevernnnn]

Hey guys. I was just wondering if this is an adequate setup for this type of newt?

If you're individual is healthy and aquatic, its alright. It could use some more live plants and more water(min. of 10 gallons). If its terrestrial, and stressed(most likely for wild caught ones) a very shallow setup with lots of plants and no dry land should be provided with increases every few weeks in water level.

 

[keithp]

So I've got a problem, the newt is aquatic and eating. However it only eats earthworms and live blackworms and no pellets or frozen foods. This is a problem as these live foods aren't always available to me. Also this means I can't get any vitamin or calcium powder on food the newt won't eat on land or take food at the surface. It's a catch 22 it eats but only certain foods!

 

[Asevernnnn]

Where in the US are you? I purchase all of my nightcrawlers at walmart if you have any of those or bait stores around you, they don't need any calcium supplements or anything

 

[Chinadog]

So I've got a problem, the newt is aquatic and eating. However it only eats earthworms and live blackworms and no pellets or frozen foods. This is a problem as these live foods aren't always available to me. Also this means I can't get any vitamin or calcium powder on food the newt won't eat on land or take food at the surface. It's a catch 22 it eats but only certain foods!

Earthworms are one of the few food items that can be fed day in, day out without problems. High quality pellets are also fine, but not all newts will eat them. A diet that is based on earthworms needs no nutritional supplements as their calcium to phosphate ratio is correct for a staple diet. Frozen food is ok once in a while as a treat or a last resort when the worms run out, but really isn't suitable for day to day feeding.
You are quite lucky in the US, worms are sold in all kinds of shops as Aaron says, over here they are harder to find and expensive so I dig my own out the garden.