Triturus marmoratus

[leonardo]

here are some pics of my little marbled newts, just wanted to share!

I really love these little newts but one of them often refuses to eat regularly (even for 3weeks!)...even if it's not so much skinny I'm quite worried for it...do you have any advice?
I'm also trying to make all them (5) acquatic, but only two are totally acquatic (3cm of water) while one has never touched the water and the others sometimens "have a bath"...
what could I do?
thanks a lot
Leo

 

[TJ]

Sorry I don't have any good advice for you. I eventually attributed the problem I had with adult marbleds to internal parasites, but it might have been something else. Mine were totally aquatic from the start.

By the way, I've been wondering...what actually happens when a newt takes on a worm of that size? Does it manage to eventually chow down the whole worm by digesting it little by little, or is the worm eventually rejected and spat out?

 

[leonardo]

thanks anyway Tim...are are your juveniles marmoratus doing?

I was going to cut that worm before he ate it all, but he did it before I could do it...

he digested it with no problems but restarted eating only 7 days later!
bye
Leo

 

[kai]

Hi Leonardo,

Is the skinny juvenile one of the terrestrial ones? In any case, I'd put it separately and offer different food items (it may take a day or two). Pinhead crickets seem to be good for teasing juveniles but try as large a food variety as possible.

(Also check out John's caresheet @ CaudateCentral!)

Best wishes,
kai

 

[leonardo]

that juveniles is one of the two that sometimes go in the water (1/2cm of water)...yesterday , while he was submerged, he ate some bloodworms...so I hope he'll survive...

I've also offered some very small mealworms, but they didn't accept this food...
now I'm feeding them bloodworms, pieces of maggots and of earthworms...

I've already read John's caresheet, it was very useful!
I hope to breed them in the next two years...

PS for John:
do you know when Triturus marmoratus reach sexual maturity?

 

[kai]

Hi Leonardo,

Some metamorphs tend to be more timid feeders than their siblings and, thus, often get less food than their tankmates. I find that setting them separate for some time helps them to get used to the usual feeding routine and that makes it easier to reintroduce them to their siblings' tank eventually.