Question: Newt habits?

Hey all!
I am a new fire bellied newt owner, and as I mentioned in my introduction, I've already lost one, Houdini pulled a disappearing act
Now I didn't purchase these, a friend did, originally there were 5, way too many to keep track of for a new owner lol, now down to four. I've had them about 2 months now and well they're pretty tough little soldiers for real lol!
Because I knew nothing, I had no idea about being terrestrial juveniles, so they gone through many aquatic tank changes, as I was desperately trying to accommodate them, as I always knew them to be aquatic lol!
I have since move them to a tupperware container with substrate, a small container with some water just deep enough to submerse, just needs to lift up head and crawl out, and hiding places.
1: do they prefer heat or coolness, moisture or none, dry substrate or wet/damp.

2: how do I know when they are becoming aquatic adults, just by size or will they hang out on their water bowl more often then on land?

3: feeding times, how often, I feed them earthworms and meal-worms...now that I know they are land based...so far, not that I could tell them apart or nothing, but usually 3 out of the 4 eat at every feeding, one sometimes eats twice as much. Because I can't tell them apart I'm concerned that one may not be getting enough food maybe?
I think that is it for now, I appreciate any help and so do the FourAmigos lol

Re: Newt habbits?

Keep them cool and moist, but not wet. You should be able to take a handful of your substrate (use dirt or coco fiber or a mix thereof) and squeeze it into a ball. It should not drip water (if it does, it's too wet), but it should retain its ball-shape (if not, it's too dry).

Once they start hanging out in the water dish a lot, you can try increasing the amount of water they have available. If they seem to prefer a water-based habitat then, you can provide them with an aquarium with lots of points to haul out. Start out with shallow water, and gradually deepen it.

Earthworms are a great food. Mealworms are not so much. Are you hand-feeding them? Do any look particularly fat or thin? How often are you feeding them?

Re: Newt habbits?

Hey!
Thanks for the quick reply Ok so then I have the moisture correct, good to know As for the feeding, I was hand feeding them, but the worms squirm too much for me to hold on to, now I just drop the worms in front of them, I find it amusing to watch them hunt the worms down...probably the most activity I get out of them lol!
So far the feedings have been every second or third day, and yes the one that didn't eat this feeding looks thinner than the other 3, but usually by the time I get to feeding them again, they no longer have the big bellies feeding time brings lol!
With the meal worms, should I be cutting off the heads? I noticed that if the newts happen to grab the worms by the head, the spit them out, I don't blame them, so when I feed them, I lay them down walking away from my newt, it seems to be more appetizing to them this way as well lol!
I've just moved them into a bigger tupperware container yesterday, and that's when I fed them the meal worms, their first time having them. I have crappy earth around here, don't have much luck in finding earthworms, and having to chop them up is pretty yucky too lol! But I will see if there are any bait shops around where I can get chemical free raised worms for them, and that can become a staple diet for them, with maybe the odd meal worm?
Ok well it's good to know that I am headed in the right direction with them and they have a decent chance of having a happy life lol!

Re: Newt habbits?

Every other day is probably enough. You can try feeding every day since they're juveniles, but good healthy adults only need to eat a couple times a week when they're kept at the appropriate temperature.

If you are going to feed mealworms, yes, you need to decapitate them. You should also feed them only freshly molted mealworms, as their exoskeleton is made of chitin, and it's not digestable. Earthworms really are a much better food over all, especially in terms of nutrition. You can buy earthworms when you can't find them (like in the winter). I buy mine at walmart, but usually ones from a bait store are just fine. You can probably find them at a pet shop too. They all should be rinsed well before feeding to your amigos.

Also, since your guys are terrestrial, you may try to entice the non-eater with something that moves. Try crickets of an appropriate size. They're not a great staple, but sometimes can get a picky eater started. Don't put too many in because they can bite your salamanders.

If you're not too grossed out by it (that feeling will pass, I promise!), you can try skewering a piece of a worm on the end of a paperclip and wiggling it a bit in front of the non-eater. That holds it still a little longer, and then you'll know whether or not it eats. Also try feeding in the evening, without turning on a bunch of bright lights. It's a little more difficult for you, but less stressful for the non-eater.

Re: Newt habbits?

Ok
I will definitely try out those techniques and see what happens, I personally would prefer the earthworms just because they look so much more nutritious and meaty than the meal worms, so I will be on the hunt for those And I will attempt to use a paperclip to handle those wild and wacky yucky worms lol! I just use scissors to cut them up lol the least gross way of mutilating them without feeling guilty for a few seconds lolololol!
But my amigos need to eat dammit, chopping earthworms shall be done! Now is there a chance that a newt could over stuff itself and die? I'm concerned sometimes watching how much they eat, they are very big guys, but every feeding there is at least one who'll eat double the amount of the others lol!
Now if they don't eat ALL the pieces of earthworm I put in, do I have to worry about them burrowing in the substrate and dying then decomposing like I have to with meal worms...the pet shop said that the meal worms would do that, so remove any live ones they don't eat.
It's just they are very timid animals, and I am scared that by me standing over and watching them, it may prevent them from eating without being stressed?
Thank again for all the help though

Re: Newt habbits?

I created an photo album and posted some pics...before and after ones lol

Re: Newt habbits?

If you're monitoring their food intake, they're not going to overfeed to the point of death. In the instances where a salamander eats too much (usually with axolotls), they barf up their food. With juveniles, it's better to offer lots of small meals, rather than infrequent larger meals.

If it makes you feel better, scientific studies have shown that worms don't feel pain like mammals do.

If you cut up the worms, they'll probably die before they burrow. If they're whole earthworms, they'll burrow and live in the substrate. My tiger salamanders have a bunch of free-ranging worms in their tank from the occasional snub of dinner.

You looming may be stressful for them. Feeding in the dark will help with that, since they won't be able to see you.

Re: Newt habbits?

PS: Checked out your photos. That's a MUCH better setup!

Re: Newt habbits?

Awesome thanks again