Question: Need Eastern Newt (Red Eft) Help, Please!

[Aaron Chris]

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of obtaining two Eastern Newts in their Terrestrial stage. I've been feeding them Pinhead crickets every 2 days and they are active and well. I know in their Aquatic stage the Newt will turn an Olive-Green-Brown colour and that's why I am making this post. One of my Eft's seems to be much more brown than the other. As you can see the Eft on the right is pretty vivid Red while the other is more of a Brown colour, is he turning Aquatic?

TLR - Is the Newt on the left going into it's Aquatic stage or is it brown because of a different colouring pattern?

 

[Niels D]

Colouration can vary between diffirent specimens. At this moment it's hard to say. If he keeps changing his colour then it's possible that he's turning aquatic. Then you can offer him a tank with a choice between water and a terrestrial area.

 

[Jennewt]

I agree: hard to say. Even if it is maturing, there is nothing wrong with continuing to keep it terrestrial. Adult eastern newts sometimes become (or remain) terrestrial, they don't have to be aquatic.

 

[Aaron Chris]

Out of curiosity, if I had a newt in Aquatic stage and kept it out of water would it die or seem sickly?

Also, thank you for the help!
His tail does seem to be getting a little flatter, so I suppose I'll just keep feeding them regularly to speed up the process And I suppose I'll find out soon!

 

[Aaron Chris]

They are both roughly 6.2 Cm's long. Felt like adding that in case length is a good way to tell it's age

 

[Kaysie]

You can keep 'aquatic phase' newts terrestrial with no ill effects.