Red-spotted Newt, Eft Stage (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) Most newts are aquatic, but some species, including the red-spotted newt, have a juvenile terrestrial stage (the “Eft” stage) where they hang out on land for a few years, before they transform into sensible adults and go back to the water. The reason the red-spotted newt comes in … Continue reading it was a salamander newt, not a gecko!