Would it be ok to just feed a salamander store-bought salamander food?

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kristin

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I found some salamander and newt food on PetSmart's website.I was wondering if it would be ok to just feed my salamander that, or if I would have to catch bugs, too.
 
They aren't very nutritional. Try Blackworms Earthworms and fruitflies.
 
Ok, thanks! But I'm not sure how and where to catch the worms.
 
The biggest problem with newt/salamander pellets is that very often they are not even accepted by the animal. If you have a terrestrial salamander you will not be able to feed him any pelleted food. They just won't accept it. Most won't accept dead food either. It is best to offer live food like earthworms, nightcrawlers, crickets and the other items at the link Cameron gave you.

If your animal is aquatic, you can offer it pellets, though most people here will recommend salmon pellets, produced by Rangeen, I believe. They have been used by the Axolotl Colony for many years. Michael Shrom, a member of this website, will sell them to you in smaller quantities as seen here.

It is certainly possible your animal will not accept pellets either and you will have to use live or frozen food. I would highly recommend checking out the links that Cameron posted above. They are very useful.
 
You can buy worms from any local bait shop or even from the sporting goods section of Walmart. If you are more adventurous, and it gets a little warmer, you can collect worms underneath stones and other items in your yard, after a heavy rain in many places or by digging.

Be sure that the places you hunt for worms and the surrounding area are not treated with pesticides or herbicides as insects/worms from these areas can be very toxic to your animal.
 
Ok. So you're sure that a wild salamander (caught in a pond, for example) wouldn't eat salamander food?
 
For proper care, it's important to identify the species of salamander you have. Any ideas what it is? Many salamanders that are in ponds right now will need a terrarium habitat most of the time.

You're welcome to buy the food and try it, but it's very unlikely it will eat that.

I removed your avatar photo, as we do not permit the use of copyrighted photos without permission from the photographer.
 
Kristin, the 'newt bites' that you buy in a store are poor in terms of nutrition. Just as with any pet, you need to offer them foods that have the required nutrients. These pellets are lacking and are not a good food. Salamanders are carnivores and need to eat meat, usually in the form of earthworms and general insects.

Also, you do realize that in Michigan, the collection of wild salamanders is only legal if you possess a fishing license.
 
I would only use these for an aquatic animal, and then as a last resort. I have some on hand for emergencies, or when i forget to buy more bloodworms.
 
I use soaked reptomin quite frequently as part of a varied diet and most of my animals really go for it (I offer it with forceps). There is a thread somewhere (maybe in the crocodile newt section) that I remember Tim mentioning a breeder that uses reptomin as the primary food with good success. I never tried the brand that you are asking about because the pellets are too small to manipulate with forceps.
Chip
 
Thanks everyone for answering!!
happy.gif
 
I feed my fire bellied newt bloodworm every other day and sometimes some pellets(that the store i got them from fed them so they were used to eating it) whne they look hungry
 
I'm feeding my paddle tail pellets and he eats them quite readily. He was also rescued from my Grandmother's basement and hadn't been fed in weeks, so that might have had an impact...
From my past experience with newts and salamanders (which was when I was in grade 3) live worms of any kind (sized appropriately) are easily accepted and fairly Nutritious. They're also easily found.
 
Kristin, if you notice on the webpage for the newt pellets, there are no testimonials...I don't think pellets are a good source of nutrition, and they often go uneaten and cloud and dirty the tank.
What kind of salamander do you have?
 
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