Newt not eating

I've had my 2 male fuzhong warty newts for a while now (over a year but don't know exactly how long over), but over the last month or so the biggest one has lost loads of weight.

I've tried him with: cockles, mussels, shrimp, prawn, pellets and worms but he wont eat any of them. He did eat a few pellets to start with but wont now.

I've ordered some crickets to try those, and I've also still got the frozen cubes of various things to try (bloodworm, daphnia etc) but is there anything else I can do?

The smaller one is totally fine, eating and acting like normal.
The water params are normal.
The temp has been up as it's been warm here, but it was much warmer last year and both were fine.
It's also cooled down again the past few days.

I'm trying to get a divider sorted to separate him from the smaller one. I don't have a spare tank to put him in so a divider is the best I can do.

Since I've had them their personalities have kept changing. One week the smaller one was the "bully", the next week it was the bigger one.
For a while now though the smaller one has been the one "in charge"

They don't fight a lot, they've never done enough to need separating though. They have scraps now and then but it's normally just tail grabbing.
I was just hoping separating them now would help.

What else can I do? Or could this be a natural "ending"? I have no idea how old they are.

Hope someone can help!

He had started to look better at one point but now looks bad again hence my post here.

I think you are onto the right idea with separating them. I had a hongkong warty that stopped eating while living with 2 more dominant males. After separation, he did fine. However, I can't guarantee that will help, it may just be an old or sick newt.

Ok thanks

The crickets arrived just now so I'll try be trying him with them today.

If the separating works, will I have to leave them separated?

Or will I not know unless I try them together again and see what happens?

The divider fits! My dad's great

I know one set of holes isn't covered, I went a bit high with the measurement lol the other 2 lines are under water though.

Fingers crossed it helps (Sorry 'bout the bad pic too, I need to clean the glass and top the water up. Stupid hard water area gives us bad limescale )



Will keep you updated

Jennifer, how soon after you separated them did yours start eating again?

The change since I put the divider in has been great, about 20 mins after I put it in I looked in the tank to see Orlando (the one not eating) actually moving fully into the water!

For ages now he's only been staying in 2 main places, he's been in water in both of them but not fully, his head has always been out!

When I looked again even later he was fully underwater and by the filter. He's still there now and seems to be moving a bit quicker!

He snapped at a cricket too, he couldn't quite get a hold of it properly to eat it but he didn't just turn away like he had been!

Hopefully this means he'll start eating again now.

It's a shame if Viggo is the reason, they've had scraps since I got them but have always been "friends" again after.
They always used to lay on and near each other and just be ok with each other. I suppose sometimes they even looked "happy" if a newt can look like that lol

Could this be an age thing? They've now got too mature to be able to be together or something?

I think it will have to do with them reaching the breeding maturity. I am not sure.

Anyhow, what do you usually feed your animals? Do they feed underwater?

Cockles, mussels, shrimp, prawn, pellets, worms and frozen food cubes. Normally bloodworm ones.

They also have live bloodworm and brine shrimp when the shop has it.

They're not as keen on the cockles, mussels, shrimp and prawns as the rest so they don't get them that often.

If they enjoy the crickets I'll carry on buying them.

They do feed underwater but also in shallow water. Orlando will eat things on his hammock where the food is in shallow water and he's in shallow or none.

(Message edited by Section8angel on June 29, 2006)

He's eaten!! I'm so happy. He just ate a cricket

Thanks for the replies.

Fingers crossed he keeps eating now.

How much should I be giving him? I don't want him to eat too much too quickly but don't know if his normal amount would be too much for him at the moment?

Hum.. but do remember that insecta need calcium and vitamin supplement. Feeding underwater require you to feed the cricket up with nutricious food prior to feeding the newts.

Yep I know. I asked and read up about them before they arrived
I've got bug grub and veggies for them and water gel as a back up if I run out of the veggies. (I have other animals that need them more)

Mine started eating within a couple of days after he was separated - I don't remember exactly, but it was pretty obvious that separating him is probably what got him to eat. Glad to hear yours is eating!

Thanks I'm so happy.

He's eaten 2 crickets today so I'll leave it at that, I'll try him with something else next feeding day and see how it goes.

When I gave him the 2nd cricket he latched onto the tweezers and didn't want to let go!

(I normally hand feed but I can't catch these crickets unless I use the tweezers lol)

He ate another cricket last night, nearly tried eating the tweezers too 'cause he took it so fast lol.

He's also gotten braver and has moved onto the slate so is more in view (and easier to feed lol)

Looks like it definitely was Viggo that was the problem. Shame but I'm glad it's sorted.

Thanks for the help.