Anyone with any knowledge of newts?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Thought I'd post in gardening as (hopefully) someone may have come across this before?
Today while gardening I moved a big slab which was in a small flower bed and underneath it was a pair of newts. They were alive, I was initially concerned I had hurt one with my fork but I created a little place for them and covered them gently over with soil and they both walked into it. I wondered if perhaps I would have disturbed their hibernation, but a quick google suggests that that should have ended by now.

Are they endangered? My question is really, how will they survive without a pond? Should I attempt to find a pond in a neighbour's garden and move them? We used to have a pond, previous owner filled it in to create the flower bed that they were in- could they have migrated back to breed, even though there's no pond there now?

My knowledge of amphibian life is very limited- we have an abundant frog population in this garden, and they don't particularly concern me but these two newts really seemed very vulnerable, I can't see how they would ever get to water from where they were?

They actually live the majority of their life NOT in a pond, and tend to use the pond during breeding season.
Am sure they're fine where they are - they like to hide under things.

I would leave them where they are. They often breed and then return to somewhere cool and damp.

I love newts. Probably my favourite animal.

I love newts too. And frogs
I'm can't tell from my small screen size what newt you have, but you can ID it here:

www.froglife.org/info-advice/newts-identification/

He was kind of murky grey on top but very vivid orange with spots underneath.
I'll just leave them alone, I was just worried they would die without water.

He's probably a boy smooth newt.

TheSpotted my newts used to wait for me to feed the fish, then steal the fish flakes. They waited for me every evening.

And I went through a lovely, weird, phase of catching their old shedded skins on a piece of black card, drying it out, laminating it and turning it into bookmarks for teacher's presents etc. Little fingers and everything.

Tha sounds lovely and freaky at the same time!

Newt fingers tho - how cute?

I was a strange child.

That looks like a great crested newt to me, and they are a protected species I'm afraid! Don't handle them if you can avoid it and do not disturb their habitat as far as possible. You could call ARC (amphibian and reptile conservation) or the local wildlife trust for some advice.

Also, if you do have to handle them, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly as they exude a hallucinogen from their skin which also makes you drool uncontrollably. I am absolutely not speaking from experience here

Thanks millions , I will contact ARC. I had unfortunately disturbed their habitat before I saw them, I moved a few plants and a few big rockery stones.

Just looked at that website- they could perhaps be great crested newts but without the crest? Does that emerge nearer to breeding?

Sorry only just saw your reply. The males have crests, but the females don't. So the ones you have are probably females or immature males.