Smooth Newt Advice - Found one exposed in the frost, unsure what to do with it?

[James-K]

Hi there,

Late last night it was going frosty (about -2 degrees), I found what I believe to be a Smooth Newt sat motionless on a path at the side of my house. He made no attempt to get away. I know very little about these creatures, but I was sure I read a long time ago that a frost will kill an unsheltered newt. I think it's quite young and is about 2inches from head to tail.

I decided against my better judgement to bring him in the house, I don't normally like to interfere with nature, but in this case I thought he might die if left out unsheltered in the frost and I didn't want the poor little thing to freeze to death.

I made an overnight enclosure for him in a coolish room in the house with moist soil, some grass, leaves and a small saucer of water. I planned to release him tonight, but we're expecting frost again and I'm not really sure what do with him. I was thinking of releasing him tonight, but we are expecting another heavy frost. He has started moving around again now he's warmed up.

I have no food to give him, and not sure what I would feed him anyway? I don't want to keep him any longer than I have to (purely for his own benefit) and I'd like to get him back to his natural habitat as soon as possible, but I'm really not sure what to do with him or if I've done him more harm than good by bringing him in from the frost. I feel bad for him in case I've done the little guy some harm by bringing him away from his natural habitat. (When I say he, I've no idea on the sex). I'd be happy to keep him on longer if needed, but fear that I would be doing the wrong thing there.

Any suggestions/advice you could offer me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you in advance

Best Regards

James

Edit - Not sure if this affects any advice, but not sure how old it is, it's about 2 - 2.5 inches long from head to tail.

[Dogghound]

Hi James, sounds like an eft (immature newt), at that size probably last years young. You best bet is to release it as close to where you found it as soon as you can. Under dense leaf litter, under a log, under a rock or any other frost free shelter that is available. It is best to release it than keep it, the longer you have it the higher the risk of disease or starvation (use of body reserves).

[eeyore]

he ouightbto be hibernating so you dont need to worry about food - but i'd put him outside under a rock or in a pile of logs, rocks or whatever (have a look at the thread "a des res for newts" for the full SP)

[James-K]

Ok thanks everyone, really appreciate the advice... There was no shelter where I found him, but about 10 metres away there's plenty of bushes, old logs and such and a pond, do you think that will be ok?

So I probably did the wrong thing bringing him in then? I only really brought him in because he was just sat motionless in the middle of the path and it was so cold I thought he might freeze being unsheltered, it was quite late at night, about 11pm.

Thanks again for the advice

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by James-K

Ok thanks everyone, really appreciate the advice... There was no shelter where I found him, but about 10 metres away there's plenty of bushes, old logs and such and a pond, do you think that will be ok?

Perfect! likely to be where it came from, put it under a log where it is sheltered. Even better if the log is under a few dense bushes.

Originally Posted by James-K

So I probably did the wrong thing bringing him in then? I only really brought him in because he was just sat motionless in the middle of the path and it was so cold I thought he might freeze being unsheltered, it was quite late at night, about 11pm.

No you probably did the correct thing at that time of night.

[James-K]

Ok thanks, I'll put him out tonight when I get home.

Appreciate the help

By the way - Great forum here, just having a look around

[James-K]

Well I've release the little fella now, went to a few metres from where I found him and made him a little shelter out of some old brick offcuts, lined it with leaves and left him a small newt sized entrance.

Left the container he was in outside for a while before I released him to hopefully account for the change in temperature and let him acclimatise. Once I opened the container he went straight into Newt Towers

Hopefully that will be enough and the little dude will be ok! - Just a bit worried that going from warm to cold might do him some harm. Hopefully not.

Most people I know seem to think I'm a bit of a saddo and said things like "It's only a newt" but I hate to think of creatures in trouble, maybe I'm too soft hehe.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by James-K

Well I've release the little fella now, went to a few metres from where I found him and made him a little shelter out of some old brick offcuts, lined it with leaves and left him a small newt sized entrance.

Left the container he was in outside for a while before I released him to hopefully account for the change in temperature and let him acclimatise. Once I opened the container he went straight into Newt Towers

Hopefully that will be enough and the little dude will be ok! - Just a bit worried that going from warm to cold might do him some harm. Hopefully not.

Most people I know seem to think I'm a bit of a saddo and said things like "It's only a newt" but I hate to think of creatures in trouble, maybe I'm too soft hehe.

he'll be fine going from warm to cold - when they hibernate their body temp drops and they go torpid to conserve energy

and i'm sure no one here thinks you're a saddo