Wrong housing?

[allison]

I'm new to this site, and I've read all about how important it is to keep newts in tanks with lots of water, plants, places to hide, and resting spots. Since I live in a small college dorm room, this is really not possible. I have a friend who has kept newts in a round terrarium about the size of a frying pan that has a plastic island in the middle. He keeps only one plant in there, and his 2 newts have been healthy in it for over a year now. Since I didn't know much about newts at the time, I got the exact same setup for my 2 newts and they seem to be doing well also. I keep the water cool and change the water frequently. Is this setup really so bad?

 

[jennifer]

As long as they are eating and the water stays clean and cool, they will be OK. The main problem with such small tanks is that they need frequent cleaning and there is just so little room for error: one piece of rotten food, or one week of neglect and things can go downhill fast. It's like keeping a goldfish in a fishbowl: it can be done long-term, but how many people succeed at it? And is it the best life for the fish?