Help feeding newt

[dipsydoodle]

Well I've had a fire bellied newt for about 2 - 3 weeks. I've not seen the newt eat yet; I try to wiggle the worm in front of him and I leave the worms sitting on the rocks. Is there anything I can do to help the newt eat? I've been using frozen blood worms (unfrozen obviously). I asked in the shop that if they used blood worms as well and they did.

 

[Azhael]

It´s normal for them to go off food for a while after being purchased. Imagine all the stress the poor thing carries in its back. Best thing you can do to entice it to eat is to first, provide excelent housing, and second, minimize stress. That way the little fella will recover and focus on eating again.
It also helps a great deal to offer live foods. The movement of the prey creates a much better feeding response. Try earthworms or perhaps waxworms, they love them.

As i said, make sure you are housing it in excelent conditions...good water quality, right temps, no stress....if you are lucky, the newt will recover soon.

 

[dipsydoodle]

I have two newts, purchased about a week apart - the first one Isaac started eating fine after about 2 weeks; he always showed interest in the food but never really ate. He loves his tank; he stomps around it; I have plants, and rocks in - the rocks form a cave in the middle and Isaac likes sitting in there and hiding in the nooks and crannies of the rocks. The top rock is just out of water level.

The second newt; Tiny (the one in question) hasn't been swimming down in the water; he has been sitting on the rock and swimming around the surface of the water; so he has been in the water swimming but not low down - I wondered if this was because Tiny was smaller and possibly younger.

I'll have a look for places that sell live wax worms then; thank you

 

[vistajpdf]

My original pair were very similar and it took nearly a month before I saw them eat. The larger (female) one ate first. Both must have been under stress and refused to go into the water for months. I now know they were likely wild caught and I'm lucky they weren't sick. While not eating can be a sign of illness, it's probably due to similar stress in your newts. Give it time, lots of hides and patience. I, too, solely fed them frozen and thawed bloodworms for nearly a year before finding this site (when they had babies - now 59 juveniles and about 5 mature larvae), but have since added live worms to their diets and they are quite happy and healthy.

Good luck,
Dana

 

[Tigerpuffer]

My Firebellies love Love LOVE frozen Brine Shrimp

 

[Calista]

I would try pellets. You can buy them at any pet shop. My newts love HBH Newt & Salamander Bites. It is well worth a try. I have brought back emaciated newts with these pellets.

Best of luck.

 

[dipsydoodle]

Thanks; I'm just a little worried as the second newt is so skinny .

I'll look into those pellets and see if I can buy them here.

I bought live wax worms on my way home from work yesterday so I'll feed them tonight and see if the smaller one eats. Although they look quite big so there might be some chopping up to do .

I'm just a little worried because the first newt although he didn't eat he did show an interest and he did look at the food he just didn't want to eat it. The second newt just isn't interested; the food is dangled and he just walks away; I leave it on the rock for him and it's all there hours later. I try to feed them both by dangling it in front of them so I can see them eating first and then I leave some in the corner of the tank in the water just in case and I leave some on the rock just in case.

 

[vistajpdf]

I don't like to handle the newts unnecessarily, but in the beginning, I'd place them individually into a smaller bowl (keep an eye on it or keep it covered) w/ the thawed bloodworms to be sure they ate. I would look into live worms. I had no luck w/ the waxworms for my juveniles though the worms were quite large for them and even when I tried chopping (gross for me), it didn't work.

Be patient. I've never hand fed mine. I sometimes think having something waved in front of them is a little stressful, too.

Dana

 

[dipsydoodle]

One eats from the worms being dangled in front of him; the other shows no interest in food being dangled or left .

I tried a wax worm yesterday (boy they move quickly) my newt was a bit scared of it to be honest; then he started stalking it (like a dog - very amusing) and then snapped at it twice but no eating of it.

I have a small pet carrier container with a sealed lid that I got to put them in when their tank is being cleaned thoroughly. I might try again with the wax worm in there tonight.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Try piercing the wax worm a little bit next time, but not too much or it's insides will squirt everywhere. This will release scents into the water and this that seem to stimulate newts into eating, plus it makes it a litte easier for the newt to handle.

 

[dipsydoodle]

Well I actually put it on the bit land I have (next to the newt) haha. I'll try it next time; thanks

 

[dipsydoodle]

YAY my newt ate for the first time on Saturday and then again yesterday.

I bought frozen brine shrimp to try; OMG the head was looking straight away and we had interest; I moved the brine shrimp next to the newt and the mouth was open. Ok he only had a tiny bit on Saturday but last night he ate a lot more; hopefully this is the start of something good . At one point the newt almost ate the tweezers I feed him with.

However my other newt seem to be in a huff since he isn't getting all the attention first.

My first newt (the one in a huff) has been eating blood worm and brine shrimp. The second newt only likes brine shrimp and still won't even tolerate blood worm; I dangle it; I put it next to him and there is no interest; I put a brine shrimp close to the tank and the newt is almost breaking it's neck to reach it hahaha.


YAY! Thanks for the help