IMPORTANT NOTE: Hygiene. Proper and complete hygiene is absolutely essential to prevent diseases, infections, illness...for healthy newts! Newts are very sensitive, with porous skin which can pose a very serious problem without following basic rules of hygiene. As newt owners it is our responsibility to keep our newts' environment as clean and safe as possible. This can easily be done by following simple and imperative rules:

Keep the habitat clean: Provide an effective filtration system to keep the water clean and free of harmful wastes and pollutants. Establish and follow a regular maintenance schedule. Remember, harmful bacteria thrive in unsanitary conditions.

Avoid chemicals: Never use any harmful or toxic cleansers, chemicals or detergents. Keep these pollutants away from the newts and any associated items such as food, decorations, nets, water bowls etc...Remember newts have porous skin, everything is absorbed through it directly into their system so great caution must be exercised where toxins are an issue.

Keep items separate and secure: Be sure to keep our items separate from the newts'. What is used for the newts should never be used for ourselves and vice versa. Items associated with the newts should be kept clean and sterile. Keep raw meats and other contaminants away from the newts' equipment. When cleaning decorations for example from the tank, be sure to place onto a paper towel to prevent the item from coming into direct contact with the counter top or surface. This will help prevent possible traces of cleansers which may have been used, or bacteria from raw meat products from leaving toxic residue behind. Any unused decorations or other items should be stored in a relatively clean area, away from chemical presence. Best stored in plastic Ziploc bags to further reduce the risk of accidental contamination and to prevent dust build-up as well.

Wash: Always be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and lukewarm water before coming into contact with anything associated with the newts. Salmonella poisoning is a very serious and very real threat. Many fear that newts and other amphibians are the sole species which carry and transmit salmonella. Newts can be carriers, but with proper hygiene and care there is no risk. In actuality, any animal including dogs, cats and ever birds can be a carrier. Even vegetables can be infected with salmonella. Failure to clean surfaces such as counter tops or cutting boards, which have come into contact with these vegetables or raw meat products, properly would also harbour the disease. We can even transmit salmonella and other disease to our newts due to lack of simple, proper hygiene. Cleaning is the key to keeping both ourselves and our newts healthy and happy! 

All caudates including newts and salamanders periodically shed their skin. It splits at the head, around the mouth and continues to the tail. The caudate will rub against rough objects in order to assist in this shedding process. Once close to the end of the tail, the caudate will turn and bite it off. In most cases the old skin is consumed, gaining some nutrients in the process. The skin is shed at different times, for various reasons: growth, removal of parasites, climate or condition changes and/or as preparation to morph from aquatic to terrestrial phase or vice versa. Click here to see photos of Wooky shedding her skin.


HANDLING NEWTS occasionally is acceptable, but frequent handling is not recommended due to stress. Avoid excessive handling as this will eventually cause your newt to cease feeding due to high stress levels. Always wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap and warm to hot water, for at least 30 seconds before handling your newts and/or associated items. Be sure when handling to be careful as newts, especially those who are unfamiliar to you, will squirm to get free and accidentally dropping them is possible. Newts' skin is sensitive, and could easily become infected. Newts have a thin coating of skin for protection, and if handled too often with dry hands, can cause the removal of this protective layer, and will often result in infection. Also, the salt from your hands will penetrate their skin. Always handle your newts with wet hands and for short periods of time, as their skin will dry out very quickly. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards as well.

NOTE: Remember that all newts take in a lot of water and associated chemicals through their skin. Therefore, never use any chemicals, cleaning solvents or disinfectants on anything associated with the newts. Everything can easily be cleaned using warm water and a clean brush or sponge. In cases of an epidemic, the entire tank should be medicated in order to destroy any bacteria present. In severe cases rocks, gravel and certain decorations can be sterilized by placing in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Anything plastic which cannot be sterilized, as it would melt, would have to be disposed of. Any wood or other porous material would also have to be disposed of, as any parasite or bacteria cannot be sterilized out. See Decorations.
 

Caudate (newts and salamanders) skin is thin and permeable. This allows for two things to happen: First it allows for water to pass through so they do not become dehydrated since caudates do not drink water. This process is called osmosis and amphibians are the only back boned animals that can do this. Osmosis is the ability to attract water from whatever type of surface they are resting on and be absorbed into the body. Second, they can absorb oxygen directly into their bloodstream which also aids in respiration.  This is why it is so important to avoid the use of chemicals of any kind or harsh medications as this porous skin not only allows water and oxygen to pass through, but harmful toxins to be absorbed into it as well. Caudates also have two types of glands in their skin: mucous and serous. Mucous glands are evenly placed over the entire body and produce a coating on the skin. This protective layer helps to prevent dehydration and assists the oxygen molecules to easier pass through the skin. Removal of this protective mucous layer due to improper handling, poor conditions etc...can cause infections and disease to set in. See Handling Newts above. Serous glands are the "poison" glands located over the dorsum (back), the sides and tail. Salamanders and newts from the family Salamandridae also have paratoid glands, which are a large conglomeration of poison glands located at the back or side of the head and are used for defence. See Skin Toxins.
 

TRANSPORTING:

Whether moving long distances or short, the key is to make the move as stress-free as possible. Plastic Critter Keepers are available at most pet retailers which are sold with a secure, well ventilated cover. Even a simple, plastic Tupperware container will suffice providing it has a suitable cover which closes securely, and small holes are added for oxygen. If desired, a background can be installed onto the container to help reduce stress. Avoid adding any large or heavy objects which could fall onto the newts and injure them. Instead, soft plastic or silk plants can be used to provide hiding places. Also, it is best not to place any water into the container in order to prevent sloshing and avoid using gravel as it would shift. However, it is vital that the newts are kept wet at all times. The best and safest method is to use wet paper towels. On long trips, frequent stops should be made to refresh or replace the paper towels as needed. Using a spray bottle of water, periodically mist to keep moist. Do not allow the paper towels to become dry. Moss is best avoided, especially for long trips, as this will draw the moisture out of the newts' body if left dry for too long. If using, moss needs to be kept moist regularly. Also, crickets or worms can be added in order to divert the newts' attention away from the stressful events.

Common plastic Critter Keeper available at most pet retailers.

MAINTENANCE:

The most effective way to ensure a clean, and safe environment for your newts is to keep a regular maintenance schedule, as wastes are continuously accumulating. Providing you have an effective mechanical, and/or well-established biological filtration system, no ammonia should be detectable, and the pH levels should only fluctuate slightly. If using a recently set up biological filtration system, the bacteria colony will take a few months to fully establish. During this time the pH and ammonia levels should be checked regularly to ensure there are no high ammonia levels and/or extreme fluctuations in the pH levels. There will be slight fluctuations, however these are not a concern. Regardless of the filter system used, these levels should be checked occasionally. The best way to determine when to tend to your aquarium is by testing the pH and ammonia levels. If any ammonia is detectable, or any sharp increase or decrease in pH will indicate this. As discussed in the pH section many factors will influence the pH level. For example, accumulating wastes will cause a sharp decrease in pH and is a good indication that maintenance is required. Eventually with the aid of an effective filtration system and regular maintenance, a constant cleaning schedule can be established, that will keep the levels in check.

GRAVEL CLEANERS are used to remove wastes trapped in the gravel, which settle and accumulate over time. Regardless of the filter system used, the gravel must be cleaned periodically. The gravel is churned inside a large tube, sucking up the wastes as well as a certain amount of water in the process. Only clean the gravel until you remove about 30% of the water. Then stop and refill.

There are many varieties of gravel cleaners, but there are only two basic types:

Python: A large tube with an attached hose, which hooks directly to your tap. This way it cleans the gravel and removes the water directly to the sink. It also has a reverse switch which allows you to refill your aquarium with ease. Water temperature is easily adjusted at the taps, and dechlorinator should be added directly into the stream of water in order to instantly remove the chlorine as it enters the aquarium. These are fairly expensive, but very handy, especially with large aquariums.

Python gravel cleaner unit.

Vacuum or siphon: These are cheap, but you get what you pay for. In order to begin the process, the water must be siphoned, and the end of the hose immediately placed into a bucket to empty the water into. To refill, you need to dechlorinate or have previously set out one or more buckets of water. This entire process is very messy as water will be spilt, and the water must be poured in very slowly to prevent disturbing the newts and overall set up of your aquarium.

Inexpensive siphon gravel cleaner unit.

Periodically remove any decorations or ornaments, and rinse with warm water and brush with a clean toothbrush, if necessary. The filter and apparatus should be checked, and periodically dismantle, (with the exception of the Undergravel System) and clean with lukewarm water and clean toothbrush or Q-tip, in order to remove debris. Use an approved algae cleaning pad, so as not to scratch the glass, in order to remove any build-up on the inside glass surfaces of the aquarium, and water line. A gravel cleaner should be used at this point to remove excess wastes that have become imbedded in the gravel. Removal of 20 to 30 percent of the water is most effective. NEVER do a total water change. This will cause considerable stress to your newts, as the water chemistry will be drastically altered, and the biological filtration, if used, will be destroyed. When refilling, attempt to regulate the temperature as best as possible, roughly at the same temperature. Slight temperature fluctuations are bound to occur and will not abnormally affect the newts, however drastic temperature changes will cause stress. A thermometer will greatly be of aid during this temperature adjustment. Be sure to replace with dechlorinated water. The gravel can be leveled and decorations replaced.

Example of possible water conditioners or dechlorinators.

Moss and other materials commonly used in terrestrial set ups also need to be cleaned at regular intervals. Waste and ammonia will build up within these materials as it does in the water. Moss should periodically be removed and rinsed in either a bucket of clean water or via a strainer, which is faster, more efficient and reduces waste. Squeeze out excess water and repeat procedure with fresh water 2 to 3 times. Moss should be replaced with new at least every 6 months, depending on usage.

DAILY MAINTENANCE:

A net should be used to remove feces and excess food waste in order to prevent accumulation. In a more complex set up, tight corners and hard-to-reach areas, a regular net can be quite awkward and is not always feasible. In these situations, a turkey baster is recommended. Also, be sure to replace any evaporated water. Small amounts of water do not need to be dechlorinated as do large amounts, as any chlorine present will be diluted, posing no problems.