How to Train New Morph to handfeeding?

[ian]

Anyone know how? Or can anyone share some experience? Currently I have some new morphs of CFB. I think they are still not eating food yet and most of the time I dont know where they hided. But I can do handfeeding to them, I can make sure they will be full everyday once they started eating.

Thanks

 

[menwa]

It took me a few days for my new morph to start eating, i used tweezers and the first time he ate he didnt eat from me again for a few more days.. I just gave him time to get used to his new enviornment and feel comfortable to come out of hiding. Hope that can help ya out

 

[jennifer]

Tweezers work well for me, some people use a toothpick or broom straw. What food are you planning to handfeed them, Ian?

 

[ian]

I am planning to handfeed them frozen bloodworm or chopped earthworm. Since I couldn't find a place that have blackworm for sale. (dont want to try online, I dont want to start my own cultures.)

I have tried feeding them frozen bloodworm after I have transfered them to the new terrestrail tank. they simply rejected them, turned their face away. And if I accidentally pushed the worm into their face, they would run away too.

And there is also the problem which they away hide away. sometime very difficult to find them (or unable to), and not to say handfeeding.
Thanks

 

[elizabeth]

I'd just keep trying, maybe you could wiggle the tweezers a bit? My morphs seem to respond to movement, and if I just put something right in front of them, they wont eat it. Mine dont like frozen bloodworms either, but I keep trying! The best thing to do is have patience when trying to feed. Sometimes it takes a while for the newts to "inspect" the food.

Have you tried feeding them anything live that you could just let them hunt in their tank? If you have a pesiticide-fee ("clean") yard, you can look for things like baby woodlice or small slugs. My morphs love hunting them. And it seems to make them "trust" the handfeeding more. But this is only what has happened to me, you might find a better way to do it.

 

[ian]

thanks for the suggestion. I have jsut ordered springtails, coming soon. But i am afriad that Springtails might not be a best food for them and might not be enough to fill up their stomach. cause they seems to have ate a lot before they morphs.

 

[elizabeth]

Well, I've never tried springtails before. If you're afraid of underfeeding them, just feed them a lot of springtails. Or just get something else to go along with their diet. Like perhaps an occassional worm or slug maybe once or twice a week.

 

[billie]

All I can get hold of for food in my area is small worms, but my problem is even when I chop them up they wiggle off before he gets them.

He hasn't quite grasped the idea that if he doesn't go for them straight away they burrow underground. He ends up grabbing one end and being dragged down with them, his hind quarters flailing in the air. Aside from being quite funny to watch, I do feel sorry for him and give him another until he gets the idea.

How do you know when he's had enough? is one worm a day good for a 7-10cm long marbled newt?

 

[ian]

My morphs are still not eating. My first morph was on the land on Oct 14th. More than three weeks gone by, and it still haven't been eating.

I have not yet put in the Springtail since my culture is still in very low population and I wonder if I put in my springtail in my current Morph set up, The springtails will probably die instead of establishing in the set up. Since I have been using the Bog soil setup instructed by the Living under world. That might not be a good subtrate for Springtail? Anyone have any idea? Is morphing not eating for 3 weeks normal?
Thanks

 

[jennifer]

I would suggest to keep trying. 3 weeks is a bit long, they should eat by now. I would say go ahead and put some of the spingtail culture in the tank, along with a pinch of fish food (for the springtails). Also, you could try blackworms in a dish or fruit flies.

 

[joseph]

Definetly try springtails. I found it takes time before they will accept frozen bloodworms. Springtails and similar(in my case, booklice) are taken readily but as mentioned they need a lot. It does get the meating and then you can try small pieces of earthworm etc.

 

[ian]

I see, Thanks a lot for the fast reply. I was just about to give up. But I bought some fruit flies to try out. Let see want happen next.

Thanks a lot.

 

[ian]

Hey. I started feeding fruit flies, although they do fly.... anyway, I saw one of the morpg eating a fly as I turn on the light. And when I put in the flies. the morphs that were hidding started to climb out.

But I also discovered that some are already very weak. I think will be too weak to make it.

I have a question, if I turn off the light, will the morphs still able to find food? I found that the morphs prefer darkness and also if I turn the light on, the flies will start climbing up to the cover, which the morph will not be able to hunt. What do you think?

 

[joseph]

They should still be able to hunt. You could use dim lighting if you are concerned.

I found my morphs were scared of hydei fruit flies...which are bigger than melanogaster. I think melanogaster may still cause problems. I think something like springtails would be a good way to try to beef up the thin ones as I think small prey items will not require as much energy to subdue/hunt compared to larger ones.