A Guide to Stealthy Eastern Newts

Zoe Harris

In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan an aquatic Eastern Newt is swimming in

about one foot of water in a deserted pond, in the middle of a light green forest. A small

bass spots the newt from some reeds, but luckily enough the Newt sees him. The bass

has his mouth sticking out, with his beady eyes staring at the newt. The newt darts to

safety in a patch of many fallen sticks and some aquatic plants, where he stays for a

while, hiding out.

Eastern Newts live in many different places. Newts live in the Eastern side of

North America. They live in or near small, permanent water sources. Adult newts can

live on land. The newt juveniles, called efts, live on land until they are about eight years

old and then go back to a water source to breed. Newts that live on land, live in

coniferous and deciduous forests and lake shores. Newts like to live in fishless waters,

because fish are some of their main predators. They prefer more vegetation. This is

where they live normally when they are active, but how can you find them in the

daytime?

If you are looking for newts in the daytime, near or in a permanent water source

are good places to look. Look somewhere muddy. If looking on land, coniferous and

deciduous forests in the Eastern half of North America are good places to look. This is

their natural habitat, so what is there habitat like in captivity?

You need to consider certain things when setting up the terrarium. For semi-

aquatic newts, always have at least three gallons for each adult newt. For a semi-

aquatic tank have water, substrate, moss/other plants, water filter, and a water heater.
To set up the semi-aquatic cage have it be half water, half land, rocks in water, plants on

land (plants in water if you want), hides on land and in water, water heater on the back

of the vivarium in water. This is semi-aquatic, how is terrestrial?

For a terrestrial newt, have substrate, moss/plants, water dish, hides, and sticks.

To set up the terrarium put a layer of substrate on bottom, put in the water dish, put in

the hides, and after that put in sticks and moss/plants. Lastly, fill up the water dish. This

is just the setup, what about the other things you need to care for these newts?

There are certain things you need to consider when taking care of terrestrial

newts. Up to three adults can be in a 10 gal aquarium (never have two males together).

Have a UVB light to keep their bones strong. Feed them red worms, live or frozen brine

shrimp, or earthworms. Clean out the cage when it it is dirty.

The Eastern newt lives in the North-Eastern part of the United States Of America.

They usually live in or near permanent water sources. If you are housing newts always

have three gallons for each adult Newt. When caring for Eastern Newts feed them red

worms, live or frozen brine shrimp, or earthworms and clean out there terrarium when it

is looking dirty. Always have water in a Eastern Newt Terrarium.

 Works Cited

Eastern Newt - Notophthalmus Viridescens | Wildlife Journal Junior. Wildlife

Journal Junior, NH PBS, www.nhptv.org/wild/easternnewt.asp.

Eastern Newt. Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Vermont Fish and Wildlife

Department, www.vtfishandwildlife.com/cms/One.aspx?

portalId=73163&pageId=149749.

goose, ken. Eastern Newt Information and Care. Reptiles Magazine,

pet360media.Com, www.reptilesmagazine.com/Eastern-Newt-Information-and-

Care/.

imheretowatch1000. How To Setup a Semi Aquatic Newt Tank (Efts). YouTube,

YouTube, 25 Sept. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zUbGjTKBNo.

Notophthalmus Viridescens. Caudata Culture Species Entry - Notophthalmus

Viridescens - Eastern Newt, Caudata Culture, 2001,

www.caudata.org/cc/species/Notophthalmus/N_viridescens.shtml.

Web, Animal Diversity. Critter Catalog. BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse

Species, Notophthalmus Viridescens, Eastern Newt: INFORMATION, University

of Michigan, www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Notophthalmus_viridescens/.

WebooPeboo. How to Set up an Eastern Newt Cage. YouTube, YouTube, 1

June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JLVTqmO5mU.