Ezra Mushala

When you watch newts swimming smoothly through your pond or weaving through plants underwater, it’s easy to think they live only in water. So are newts fully aquatic? No, most newts aren’t fully aquatic. They’re great swimmers and spend lots of time in water, especially during breeding season. But most newts also live on land … Read more

When you’re trying to spot newts in your garden or a nearby pond, timing makes a huge difference. Some animals are most active during the day, others come out at night, and some are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. Most newts aren’t diurnal. That means they aren’t mainly active during … Read more

When you hear that some amphibians are toxic, you might wonder just how dangerous these little creatures really are. So are newts deadly? Some newts can be deadly, especially the rough-skinned newt found in western North America. This newt makes tetrodotoxin, one of the strongest natural toxins, which can kill humans and animals even in … Read more

When you’re looking at the animals in your garden pond, it’s easy to get confused. Some creatures look very similar, but have different names, and you might wonder if they’re really the same or something different. So are newts considered salamanders? Yes, newts are considered salamanders. Every newt belongs to the salamander family, which means … Read more

When you watch newts in a pond during breeding season, you might notice some strange behavior if you look closely. So, are newts cannibalistic? Yes, newts can be cannibalistic. This happens most often during their larval stage, when they are still growing in water. Adult newts sometimes eat smaller newts, but larvae are the ones … Read more

When you watch a newt slowly making its way through your garden or swimming in a pond, you might wonder what it’s looking for to eat. So are newts carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores? Newts are carnivores. They eat only animal matter and don’t eat plants as part of their diet. They hunt insects, worms, small … Read more

When you watch a newt moving slowly across a cool morning garden path, you might notice how its activity seems tied to the temperature around it. So are newts cold blooded? Yes, newts are cold blooded. That means they can’t control their body temperature inside like mammals or birds do. Instead, their body temperature matches … Read more

When you’re walking through a garden or exploring near a pond, you might spot small amphibians that blend perfectly with the brown leaves, soil, and tree bark around them. This makes many people wonder: are newts brown? Yes, many newts are brown. It’s actually one of the most common colors you’ll see in wild newts. … Read more

When you’re exploring around ponds and streams, you might notice newts showing a surprising range of colors. Some are brown, green, or orange, but sometimes you might see a flash of blue. This makes many people wonder: are newts actually blue? Yes, some newts can be blue. While blue isn’t the most common color, certain … Read more

When you think about how animals bring their babies into the world, you might picture mammals giving birth to live young or birds hatching from eggs. Some animals lay eggs, some give birth to live babies, and a few do a mix of both. So are newts born live? No, newts are not born live. … Read more