Most species have glands in the skin that will release poisonous or irritant substances in times of danger. It is therefore advisable to wash your hands each time after handling salamanders, as these substances, if transferred to the eyes or mucous membranes, can cause severe pain, irritation, and inflammation.
As the winter approaches, in most parts of its range T. cristatus will prepare for its winter hibernation, a period that is important to prepare it for the forthcoming breeding season. The newts burrow, deeply into the earth, often using tree roots of the burrows of other animals, until they reach a depth that will remain frost-free throughout the winter. Before hibernating, it is important that the newts have built up their fat reserves by consuming large quantities of insects. (Species from temperate areas may be kept in captivity without hibernation by simply keeping them warm, but such specimens are less likely to breed in the spring and their life spans will be somewhat shortened.) In the spring, as soon as the rays of the sun begin to warm up the surface, the newts will wake up and make their way to the breeding ponds. Young T. cristatus do not normally breed until they are in their second season.
