Termites (fresh caught daily) as newt metamorph food

[r]

For more years that I choose to divulge, I have been using termites as the primary dietary component for many newly metamorphed newt and freshly hatched plethodontid salamander species kept in terrestrial terraria. I have found these insects easily procurable and since they are ambulatory small sallys home in and eat them readily. I augment the termites with tiny sections of earthworms proffered on broom straws. Any thoughts from other caudatan breeders? thanx/rdb

 

[mark]

Sounds like a good food source.
I might have to try and get hold of some.

Thanks, Mark

 

[erik]

When I lived in North Carolina I used to feed termites to all my species. To me they are a near perfect food item for Plethodon and other terrestrial species. I'm not sure how Dick collects his termites, but I either use a termite trap(homemade) or use a paint brush to brush them off the bottom side of logs and into a bucket.

 

[r]

I collect them pretty much like you did Erik. Pine beetles killed tens of thousands of pines in my area a few years ago, and many of these are now in ideal condition to host termites that are easily brushed into a small dish. We also have some baled cardboard corrugate in the backyard that accrue a goodly number of termites and from these the insects are simply shaken. rdb

 

[Lamb]

Re: Termites (fresh caught daily) as newt metamorph food

I've been wanting to get ahold of some termites for my E. cirrigera juvenile, with no luck. I found this article, and if I didn't live in the dorms I would try it. It discusses setting up termite farms, and seems easy, although just having cardboard out in the yard is much simpler

http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=55