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Verrucosus rejecting nightcrawlers?

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gord

Guest
My verrucosus have been rejecting nightcrawlers lately.I assume they`must have a bad taste as they grab them and then spit them out.

Normally,they gobble anything. Anyone else see their verrucosus be this fussy?I should say that the nightcrawlers are in a wet bedding that looks like old newspaper.I just bought them from a bait store.I've used the same shop with the same bedding before with no problems.My other newts are eating them without issue.

Gord
 
D

danny

Guest
Gord, Ive been having a similiar problem with my T marmoratus. I have two picky eaters in the group who seem to enjoy certain foods on certain days. The others enjoy whatever I feed them. The two picky eaters dont like chopped up pieces of trout worm that often so I make sure that I always thaw out a little bit of blood worms just for them. Just in case they dont like the trout worms and atleast they get something in their tummies. Try different food or maybe if you have them on a feeding schedule, maybe skip a day in your regular feeding. The extra day should get their tummies growling for something to eat and anything presented as food just might be swallowed up! Hope your verrucosus gets some worm in its tummy!
 

michael

2010 Research Grant Donor
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I think the best way to go is to raise your own earthworms. I've heard some real horror stories about bait shop worms.
 
G

gord

Guest
Michael:

There is no doubt in my mind that something bad made the one newt spit out the worm. Clearly not a good flavour. The other one ate the worms, but without enthusiasm. I wonder if the newsprint mulch had something to do with it?

I also find if there is a dead worm in a container...newts will not touch the live ones in with it.

Luckily, spring has come to the north. Last night I was digging in my (organic) veggie garden and found about 100 nice pink garden worms. Mr. picky went nuts over those. As did all my other newts. Winter sucks.

GE
 
K

kyle

Guest
haha-
With the start of this warm weather, I've been doing the same thing, I only wish I had better access to more 'clean' areas to collect worms from. From what I have found, so far all the newts are enjoying their first taste of juicy earthworms.

"Winter sucks."
Here Here!!
Although today, with temps spiking over 90 in Nebraska, I am a little concerned that it has gotten too hot too fast, we have had a decent amount of rain/moisture but I would love to see some more.
 
G

gord

Guest
kyle:

Nebraska...cool state! Driven through a few times.

What kind of newts you have?

Gord
 
K

kyle

Guest
Nebraska... let's compromise and say its a decent state ;-).

What kind of newts do I have?
Or what kind of newts does Nebraska have?
I'll clue you in on both, because the collection is small in both respects.

Nebraska has two caudates - Tiger and Smallmouth salamanders A. tigrinum, A. texanum

I'm beating out Nebraska's species count by one, with three different species.
2 almost adult male Pleurodeles waltl
5 newly morphed Marbled sals - A. opacum
and to keep it on topic -- 3 very young T. verrucosus
 
G

gord

Guest
Kyle:

Nice...a good collection.

How small are your T.Verrucosus and where did you get them?

GE
 
K

kyle

Guest
I haven't actually put a ruler up to them before, but I would say that they are just a bit above 2.5 inches long or just over 6cm and really starting to grow now as the ambient temps start to reach the upper 70's in the room.

I got them as larva from Michael Shrom though, when they were around 3 cm long.
 
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