Hi:



I'm a small species aquatic turtle hobbyist with some basic tropical fish experience. I have a collection of 6 turtles, all of species chosen to stay quite small, & I'm active at www.turtleforum.com so I'm up on filtration basics and general aquarium keeping.



I have been considering constructing a palludarium with a large water section & keeping newts. I tend to identify with & enjoy native species; for me a 'local' newt (I'm in Southwestern KY) like a Central or red-spotted (judging from Peterson's Field Guide range maps)looks interesting. I'm told newts like cool water (60's - low 70's or so?); I tend to keep my bed room pretty frigid. A 55 or 75 gallon setup might work...



So, what do you guys think about:



1.) The Central or Red-spotted as a choice of pet (hardy, easy to care for as newts go, etc...)?



2.) Is wild-collecting still accepted practice or highly pollitically incorrect?



3.) Are they readily available for sell? Where might I get a couple?



4.) How often do you feed them? (I ask since power growing turtles is suspected of contributing to pyramided shells, shortened life, etc...)?



5.) Any particular tips on recommended size water section?



6.) Are you using UV-B lighting for newts?



Thanks for the help!



Richard.



P.S.: I'm aware newts tend to be toxic & should not be mixed with the turtles.

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