Illness/Sickness: T. shanjing/kweichowensis wont eat

[Griffin8891]

I have a T. shanjing/kweichowensis (last I checked on here everyone agreed its some unnamed species. It looks like a kweichowensis with raised orange bumps like a shanjing. Its the one pictured in my avatar if it makes it any easier) Anyway for the past several weeks it has been very sluggish (more than normal) and is refusing to eat. I managed to get it to eat an earthworm about two weeks ago but since then have had no luck and I am starting to get more worried. I live in northern NJ and we have not turned on the heat in the house yet so its quite cool. I have had this individual for three years now and up until this it has always been a hearty feeder. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do?

 

[Linus]

Try leaving some waxworms at the hide entrance before lights out.

 

[kay]

Well firstly, I have noticed both of my tend to get sluggish come winter time. I know someone noting that some species, regardless of what the room temp is, seen to known when there is a weather change, and for example, go right into breeding season without the temperature flux.

Also, another observation I have made is that on the odd occasion, they will stop eating for a week for so. Not too sure why this happens, because there is nothing that triggers this behaviour that I can see, so I just think they sometimes just are not particularily hungry.

May I ask "how" you feed it?

I would have to agree with Aura, sometimes my one in particular gets picky and just refuses to eat a earthworm. Yet as soon as I place a juicy plump waxworm in the tank, he gobbbles it up. Works every time.

Good Luck.

 

[Griffin8891]

Well its odd since I have had it for about three years now and have never noticed a change with the seasons before. Normally its a food beggar and lifts its head up when it hears the lid of the tank coming off for me to feed it. I normally just hold the worm up to its mouth and it sucks it down no problem. I will try the waxworms. Aren't they difficult to digest though?

 

[kay]

Yes they can be. When I feed them, I take my scissors and snip a hole into the skin. This will allow for easier digestion because you have created a hole for your animals digestive fluids to actually go into the body of the waxworm.

And I think the thing to remember is that these animals will always surprise you. I think never take for granted that they act one way only because you've had them for years. I think, at time, they can be unpredictable and their behaviour may change at the flip of a dime.

Hopefully this will work for you. Best of luck!

 

[Griffin8891]

Thanks a lot I will try waxworms and break the skin like you suggested. They wont spoil him though will they? I would like to keep him on a diet of mostly earthworms and crickets is possible.

 

[kay]

I can't speak indefinitely, but my haven't had adverse effects. I will feed occasionally, or when my guys get picky, and they easily go right back to the regular diet. I think of it more as a treat; so I think the main thing is that if he takes it the first time, try a piece of earthworm after. The point of the waxworm is to stimulate feeding again. If he refuses the waxworm, try a couple of time, is say about a week and a half, and if nothing, switch back to trying the earthworms. If you need anymore advice after if this doesn't work, feel free to pm me and I'll help you figure out the next steps.

 

[Griffin8891]

Thanks a lot will do.

 

[Griffin8891]

I tried the waxworms since I last posted but no success. Today I checked on him and he was dead.

 

[kay]

Oh dear, I am so sorry.... it sounds like he became sick and his refusal to eat was a byproduct of this. Again, so sorry to hear your lost.

 

[frogman]

I am very sorry for your loss. Losses are painful when you grow attached to a pet. In my four years of this hobby i have had many losses. Many non-hobbiests say "its just a newt/frog/etc, its not like it was a cat or dog." I say back "it was to me." I have recently lost a dear old Red eyed tree frog who died of age. I am very sorry. Good luck with other pets.

 

[Griffin8891]

Thank you everyone. I'm sad but this sort of thing is inevitable with this hobby. Its part of the deal. I still have plenty of other beautiful caudates to care for.