How to paramesotriton morphs get feeding

[juraj]

1.
Take small and smelly einsenia worms out and put them to the water.

2.
Prepare three dishes and the bottoms cover with wet paper towels. One dish will serve as a feeding area another is for depositing feeders and the last one is for non feeders.

3.
Now take a newt out and place it in the feeding dish then take a worm and place it in front of newt`s mouth. Mind the correct angle.

like this

4.
Wait and watch what will happen. Then remove the newt to the deposit and take another and so on until the last one.

5.
Check the score

 

[chris]

Thanks Juraj!
I will find this VERY useful when mine morph!
How do you set up your einsenia culture (I assume that's what the box of worms is in the first photo???)
Thanks
Chris

 

[nesaraj]

What does "Anorectics" mean? I suspect you were thinking of "Anorexics". Nice pics and instructions...I plan to try the method out soon. Thanks.

 

[juraj]

Oh yes I mean anorexics and I mean "How to get..."etc...

 

[jennifer]

I am happy to see more feeders than anorexics! I'm also happy that this method works, as so many people have difficulty getting small Paramesotriton to eat.

It's funny that you should post this now. Last week I tried, for the first time, removing some newly-metamorphosed newts to a separate feeding container.

My reason for trying this is that the foods I am using (small earthworms and fly larvae) easily dig into the dirt and escape from the newtlets. Feeding in a bare container allows them to find the food before it goes into the dirt. I find that dirt is the most reliable substrate to keep the newts in.

This reminds me, I've been planning on assembling an article (with contributions from several people) on the topic of raising small metamorphs. May I use your photos for this, Juraj?

 

[juraj]

Hello Jenn
not only the worms can easily dig into the substrate but I also have an experience that the morphs are very shy in their tank. They try to hide instead of take the food. When they are put in a bare container they get focus in the food.
If you find the photos useful feel free using them.

 

[joseph]

What exactly are "eisenia worms"? I remember some worms from my garden that had a quite strong, unpleasant smell...but I doubt this is what you are talking about. Anyone have a spare "starter culture?"

(assumes redworms are unsuitable)

 

[juraj]

Hello Joseph,
Yes that`s exactly what I`m talking about. Common garden worms with bad smell. I don`t know what species it is but I think they belong to Einsenia genera. There are two types : one with dark rings and solid coloured one. Some people here say that Einsenia hortensis is non smelly species. Morg for example has a good experience with them.
I`d like to add some my: smelly garden Einsenia is accepted by all my newts but an unknown non smelly Einsenia taken from forest (with dark rings too but bigger and living in the rotting wood) is refused.

 

[lims]

Hello, just bringing up an old thread here, sorry, but what happens to the non eaters batch, are they... culled!!?? or what, do they just get special attention when feeding, its a nice little exercise but what exactly for??

 

[juraj]

All of them started to eat a few days later and most of them (perhaps all) are still alive. Her is a one of mine :

 

[lims]

excellent job, I'm doing everything I can to help mine to breed too..