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Unusual Eating Habits?

Benzo

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Yup its me again. On my search for more input.
Both of my salamanders seem to have unusual eating habits. My marbled comes out when I feed him and has no problem gobbling crix while I watch. My tiger stays in her hide whenI feed her and waits for prey to come in then sort of ambushes them. She's shy but of course i've barely had her 2 days. Is this behavior common for either of these species?
 

Jan

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Yup its me again. On my search for more input.
Both of my salamanders seem to have unusual eating habits. My marbled comes out when I feed him and has no problem gobbling crix while I watch. My tiger stays in her hide whenI feed her and waits for prey to come in then sort of ambushes them. She's shy but of course i've barely had her 2 days. Is this behavior common for either of these species?
Well, it is not uncommon - generally marbleds tend to be shier than tigers. You've had your marbled for awhile whereas your tiger is new to you and less sure of its surroundings. There are individual variations within species. If you had 10 tigers, you may well see differences in behaviors emerge....same with marbleds. Some are more reclusive, some less reclusive. Every tiger I've had has easily adapted to being hand fed - yours will more than likely get over its shyness as well.

Regarding 'ambushing' - When I hand feed my tigers, they typically are poking their heads and shoulders out of their hides. With crickets, sometimes when they lunge for them, they'll just get a leg and the cricket will escape into the hide. The animals will flip around quickly and follow the cricket to catch it. They are ferocious little predators. Other times, the tigers will come out from their hides when I approach and start 'begging' out in the open.
 

Slimy2

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hi

I think it is normal. I just got my very first spotted salamander and she is pretty shy and hasn't quite explored her terrerium yet. She sits in her burrow and waits until a worm inches its way near her before she attacks it. She doesn't go after them.
 

flyangler18

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I forcep feed all my salamanders- tigers, marbleds, spotteds, fires- and even the typically shy marbleds and spotteds immediately accepted bits of chopped earthworm and slugs offered from the forceps. Once your tiger settles it, it will come running as soon as you open the top of your enclosure expecting a feeding.
 

amkid247

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i feed my juvie spotted salamander cut up worms with a toothpick, at first i fed him in his tank, then i read about making sure they dont eat their substrate while feeding so now i take him out of his tank and feed him on a smooth flat surface, he eats just fine both ways. once i dropped a worm and it was wiggling away but he actually went after it while out of his tank, he caught it too. he wont eat anything except worms, mealies, and beetle grubs. he ignores crickets completely and actually walks away from me when i put them in front of him, while he attacks the worm peices and rips them from my grip! :D
 
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