Hey im new.. and.. I just have a question about feeding

[hgbventure]

I just got a paddle tail newt this weekend, and he is happy. It loves eating live black worms that I drop in... I read online that these worms are not for larger caudates. my newt is like 5 or 6 inches so im guessing hes a large caudate? Is there a better food I should be feeding him? thanks a lot I also have frozen blood worms and frozen beef heart but they make a mess.. any tips to keep the frozen cubes from making such a big mess.? Thank you

 

[Socrates]

Chopped night crawlers or small earthworms work really well and Paddle Tails go nuts for them.

 

[ferret_corner]

I have a condiment cup I sink into the newt tanks. I dissolve the cubes in a custard cup with a baster full of water. After the cube thaws and breaks up - I use the baster to siphon off the water and dispose of it, then fill the custard cup with tank water. Then I siphon all the food up and and inject it into the sunk condiment cup.

its much easier than it sounds!

 

[hgbventure]

So i can use any condiment cup? or does it have to be bought from the pet store?

 

[ferret_corner]

hahaha you can use yours, I got little acrylic ones from walmart - not metal.. not sure they were meant to be submerged for years....

 

[ambertastic]

For bloodworms, I keep a small glass jar, tipped on its side, on the bottom of the tank. I half bury it in the gravel to keep it in place. If you don't mind getting your hands wet, you can just put the cube into the jar - it floats but the side of the jar keeps it in place. You can also bury it at an angle so that the bottom of the jar is a little higher than the open end, so that while floating around the cube won't escape the jar. It'll melt right in there and the newts will usually eat everything. My snails manage any scraps. It's very clean!

 

[Kaysie]

If your paddletail eats blackworms, that's great. The only reason they're not recommended for larger caudates is just because they're small. It's easier (and usually cheaper!) to feed earthworms. Nutritionally, they're nearly identical (nightcrawlers and blackworms are in the same genus).