Fire-bellied newts are great pets and are a good choice for first-time amphibian owners.If you want a newt to live a long and happy life, you need to educate yourself on their lifestyle and habits and prepare an appropriate habitat.
Step 1: You can learn about newts.
The size of an adult is one of the factors that affect the type of tank that a reptile or amphibian pet needs.Pet stores sometimes carry juvenile fire-bellied newts as small as two inches long.It is in the wild.Fire-bellied newts originate in Japan, where they are semi-aquatic and spend most of their time in clear, cool bodies of water.A good rule of thumb is to divide the home into 70% water and 30% dry land, since this means that pet newts need a home that has water to swim in but also some areas of land.Its habits.Newts go through various stages of development from a tadpole to an adult.Adults spend time on land and in the water as they grow up, and they spend the first part of their life in water.Older fire-belly newts are easier to keep as pets than younger ones.They can live up to thirty years with excellent care.Its diet.Newts in the wild are like a diet of insects, but you can also feed them dried reptile or amphibian food such as Reptomin Floating Food Sticks.Since they have to hunt, they need a varied diet that includes live food such as bloodworms, black worms, guppies, and crickets, which helps to ensure they get the proper nutrition.If you want to purchase newts, be sure to get them from a local store or source.You need to be sure that you'll be able to give live food to the newts.
Step 2: Determine how many newts you want.
If they live alone or with others, salamanders don't care; they're not social nor are they solitary.Only fire-bellied newts of the same species and no other types of animals are allowed.It's important to keep only fire-bellied newts in your aquarium because they can be harmful to other animals.Japanese and Chinese fire-bellied newts are separate species and should not be kept together.Unless you have seen both types, they are hard to tell apart, but Chinese newts are a bit smaller, smoother and have slightly rounder tail tips.If you are unsure, buy your newts from the same tank at the store.
Step 3: You have to plan where you will keep the tank.
Depending on how many newts you have, you will need a 10 or 20 gallon tank.If you want to house five to ten newts, go with the 20 gallon tank.The tank needs to be placed on top of a piece of furniture that can hold its weight without risk of tipping or breaking.It needs to be away from windows and air vents so that it doesn't get warm or cold.
Step 4: Purchase a 10 or 20 gallon aquarium.
You can buy them online, in your local pet store or big box store, or at a local garage sale or classified ad.It's a good idea to use glass or Plexiglas to observe your animal.Newts are notorious for trying to escape their habitats and can climb the glass walls of an aquarium so make sure the aquarium has a tight fitting lid.
Step 5: Should you use rocks at the bottom of the tank?
Newts don't need rocks in their habitat, but rocks provide an attractive addition to the tank, and it is easier to clean a tank with a smooth bottom.If you use rocks at the bottom of the tank, make sure they are large enough to not be swallowed.The newts' skin will be injured by rough stones.
Step 6: You can test the water quality.
Chemicals in the water can affect the health of newts and even kill them.Before filling the tank, check the pH and ammonia of your water with a home test kit and use a liquid dechlorinator to prepare the water.Newts will do well in water with a pH of between 6.5 and 7.5.You can get a test kit in the aquarium section of most large pet stores.Ammonia can kill newts.Pet stores have dechlorinating chemicals in liquid and tablets.Let the water sit for a few minutes after you add the recommended amount.If you want to skip the steps, you can use bottled spring water.
Step 7: The "land" portion of the aquarium needs to be decided on.
Newts can thrive in many different set ups, so it depends on what you think looks best.The goal is to give the newts dry land in 30% of their aquarium, which can be made from a rocky slope.If you arrange smooth pebbles and rocks, live moss, or sandy soil at a slope, the newts will be able to climb up to eat.Live or plastic plants can be floating on turtle platforms.The land doesn't have to be land if it is floating out of the water and the newts can climb on it.
Step 8: Provide a hiding place for your newt.
Newts like to hide and have privacy in the water.Purchase something specific for this purpose or use something from around your home.There are a lot of hiding places for aquariums in pet stores.A small terracotta pot can be placed on the bottom of the aquarium.Even if you don't use a mug anymore, it will still work in a pinch.You can buy logs, branches, and stones at a pet store.Before putting found objects in your pet's habitat, be sure to sterilize them to make sure there are no insects or parasites present.
Step 9: The newts' water needs to be changed daily.
If you don't change the water frequently, newts will growbacteria quickly unless you do.If you only have one or two newts, you can change it less frequently.Use a turkey baster or small measuring cup to remove most of the water and then add in treated, room-temperature water to bring it back up to 10 inches.
Step 10: Feed your newts.
Most newts will eat 3-4 small insects at each feeding, and they only need to be fed a few times a week.After a few hours, remove any bugs or insects that are still alive.
Step 11: The habitat needs to be cleaned regularly.
Every week or two you should take the newts out of the habitat and put them in a small container with a lid.The inside of the aquarium should be cleaned and the water refreshed.Live plants should be removed while the enclosure is cleaned.Since newts are sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, be sure to let the water in the tank come to room temperature before putting them back in.
Step 12: You should be safe with lighting.
Newts can become overheated if they are too close to a light source.You can use an aquarium light to help you see the newt.Turn off the lights at night.
Step 13: You should be careful with your newt.
salamanders are fragile and can be injured easily, although most people enjoy handling them occasionally.Try to hold the newts once a day for a short time.If you handle the newts with your hands, make sure they are moist to help protect the mucus on its skin.If you have an open cut or wound on your skin, it is important that you do not handle newts as they can be harmful.The toxins from handling the newt can cause temporary blindness if you rub your eyes or face while holding it.