NOT fish but NEWTS!!

[weathermen]

Ok this is a new one for me, I keep tropical fish but have now been left with the task of keeping newts lots of them, I have just purchased a new home and it has a pond, 12 ft by 10 ft, on arrival my farther in law spotted “Red Crested Newts” and some others we have counted around 25+ no fish in this pond just NEWTS, has informed me that these are rare and should be kept as they are GREAT! One problem the pond is leaking so I assume the liner is torn! I would like to put in a cast liner! Pricey this is but well worth it I think, also a pump and filter, should this be done? I have no knowledge on newts at all, HELP!!!! I really wonna keep these little fellas,

 

[black angel]

lucky you having all those fab newts. i honestly dont know how to help you but i'm sure someone will be along. maybe post in the amphibian section above as well.
good luck with them and i will be following this thread. any chance of pics yet?

 

[bribones]

i suggest you contact your local council and inform them about the newts as there is a conservation issue here,the previous owners might already have done so but best make sure ,by law you arnt allowed to move them out of the pond or surrounding area,best to check and cover your back

 

[weathermen]

someone did mention this, putting them in a new pond can't harm them can it? it's just the one they are in and rough, loads of blanket weed and snails, water dropping big time, 8 gallons a day I rekon,

I've been told to feed them blood worm which is going down a treat! I'll post this on another link!

cheers guys

 

[bribones]

are you building the pond in the same position as the old one ?if in a new area allow the newts to move over on there own ,draining the old pond will help them over lol ,but if the new pond is to replace the old one ,where are the newts going while you do the work ??

a friend of a friend introduced one to his pond and his back garden is now deemed a conservation area lol

 

[weathermen]

well, what i have is large water tank for the loft, I was thinking of pumping the water in that add the plants and rock and leave them in there for the weekend while we fit this new cast liner! the size of the pond isn't going to change really a little digging here and there and fingers crossed it will fit,

the thing i was confused about was pumping and filters plus fish! can I add these? I have seen a couple of frogs and snails, but these newts are really taking over, is it true that they disapear and return again? I can't find many books on them either, I just don't want to upset them to much, make a better home really!

 

[weathermen]

Just purchased a book from amazon, hope this will shed some light onto the subject!

cheers for your help! more will be needed I'm sure

 

[Seb R]

wow lucky about those newts. I've only got a few of those in mine, but my uncle's got tonnes of 'em.

My friend conpletely changed his old swimming pool sized pond which had evrything. Now there is a huge open deep bit with koi, goldfish, orfe, rudd, roach and surgeon (so jealous!). But then he has got a raised section 4ft x 4ft filled with loads of plants and the water runs off a lowered section into the main pond so it all filters round, look brilliant too. Hope it helps, seems to work really well as the fish can't get near the newts or thier eggs

 

[weathermen]

yeah thanks for that, didn't think about the eggs and breeding with fish in there as well, um, much thought needs to go into this I think, God I'm starting to sound like Yodo

 

[STEVIE]

The newts will only use your pond as a breeding spot.They lay eggs in there on the weeds then spend the rest of the time on land but usually not too far from water or boggy land.
The baby newts live in the pond until they get adult.If you put any goldfish in there they will quickly de-newt your pond as they eat the baby newts.

 

[weathermen]

right, so no fish, do I really need to tell the council, it's not like I'm keeping them for myself, they made there own way there!

So when the newts leave I'm just left with an empty pond?

 

[The-Wolf]

It is illegal to handle any of the UK's newts without a license
and newts like the great crested, you can be imprisoned for
destroying their habitat (I.E. your pond).

I suggest contacting the local enviroment agency and getting
some advice from them about how you should deal with your newts.

 

[weathermen]

this is too deep!

 

[Paul_MTS]

about 7 years back now when we had 2 concrete ponds that flowed into each other we got a leak in the lower pond.

we drained the pond emptied everything out which included 75 newts which were put in a tub until the new pond was in.

The new pond was a preformed fibre glass pond and once we had it running again everything was put back in. When i did the next pond clean we only had a handful of newts.

So i reakon they only like lined or concrete ponds, there's still plenty of acess points on the fibre glass one.

 

[black angel]

i think you should phone the rspca or someone and ask them to relocate them, or they can tell you who in your area would be able to take them.