Juvenile feeding

[JoshBA]

I recently acquired a group of three juvenile c. e. popei and have been keeping them in a terrestrial vivarium for the past few days. Daily I feed dusted fruit flies but they are yet to feed in my presence. I am worried they are not showing much interest in the flies or are eating after the mineral/vitamin dust has fallen off of them. I also am finding that there are still many fruit flies in the enclosure the next day.
I also eventually want to start feeding nightcrawlers and frozen bloodworms for more nutrition and to increase their growth rate. Unfortunately they are very shy and scurry off to hide under the leaf litter when I come near. How can I eventually get them to accept chopped earthworms from a dish and bloodworms from tweezers?
I am hoping their appetite will become better after they get more comfortable in their new home. Otherwise, they seem very comfortable hiding under the leaf litter and crawling around the enclosure.

 

[Otterwoman]

Often they eat when people are not watching - esp if they are shy. Watch their weight. Also maybe you could try offering them food on tweezers every day, and eventually after a week (at least, maybe more) of this, they will hopefully begin to hand feed.

 

[JoshBA]

Okay thats good to know. Ill probebly try handfeeding bloadworms a couple hours after i feed fruit flies so i dont disturb them when they are eating.

 

[otolith]

If they all spend of most of their time under one or two hides try offering pieces of small garden worms with tweezers at the entrances. A lot of times shy animals will grab the food since they still feel secure. I've been able to get numerous shy species to eat from tweezers this way and they now venture out and beg for food occasionally. Garden worms have always been the most eagerly accepted, especially if they are 1-2" in length. It might also be worth seeding the tank with dwarf isopods and pinhead crickets. Ghann's cricket farm is an excellent online source for pinheads and has pretty reasonable prices.

 

[Coastal Groovin]

Here is something that has worked for me feeding land morphs.Take a shallow reptile bowl. Add some water and live blackworms. Place a large piece of curved bark over it. So there is space under it to crawl. The blackworms will climb up the sides and be eatened. You will know if they are eating buy their fat round bellies.

 

[Squirt88]

I had almost the exact same problem, I eventually found if you place a piece of chopped earthworm about 2cm from its nose, make sure it's dark so they are not as timid and watch, this may require some patience but I hope it works for you

 

[JoshBA]

Thanks for all of the help! I'll definaty try to aquire some blackworms sometime soon. Recently I have finally noticed the newts in the act of eating the dusted fruit flies. There is a small pool of water filled with java moss at one end of the enclosure that provides a good source of moisture. The only problem is that the fruit flies enjoy drowig themselves in it, and I would rather they be eventually eaten by the newts. Should I leave the water pool in there, or take it out? Right now I have a lot of earthworms, so I'll begin trying to feed those chopped as you sugested.

 

[alexps]

try putting a few small twigs or stones in the pool then any flys falling in have a chance of climbing out for your newts to finnish off

 

[JoshBA]

Well I've recently gotten 2 out of the 3 juveniles to accept chopped (still wiggling) pieces of European Night crawlers from my worm culture. The surprised me, because like Red Wigglers, the European Night crawlers smell bitter when they are chopped. But this didn't even deter the newts from eating them; I've even had my tiger salamanders spit out chopped bits of these worms! All I did was drop a wiggling piece of worm on a leaf in front of the newt and it was eaten in an instant. Unfortunately I still haven't got them to hand feed, but if they will readily accept chopped earthworms its just as good.
None of the 2 pet stores in the city near me carry blackworms, so I may eventually order some when I transfer them to aquatic.
I may post some feeding pics once I get ahold of a good camera.

 

[Chinadog]

Any updates on these guys? I'd love to see some pictures!