Good beginners

[leopard3000]

Are eastern newts good begginers and if so care would be nice

 

[Azhael]

Mmmm...eastern newt is usually the common name of Notophthalmus viridescens. Are you refering to these?
Neurergus are "middle eastern newts" and very different from Notophthalmus.
If you specify which species you are thinking about, we will be able to help much much better.

 

[eldaldo]

Notos are great beginner newts. I have had them in the past and love them. Depending on their age they can be a little small, but most of the ones I've had are big enough to eat worms, and that is an easy food source.

Here is the caudata care sheet for eastern newts, Caudata Culture Species Entry - Notophthalmus viridescens - Eastern Newt.

As with anyone whose asking about their first newts, I would suggest you get them captive bred. Or, if it is legal where you live, personally wild caught notos are also preferred over pet store newts. so that you don't support the wild caught pet trade.

 

[caudatadude28]

I would not suggest notos to a beginner because wc often fall ill eventually and cb efts are rare and can be extremely hard to care for. Crested newts, ribbed newts, blue-tail firebellies are all great beginner newts because they don't require a terrestrial stage and are very hardy.

 

[deliriah]

Notos are tricky. Most of this, sadly, I learned the hard way as a child with WC animals. WC is not a great option. When I got back into them in recent years I managed to get ahold of some that were already doing well in captivity (aquatic/ adults) whether they are WC or CB I'm not sure I'll ever know. I also got a CB eft, as of yet it is my only success with this terrestrial stage, and only with the help of the caresheets and info I've found here. "Mynewt" is a pretty happy guy. Sorry to go on, but if you're looking for easy try one of the others suggested by A.J. If you're set on eastern newts I strongly suggest starting out with a mature aquatic phase newt or two, they are by far the easiest stage of this species to care for. Also, please read the caresheets and posts on this forum, they've gotten me through so many questions I've had, and often without having to post my own thread.

 

[eldaldo]

I guess I just got lucky. I caught them as a kid and the one i kept lived for 5 years before it died (possibly due to my ignorant little kid species mixing with a japanese firebelly). And I had them recently for a few years without any problem, I gave them to a friend when I was trying to cut down on the number of tanks in my room. I haven't talked to him in a couple months but I assume they are still alive. I would listen to the majority advice though, if everyone else has had problems with them, then . . .

I am just trying to justify my advice i gave earlier.

 

[Azhael]

I guess it changes a lot because of location. We only get WC imported newts and CB morphs. Therefore they are either extremely stressed or dying or difficult to raise initially. That´s why i think most europeans find this species to be advanced and definitely not good for beginners. However if you get them legally from the wild, with no importation and all that, they simply have to be easier to keep.

All in all, i wouldn´t recommend them for a beginner. There are many other much more adequate species around.

 

[deliriah]

Patrick, no need to defend your advice. I too find them easy now, but given my "ignorant kid" failures, and a few struggles about 10 years ago, I think they can be tricky.
Sounds to me that, like myself you've had a history of keeping them that goes back to childhood, and that may have made it easier for us now. Or not, just a thought.
From what I've read on other posts they are tricky. And from my own trial and error, (and one horrified fridge delivery guy,-another story.) I can easily see why this is said.
As for a begginer newt, they may not be best, but as I said before, get all the information down and do your research. And of course, ask away on the forum and you may do quite well with them.