How often/How do I feed Fire belly newts

How often do I feed juveniles and ho often do i feed adults?
Also how much? Like how many small chops of earthworm. How many crickets or how many bloodworms. Thanks! Im getting a 15 gallon With 3 FB Newts.

I'd say it's best to feed very young newts every day and give them as much food as they can eat. My juveniles will take 1 - 3 small pieces of earthworm every day. When they're bigger, you can feed every other day. Adults can be fed every 2 or 3 days and the amount will depend on the actual newts and what conditions they're kept in. The cooler the water the less they need to eat. For 3 newts (which fire bellies are you getting?), a cube of frozen bloodworms (defrosted first) will be enough or slightly too much. It's difficult to say how many earthworm pieces to feed - if the newt can eat a whole worm, then one each, if they're tiny, a couple and if they're very big then it will depend on how you cut them.
You will need to observe how fast food disappears and adjust amounts accordingly. If you get leftovers, make sure you remove them. Observe the newts when they eat to be sure that all of them are getting enough.
Generally with adults, their appetite and shape are the best indicators of how much they need to eat. Newts should be plump but not fat.

How often do I feed juveniles and ho often do i feed adults?
Also how much? Like how many small chops of earthworm. How many crickets or how many bloodworms.

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Juveniles should be fed daily, adults once per 2-3 days, or more often in breeding time.
It's very hard to tell how much food, you need to get your own touch. Some newts eat as much as you give them, some newts are able to notice when they have eaten enough.

Hi, welcome to the forum!
It´s difficult to say exactly which amount is apropriate for a particular newt. Even small species can tackle a rather big worm. It´s a bit of a trial an error thing, really.
You can read about the experiences of other people around the forums, and you can also find info here:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops orientalis - Chinese firebelly

I would recommend you to consider other species, though. I´m guessing you were thinking on purchasing H.orientalis because they are so commonly available. The truth is that all newts you see at pet-shops are wild-caught, and the importation process is a dreadful thing. As a result, by purchasing those animals you risk getting severely stressed individuals which can often become ill. It also perpetuates the mass importation of even more newts.
If you would consider a different species, one which is captive bred and easy to care for, i really think it would make the whole experience of owning newts a lot easier for you. Captive bred animals are already accostumed to captivity, have no impact on wild populations, adapt easily and accept a variety of foods. There are a number of excellent choices for beginners, like Pleurodeles waltl, Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotls), Tylototriton verrucosus, Triturus cristatus/carnifex/dobrogicus/karelinii or Hypselotriton cyanurus. All of those are very easy to keep, very tough and available from breeders.

Also, before you acquire any animals, make sure to research their requirements, read as much as you can and have everything ready (cycled tank, food cultures..). You´ll avoid lots of possible problems that way.

Azhael said:

Hi, welcome to the forum!
It´s difficult to say exactly which amount is apropriate for a particular newt. Even small species can tackle a rather big worm. It´s a bit of a trial an error thing, really.
You can read about the experiences of other people around the forums, and you can also find info here:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops orientalis - Chinese firebelly

I would recommend you to consider other species, though. I´m guessing you were thinking on purchasing H.orientalis because they are so commonly available. The truth is that all newts you see at pet-shops are wild-caught, and the importation process is a dreadful thing. As a result, by purchasing those animals you risk getting severely stressed individuals which can often become ill. It also perpetuates the mass importation of even more newts.
If you would consider a different species, one which is captive bred and easy to care for, i really think it would make the whole experience of owning newts a lot easier for you. Captive bred animals are already accostumed to captivity, have no impact on wild populations, adapt easily and accept a variety of foods. There are a number of excellent choices for beginners, like Pleurodeles waltl, Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotls), Tylototriton verrucosus, Triturus cristatus/carnifex/dobrogicus/karelinii or Hypselotriton cyanurus. All of those are very easy to keep, very tough and available from breeders.

Also, before you acquire any animals, make sure to research their requirements, read as much as you can and have everything ready (cycled tank, food cultures..). You´ll avoid lots of possible problems that way.

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Ok thanks I realy want a crested newt but they are illegal to sell. I might get an emperor newt if you (or me) Can find a sight were they sell them for under 20 dollars each

Illegal to sell? Is that a particular law of your state or something?
I´m glad you are considering other options, i really think it´s in your best interest (and it´s definitely in the best interest of the species that are captured in mass, that´s for sure).
I don´t know about cheap Tylototriton in the US. I know there are breeders but i can´t remember prices to be honest. If you are patient, you are bound to encounter breeders sooner or later. Being in a rush is really not the best idea. Dawn "Otterwoman", may have verrucosus available in the near future. Keep an eye on the classifieds, and meanwhile make sure to read a lot, there are plenty of articles in the CC site which are full of excellent information.

imakeahamsub said:

Ok thanks I realy want a crested newt but they are illegal to sell. I might get an emperor newt if you (or me) Can find a sight were they sell them for under 20 dollars each

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Stick with the orientalis. It is a great beginner newt! Quite frankly, you will be hard pressed to find any other newts here in the US for less than $20. Everyone seems to enjoy selling around that $30-35 range. It's a shame if you ask me.

Greatwtehunter said:

Stick with the orientalis. It is a great beginner newt!

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Sure it is, as long as the animals are healthy. But the problem is that many are far from healthy, some are dying and the rest are stressed. So if you are a beginner and buy one of these newts and it´s more or less healthy, great, you have lots of happy years ahead of you, but if there are problems, then a beginner is very unlikely to be able to react properly, and we all know the kinds of problems that WC H.orientalis can have....sores, flesh-eating infections, starvation...
The newt&salamander help section is chock full of such problems.
I think it´s undeniable that starting with animals that are already accostumed to captivity is far better and safer and avoids a lot of potential problems.
On the other hand, there is the issue of the importation itself, and the fact that many newts die during a very negligent process so that people can have access to dirt cheap, mass collected animals. Then if they die, no problem! I can buy more! Yeah...lots of us find that very disturbing...and with good reason i think.
While it´s true that many species have higher prices in the US, if you are patient and rumage around a bit you can find exceptions, like for example i can see T.dobrogicus for under 20 dollars in the for sale section (and that is an excellent, excellent species choice). I must agree it´s a shame that prices are generally higher, it makes competition against the WC market very inefficient.

It goes against my very nature, but even getting animals from the wild yourself would be a better option (as long as it´s possible AND legal for you to do so) than mass imported, pet-shop bought H.orientalis, simply because it doesn´t involve so much stress and negligence.

Yadda, yadda, yadda, we've all heard your argument before. Don't you think it would make more sense to educate the people who come here seeking information before they buy a newt on what to look for in a healthy newt instead of giving them a lecture on why they shouldn't get it? There will always be imported orientalis until their importation is outlawed. I'd much rather see someone get educated and get a healthy newt than them get turned away and go get an unhealthy newt then end up here with another "sick newt" thread. You have to keep in mind that it is much, much easier to get CB newts overseas than here.

I'm not sure which classified section you were looking under but the last one in the US section that I seen that had any type of newts for under $20 was back in March. Let's face it, most people don't want to sit around that long waiting on a little ole newt.

Don´t you think advicing people to get potentially ill newts as their first newts without mentioning the possible problems is quite bad advice? Oh sure, they are the perfect choice, no problem, go ahead.....and two weeks later they may well be on the help section wondering what´s wrong.
I get what you are saying and i realize that in many cases, H.orientalis is basically the only option, in which case....well..it´s the only option. It´s not always the case, though, that´s for sure, many people just start with them because they didn´t know better, and what i´m trying to do is guide people who haven´t acquired any newts yet but are thinking about it into getting what´s best for them. And what´s best for them is certainly not an animal that is likely to have problems. Just look at all the cases of people with orientalis which are terrestrial and refusing to eat, with sores, emaciated, etc....don´t you think those people would have apreciated if someone had told them, hey, this may happen, be prepared, or better yet, here´s a way to avoid it.
Educating them into getting healthy newts is exactly what i´m trying to do. How do you educate someone to find healthy H.orientalis? You can tell them the basic characteristics of a healthy animal but there is no guarantee whatsoever that an animal that apparently looks fine, will continue to be fine after purchase. Obviously most people don´t go around purchasing the sickest looking, thinnest individuals...they try to get the best ones they find, and still, problems are plentiful.

I apreciate that we have different opinions regarding the WC market, but this is about giving the best advice, not about individual morals. And, frankly, if you tell someone to go ahead and get orientalis, and don´t bother to mention the very relevant possible consequences, then you are providing extremely incomplete advice.
I would have had no problem if you had said "go ahead, they are a great option, BUT here is some stuff you need to know" and proceded to actually provide information, even if you were promoting them as the ideal option, because at least you would have provided information and advice. If you don´t, then how are you educating? There is no info, no advice...

I think it was an ad for T.dobrogicus, a group of 4 for 60 dollars or something like that. I know that the market is different there, and that access to CB is very limited to certain people, but that doesn´t mean i can´t tell them about their possibilities. That way, at least they know, and IF it´s an option for them, they can make up their own minds.
I mean, isn´t it better to try to provide someone with complete information, even if you bore the hell out of them with your "lecture", than sending them on their way with absolutely no knowledge of what may happen or what their possible options may be?
About people not wanting to wait to get what they want..well, that´s the era of consumerism for you. Still i don´t think it´s amiss to advice someone to be patient and take it easy....after all there´s stuff to do before buying anything (WC, CB, purple, with wings, it doesn´t matter) like cycling a tank, or preparing food cultures.

PS: By the way, i hope that didn´t sound too agressive, it wasn´t my intention, and sorry for the rambling and the long speech :S

One more post then I am done on this topic.

Azhael said:

I apreciate that we have different opinions regarding the WC market, but this is about giving the best advice, not about individual morals. And, frankly, if you tell someone to go ahead and get orientalis, and don´t bother to mention the very relevant possible consequences, then you are providing extremely incomplete advice.

I would have had no problem if you had said "go ahead, they are a great option, BUT here is some stuff you need to know" and proceded to actually provide information, even if you were promoting them as the ideal option, because at least you would have provided information and advice. If you don´t, then how are you educating? There is no info, no advice...

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I didn't have to, you did all that for me in a post beforehand with a link to their caresheet and this....

The truth is that all newts you see at pet-shops are wild-caught, and the importation process is a dreadful thing. As a result, by purchasing those animals you risk getting severely stressed individuals which can often become ill. It also perpetuates the mass importation of even more newts.

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I appreciate your enthusiasm on this topic Azhael, I really do, but there is a time and place for it. I don't see how a thread asking for feeding advice is one of them. Sure he said he was getting them but that's just it, he was getting them. Not maybe, possibly, or thinking about it. Am I reading too much into it? Could be.

I don't think the orientalis are in as bad as shape in the US as they seem to be in other places and this may be why I have a different view than you. Hell I have 16 adults, all from various sources. Some I hand picked while others were randomly sent to me and I never had any issues with them. I could have just gotten lucky but the only luck I have, is bad luck. I've been to many, many pet shops and have certainly seen some that were on deaths door but the majority were in surprisingly good condition. Just more of my two cents. XD

Now to answer the original poster's question....

I feed my adults a wide variety of foods 3 to 4 times a week, depending on how lazy I feel. Depending on what I have more on hand they'll get frozen bloodworms, live blackworms, chopped earthworms, whiteworms, aquatic isopods, scuds, or cherry shrimp. How much they eat at any given time, like others have stated, depends on each individual newts appetite.