rattailz
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- Jun 6, 2009
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I wanted to post my story as a glimmer of hope to anyone who through whatever reason had their newt escape and was unable to find it.
I've only been keeping newts towards the beginning of this year and I was given them (because I said they looked cute) without really knowing how to care for them. I also failed to learn that newts climb glass and not having a lid on my tank was a big mistake. I'd had them for about a month when I came down stairs and noticed that I couldn't see my male (Bert), I was late for work and just thinking that he was hiding under some leaves or something I left. When I came home I still couldn't find him and did a proper search of the tank and realised that he may have escaped. I searched the forum for stories of escaped newts and found that this is fairly common and also that they don't fair too well in a house, usually a day or two. I turned our lounge upside down, under every piece of furniture, but while looking around could see the gaps under the skirting board and with 3 doors out he could have been anywhere. I put down sheets of tin foil all over the house with water on in the hope that he would find them and not die, but after a few weeks I gave up hope and assumed that he hadn't made it. I lost him in June '09.
In the meantime me and my female made a bit of a journey after me getting a new job, so we moved from South Yorkshire to Cornwall a nice 7 hour drive, although due to my new contract I still had to attend a college in the North of England. I am currently here doing my first week when, on the Thursday I had a phone call from one of my ex-housemates. Bert had turned up in the lounge, Alive! So 4 months after Bert decided that he wanted to go for a wonder he reappeared. He was apparently very dry and when I picked him up last night he was a lot thinner than I remember but after some nice juicy blood worms I'm hoping he'll get back to being his normal self. He's currently in a small tank (with a lid!) in my college room waiting until its time for us to go home!
I just wanted to post this small ray of hope to anyone who's lost their little friend. I'm not sure how he survived or whether that house was just really damp I don't know, I'm just glad he's back!
I've only been keeping newts towards the beginning of this year and I was given them (because I said they looked cute) without really knowing how to care for them. I also failed to learn that newts climb glass and not having a lid on my tank was a big mistake. I'd had them for about a month when I came down stairs and noticed that I couldn't see my male (Bert), I was late for work and just thinking that he was hiding under some leaves or something I left. When I came home I still couldn't find him and did a proper search of the tank and realised that he may have escaped. I searched the forum for stories of escaped newts and found that this is fairly common and also that they don't fair too well in a house, usually a day or two. I turned our lounge upside down, under every piece of furniture, but while looking around could see the gaps under the skirting board and with 3 doors out he could have been anywhere. I put down sheets of tin foil all over the house with water on in the hope that he would find them and not die, but after a few weeks I gave up hope and assumed that he hadn't made it. I lost him in June '09.
In the meantime me and my female made a bit of a journey after me getting a new job, so we moved from South Yorkshire to Cornwall a nice 7 hour drive, although due to my new contract I still had to attend a college in the North of England. I am currently here doing my first week when, on the Thursday I had a phone call from one of my ex-housemates. Bert had turned up in the lounge, Alive! So 4 months after Bert decided that he wanted to go for a wonder he reappeared. He was apparently very dry and when I picked him up last night he was a lot thinner than I remember but after some nice juicy blood worms I'm hoping he'll get back to being his normal self. He's currently in a small tank (with a lid!) in my college room waiting until its time for us to go home!
I just wanted to post this small ray of hope to anyone who's lost their little friend. I'm not sure how he survived or whether that house was just really damp I don't know, I'm just glad he's back!
thanks.