Help getting Triturus Marmoratus to eat!

[neel]

I recently got 4 adult marbled newts (2 males, 2 females), and am having trouble getting 3 of them to eat regularly (both males and a female). One of them eats voraciously, and seems to be getting fat. I've tried hand-feeding blood-worms and crickets, with little success. I put live crickets in their cage but I suspect the fat one is eating them all and the rest are starving. The two males look pretty skinny, and I'm beginning to get a bit concerned. I've had them for about a week now.

Does anyone have any useful tips, or suggestions as to thing that might be disturbing them? New foods to try, new feeding strategies? Things that could be making them not want to eat?

Thanks in advance,

-Neel

 

[jennifer]

If one is hogging the food, my first suggestion is to separate the eater from the non-eaters, at least temporarily.

Be sure that the crickets are small enough and try that again (with the eater separated). Be sure to provide some carrot so the crickets don't munch the newts, and don't put in too many crickets as they can be irritating. I would also suggest trying cut-up pieces of earthworms. If they won't hand-feed, try leaving some wiggling pieces in the tank. Be sure the newts have hiding places where they don't feel stressed.

If none of this works, you can attribute it to poor treatment of these wild-caught newts during capture and transport.

 

[william]

i would agree with Jen, earthworms are perfect food, my newts love them, perfect for animals that won't eat.

 

[alex]

Maybe at the moment(winter) a little difficult to get your hand on, but if you have a garden, you could search for small slugs. Beneath stones and debris or in a compost-heap you maybe will find them. Triturus sp. in my experience take these readily.
Succes

 

[neel]

Thanks for the help everyone! Separating them out worked wonders, and 2 of the 3 are eating well and the other one is coming around and starting to eat.

 

[keegan]

I also wouldn't worry if it's only been a week without eating... as was mentioned, stress of transport and new surrondings could be the reason for that.

I have found that my alpestris are voracious for waxworms (small worms or big ones cut in half), even when they are picky about other things. I wouldn't advise waxies as a core food group though

 

[neel]

The last one started eating well on earthworms. I believe they'll all do well. Thanks again to everyone who helped out! Much appreciated.