baby newts still tiny

[chocolatechip]

hey i've been reading other posts about tadpoles not maturing in young ponds.

i posted on here a few weeks ago with my new raised pond, it was mosquito larvae, bloodworms, rat tailed maggots, and some oxygenating weed.

i rescued some baby newtpoles from my parents pond, which is leaking water, and needs to be removed.

they've been in my little pond for two weeks now, and seem to be doing well, they've got a little bigger, and i can watch them hunting stuff.

i just read that newts should leave the pond in july,, but mine are still about 2-3cm big, with gills, so i guess they won't be leaving any time soon...

i have just built larger pond, thinking it would be better if they need to hibernate over winter, should i move them when the second pond is more establised, it's already got life, and three british water plants...

please help

thanks

[Dogghound]

Yes, this is one of the problems with moving amphibian larvae, although if the other pond was leaking you had little choice. It is fairly common in the two smaller newt species (smooth & palmate) for efts to overwinter and then emerge the followin year, more common than in frogs too. They tend to emerge mid to late summer i wouldnt want to say an exact month. I would let the other pond become more established and move them if you think it necissery, if their current pond is deep and sheltered they should be fine where they are.

[chocolatechip]

the pond that they are in at the moment is a washing up bowl, after reading about hibernation i thought this would not be deep enough.

this is why i thought i'd make a bigger pond. the new one is a foot deep and much much bigger.

so i will move them when the pond is a little more established.

also should i buy some aqua compost to put in the bottom of the new pond, so they can bury underneath it???

oh and another note, will frogs eat the tiny newts???

[Dogghound]

Yes i would move them, could you make your pond a little deeper to say 2ft just to be on the safeside, if not it should still be ok. Yes frogs will eat young nwts but thats all part of nature and a healthy wildlife pond. If you have plenty of weeds and algae your pond should be ok, when it comes in cooler if there is nothing on the bottom then i would many add something to shelter in plant pots etc, or possibly compost, you will be suprised how quickly material builds up on the pond bed.

[vole-woman]

My newts are still really tiny, too.

[chocolatechip]

thanks for your quick reply dogghound.

i can't make the pond any deeper, because it is a large planter tub.
but i have put two oxygenators in the bottom which are already spreading across most of the pond and a tall grass/reed plant.

i have already put some ceramic plant pots on the bottom for them to hide in.

i will give it a couple of weeks and then make the swap..

[Dogghound]

If you were worried or it is a very cold winter, floating polystyrene on the pond under a net (to stop it blowing away) helps keep heat trapped in the pond.

[chocolatechip]

ok i'll remember about polystrene for the winter months...

on a happy note the new pond is doing well. found two frogs in there this evening happily sitting amongst the plants. one huge and one tiny.. the small one crawled up the vertical surface,, i was pretty amazed at these skills.

i think people should all get a temporary pond in their gardens to help the frogs..

thanks for your advice

[shei111]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

My newts are still really tiny, too.

Hello my pond has been here since may last year we have 11 fish all are fine, we also have somr good plants and pump etc we also had frogspawn we have loads of diferent size frogs, do you think we have newts, we havent put any in im not very updated on pond life and im still learning alot, can you help me with the life cycle of a newt please. all information would be appreciated thanks . shei.

[Dogghound]

On average the female will lay eggs in the spring, these take 1-3 weeks to hatch, then they develop as efts (tadpoles) and in most cases emerge mid/late summer, sometimes they overwinter and emerge the following year.