Handling

[mark_uk]

When i fully clean my tank from top to bottom how should i take my newt out without hurting it, and what should i keep it in?

Thanks in advance,feel free to give me any suggestions

Mark_UK

 

[vicky]

I pick newts up by lifting slightly under their tummy and placing them in my other hand. They're easier to catch in water because then you can just kinda scoop them up into your palm. Just be gentle and mindful of their tiny feet. When I clean the tank, I put them in a plastic container that's clean and that hasn't been washed anytime recently with soap, and I always put some of the water or some of the moss in there to give them some comfort of their normal environment.

Again, I could be all wrong about this. That's just how I do it. Hopefully someone else will respond to your questions on this forum so that you can get a greater diversity of suggestions. I think old timers get impatient with newbies questions sometimes.

 

[mark_uk]

i know what you mean none of the more experienced newt keepers talk to me

Mark_UK

 

[chris]

What Vicky says is fine. If the newt is particularly delicate or hard to catch, use one of those white fish nets from aquarium stores - they're nice and soft.
Hope this helps,
Chris

 

[pin-pin]

I also keep seeing pictures of T. torosa being held by their tails. I'm not sure if this harms them, but I tried it out and other than being *really*

annoyed, my newt seemed fine afterwards.

 

[fabian]

Hi,
I often take my little juvies by their tail, because they are very hard to grip in another way. That works good, but i won't try this with bigger or fully grown newts because they have very strong tails and will wiggle a lot to get out of your grip.
Fabian

 

[joeri]

In my experience with small newts on land (CFBN) I keep a wet hand in front of his nose and with my other hand I push a little bit (gently!)at his tail/ bottom. I don't do this on a regular base, but the newts do seem to get used to that. It takes less and less time each time I do it.

I also keep them in a plastic tank with original water in it.

Larger newts (my pleuros - fully aquatic) I can take with 1 hand. And they are over 17cm alleady. How? Well, I take them at their belly, their head sticks out at my little finger, but my thumb and pointing finger hold his tail quit firmly. I can get a good grip on them without squizing them. If your not to sure, use both hands. They are easy to handle if 1 hands hold the body part, and another the tail.

Also, in my experience, some (not all) newts tend to get used to it.

 

[mark_uk]

Thanx for the info guys its realy helped.

Mark_UK

 

[jennifer]

Mark UK, a large soft fish net is the best way, but the other advice here is fine for small newts. I used to always pick them up by the tails, until I had a large crested newt break off part of its tail in my hand. That was awful.

But there is another issue here. Why are you completely dismantling the tank at all? It is possible to maintain a tank long-term without ever (or only once every few years) needing to empty it completely. If you explain why it's necessary, maybe I can give you some pointers that will make it less frequent.

 

[mark_uk]

So really your saying i only need to take parts of the tank out to clean it.

Mark_UK

 

[vicky]

By the tails??? If I ever saw anyone picking up a newt or a salamander or any animal, for that matter, by the tail (except for maybe a possum or a monkey)I would probably do them physical harm. There is no reason to pick up a newt that way. If you absolutely can not catch it, herd it into a clean plastic cup. It is (a) disrespectful, (b) uncomfortable, (c) probably painful, and (d) scary as hell for a newt or salamander to be snatched up by his or her tail. I've never seen a newt hanging around in the wild by his tail; if he was meant to suspend his whole body by his tail, he'd be swinging branches like a monkey. Respect your animals. Don't do something just because it's easier or more comfortable for you. Besides, why would you pick up a newt by his or her tail when it feels so good to have that cold, smooth skin brushing against the palm of your hand?

 

[tara]

Land dwelling jeuvies have quite strong and adept tails that they use for holding on to things and to help keep their balance. Many of my jeuvies use their tails when climbing down through the leaves of the plants in their terrarium, using their tails as they suspend from one leaf until their arms touch the lower leaf. I have also had newts (jeuvenile and adult) that I have tried to get out of my hands but which refuse to leave, and hold on by wrapping their back legs and tails around my fingers until they can swing around and grab onto my hand with their front appendages again. It may be possible that your statement "if he was meant to suspend his whole body by his tail, he'd be swinging branches like a monkey" may not be entirely accurate.
T

 

[vicky]

In your descriptions the animals are also using their legs. When an animal is picked up by it's tail, it cannot use its legs. Monkeys and possums hang just by their tails occasionally with no need to achieve balance of weight by gripping something with their paws. Newts do not. You're right, animals have tails for a reason, and they use them. But very few use their tails and only their tails to ambulate or rest. I'm not intending my statement as a personal attack on anyone on this forum. I've done some pretty stupiud, thoughtless things to animals as well with the best of intentions. I'm not saying that anyone that picks up a newt by its tail is trying to be mean. I'm saying that they're demonstrating a lack of empathy towards their pet, and that they should think about it.

 

[jennifer]

The correct way to pick up a rabbit is by the scruff of its neck, while supporting its weight by the feet. Rabbits do not go around hanging from trees by the scruff of their neck, but it is nonetheless considered proper handling. Any handling at all is "unnatural" so the rule is just to make sure it's not painful or traumatic. In 20+ years, I have not observed small newts suffering any trauma from being picked up briefly by the base of the tail. A net or palm of the hand is gentler, but that has its problems too, as the newt will often try to climb out suddenly. Falling out of the net or hand could be a lot more traumatic than being held by the tail.

Mark UK, yes, it's better to clean parts of the tank without dismantling the whole thing. Less stress for the animals, and the water chemistry they are in remains stable, not changing radically at every cleaning. You should be doing a 10-20% water change and some dirt removal EVERY week. And you can clean out the algae a bit at a time. Never let any uneaten food stay in the tank more than a few hours. You don't say what size tank you have, but bigger is better in terms of stable water quality.

 

[vicky]

Instead of getting <font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font> for tat or going into a discussion of the proper care of rabbits, let me make my underlying point clear: animals are not present on this earth for the pleasure of humans. We like the animals and we're curious about them and so we are willing to pay money for them, which means that other people are willing to snatch them from the wild to breed them or sell them directly. We do not own them. We did not give them choice as to whether or not they wanted to be "our" pets. Humans can, so inevitably humans do.

When you have taken an animal to be a pet, you have taken the responsibility of another living creature's well being. It is every bit as important as your own, and we humans are no better or more important than other creatures. Sometimes I think we're worse. But the point is, you have taken the ability for an animal to take care of him or herself away from that animal. His or her life is precious, and every bit as singular and fleeting as yours. Treat it with respect. So what if how you handle it doesn't kill it or physically harm it? If it scares the **** out of it or makes it uncomfortable, don't do it. The animal presumably makes you happy just by being alive and in your care. Do him or her the extra service of doing everything possible to make that animal safe and content, if not out of love then out of duty, as that animal has been robbed of the ability to care for itself for your pleasure.

If you don't see the need for having empathy and respect for your pet behind his or her immediate physical concerns, don't have one. I'm not talking to anyone in particular, either, so don't drag out the pitchforks-- I just want to make it clear that although I may lack the experience, I've got the empathy, and every pet owner needs to try to see the world from the perspective of his or her pet. Do unto others as you would have done unto you-- that applies to animals as well.

 

[kaysie]

for some reason, this has turned into a topic about the ethics of keeping pets.

sometimes you have to make pets uncomfortable to make them happy. do dogs like getting rabies shots? highly doubtable. but look at the alternative.

everyone here respects their pets. mainly: newts. no one here purposely puts their pets on hotplates and pokes them with pencils...

even though you have empathy, maybe you're doing something horribly wrong and your newts are suffering.

if you're throwing out cliches, i've got one of my own: let he without fault cast the first stone.

 

[elisabeth]

Um...
What if I want to rethink my whole tank situation?
I have an entirely aquatic tank at the moment. I want to make it into a semi-aquatic habitat.
Also, my tank is currently on the kitchen floor. I know, I know, it shouldn't have been put there in the first place, but it was the only spot availible at the time, and I have no other pets, so they're fine. Plus it's been keeping the water nice and cool.
But anyway, I will be rethinking the tank, and moving it onto a table. Is it ok to dismantle the tank for all this? Or should I just leave it be?