Red spotted newt will not eat

Hello all,

Two years ago my daughter found a red spotted newt (red eft stage) in West Virginia and we brought it home to Michigan. We setup a 10-gallon aquarium as a half-water, half-land setup with plants and hiding places. The newt has done very well in captivity up until recently. We have been feeding it live redworms and various freeze dried salamander and newt food found at local pet stores. Interestingly she never likes to stay in the water and has been terrestrial for the entire two years we have had her.

Unfortunately for the past 2-3 months she is refusing to eat anything. I've tried finding very small redworms and holding them close to her snout and she has shown no signs of interest at all. She is now very thin and weak and barely moves at all. I'm fearing now there is nothing that can be done. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Tim

Efts are completely terrestrial, and will be so for 2-7 years. Have you tried any other kinds of food? Black worms, chopped earth worms, small wax worms, etc., are all appropriate foods.

Kaysie said:

Efts are completely terrestrial, and will be so for 2-7 years. Have you tried any other kinds of food? Black worms, chopped earth worms, small wax worms, etc., are all appropriate foods.

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Thanks for the reply.

Since she is so weak, any suggestions for feeding? The plan is to try some of the above foods on the end of tweezers.

Tweezers are good but you could just leave the food in the tank so she can just take it at her own will? but try the tweezers aswell definitely.

hope shes okay!!!