- 1). House your fire-bellied newt in a 10-gallon or larger aquarium or glass terrarium. If using a completely aquatic habitat, line the bottom of the tank with pea gravel and fill the tank with about 10 inches of de-chlorinated or bottled spring water.
- 2). Include cork bark or large rock islands where the newt can rest, as well as aquatic or plastic plants. If opting for a split habitat, at least 30 percent of the tank needs to be land-based; while the rest should be aquatic.
- 3). Include a substrate such as coco husk, orchid bark, sandy top soil, compost, sphagnum moss, peat moss or live moss as well as a variety of live plants. Cover the habitat with a secure lid, so the newt won't escape.
- 4). Provide 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of dark. During the winter, use a fluorescent UVB tube light to provide adequate lighting. Use a thermometer and humidity gauge to make sure the temperature stays around 55 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit with 70 percent humidity. A tank heat mat or water heater can be used to regulate conditions in the habitat.
- 5). Feed your fire-bellied newt a varied diet two to three times a week including chopped up bloodworms, earthworms, maggots, Tubifex, shrimp, insect larvae and slugs. Each newt should be fed three or four prey items during each feeding.
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