Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Who eats red spotted newt's?

PaPond,

The common newts we have in this area excrete a toxin is that is deadly to most critters that eat them, including fish, other amphibians, etc. Somehow the fish and other critters know this.

The newts most of us have in our ponds in this area spend their first one or two years as orange salamanders. During their second or third season they turn almost black. Color doesn't matter. They are still toxic to the various predators in and around our ponds.

I've got incredible numbers of them. This time of year I like to rake the leaves that have settled near the pond edges. Each rakeful of leaves has a number of these newts.

They really don't pose much of a threat to humans. However, I still wash my hands in hot soapy water after I've handled a bunch of them.