Emaciated Notophthalmus viridescens any help appreciated

[heavysleaze]

I have read a previous thread about an emaciated eastern newt being a lost cause, but I hope someone else may read this that can give me a little help. I recently rescued 5 eastern newts from a large chain pet store. I know rescued is a stretch considering I basically just made upper management believe that they were a hot item, luckily for the newts' sake they haven't restocked. At the store these guys were in the reptile area in a 80F tank with a coco fiber substrate, no water dish. They were all buried under the substrate due to the heat. 2 appeared sick, one of which died from what appeared to be a fungus, the other was very underweight. I had isolated all of these initially, 2 were eating well, one was very large and brown, the other a bit smaller and green, the other 2 are very skinny. After quarantine and watching them feed on fruit flies, I moved them to a terrestrial tank with my 4 other very healthy and large red efts. The 2 skinny guys are still very underweight and I have witnessed it try to eat a small meal worm but it spits the "larger" food out. I have offered, sowbugs, fruitflies, chopped earthworms, small waxworms and small crickets but I am not seeing them feed. I did notice them feeding on the fruit flies, but that food item seems to small to pack on any weight. They seem very "intimidated" by any food item larger than the fruit flies. I have quarantined the two underweight newts again and am at a loss on whether or not I can get them to eat. I know they have been stressed. They are much smaller than my efts but are green. Would they be pre-eft stage or perhaps skipped it? I have seen efts half the size of these guys. Sorry about the long post, any help would be appreciated.

 

[Jennewt]

First off, keep them as cool as possible. Keep giving them fruit flies, since you know they can eat those. I would suggest pinhead crickets if you can get those; they are just slightly larger than the FF and they pack more of a meal. I find that animals grow better with pinheads than with FF.

Try getting them to hand feed with tiny bits of earthworm on a toothpick. This requires patience, and you may have to try several times, but if one of them takes it, that animal will stand a much better chance of survival and weight gain.

 

[heavysleaze]

Thanks Jen. I had tried the chopped earthworms with forceps, but will attempt the toothpick idea. I am going to a reptile show this weekend and will get some pinheads. No place around here has them, so I usually mailorder or buy them when a show is in town if I have something small enough that needs them. I appreciate the response and will update soon.

 

[heavysleaze]

One quick thing Jen, when you say cool, how cool? My salamander room is around 68F. Do they need to be cooler when they are not feeding well?

 

[Azhael]

Lower temps slow their methabolism, thus making the animal loose reserves slowlier. Something on the line of 59ºF would be better. You can go lower than that.

 

[heavysleaze]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice.