My Notos hate Nightcrawlers

Hello people! Dont know if anyone remembers me, been living in Alaska the past 4 months and just got home. Decided to post a pic and do a thread about the newts I got right before I left. Luckily family cared for em and during that time I learned these little guys, 6 total, do NOT eat nightcrawlers. Anyone else have odd cases like this? The newts range in size from the largest, about as fat as a thumb (who eats everything, even the nightcrawlers) to rail thin guys that look neon green. I love these newts and want to fatten them up (about 2 are rail thin, they do eat too!) so any ideas? They tear into frozen bloodworms with ease.

how about blackworms?

Welcome back, Rav. Where do you get your nightcrawlers? And how small are the pieces chopped?

My adult notos eat 1/4th inch pieces of nightcrawler, but the ones that refuse them will readily feed on either frozen/thawed bloodworms or live blackworms.

Jennewt said:

Welcome back, Rav. Where do you get your nightcrawlers? And how small are the pieces chopped?

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Thanks! I got them at Wal-Mart. I cut the fairly small, even 1/8 inch at times. They leave em alone so I have to stick with bloodworms. I havent tried blackworms cause the stupid pet shop thinks theyre cavier.

I don't know if you have a lot of newts or not, but you can order blackworms online in bulk and have them shipped to your door for a fair price.

It might help if you take the thin worms out of the can and cut them into pieces that are small enough for the newts to swallow but still big enough to move a bit to attract their attention.

Its a good idea but I really dont want a colony in my fridge. Im thinking of just giving them more bloodworms than usual to see if they fatten up. Maybe the bigger guys are just getting to them quiker. The thin ones do appear healthy and active, theyre just real thin.

ravenous said:

Its a good idea but I really dont want a colony in my fridge. Im thinking of just giving them more bloodworms than usual to see if they fatten up. Maybe the bigger guys are just getting to them quiker. The thin ones do appear healthy and active, theyre just real thin.

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It sounds like a problem with parasite infections, if they are eating not gaining weight. If this is true I'd seperate them from the healthy one's asap. There is a solution described in the "Advanced Vivarium Systems" book series, "Popular Amphibians", a good book for diagnosis and care. Good luck!

-jbherpin-

A good trick is to mix them in with whatever else you're feeding.

jbherpin said:

It sounds like a problem with parasite infections, if they are eating not gaining weight. If this is true I'd seperate them from the healthy one's asap. There is a solution described in the "Advanced Vivarium Systems" book series, "Popular Amphibians", a good book for diagnosis and care. Good luck!

-jbherpin-

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Whoa, I dont even want to think about my animals being sick! Ive got enough problems with my Alpestris. I have noticed since my initial post, my 2 thin ones are holding their weight more and even darkening in color. When I got them they were a neon green. So Im thinking that the skinnyness was just a growth thing and a not eating much phase.

I have tried to blend NC with bloodworms and it was all for naught. I think I will give it another shot though, just to see if their tastes have changed.

My Notos get very light green when it is cold, and darken as the day/season warms up. I'm glad there hasn't been further decline in the 2 thin ones. One last thing, are you're Notos more semi-aquatic, or fully aquatic? I've seen the picture above, but I don't know if that was the normal place they hang out. The reason I ask is because I have great success with live brine shrimp, but my Notos are more strictly aquatic. Just make sure you rinse ALL salt traces off the shrimp prior to feeding. If you get them as dried eggs, you will need to add a little salt to the water for hatching success, then of course, rinse before you feed. I use a fine mesh fish keeper's net, scoop out a good bit, and hold the net under cool running water a few seconds. All my aquatic species love them from Notos, to Paddle-Taileds, and even my Paramesotriton...Which is a good 7+ inches. The live Brine Shrimp basically look like mosquito larva, and are good for supplemental feedings at best. The worms are much better nutritionally. I suggested them now because picky eaters of mine "came out of their shell" for the live brine, and have kept an appetite, whatever I may give them on that day. Hope this helps, and good luck! Keep us updated!
-jbherpin-

Well this is the first winter I have them, I got them in May. Oddly enough as the weather gets colder they go on land more! Ask if they were more aquatic a month ago and Id say yes, now they stick on land.

The brine shrimp may be a good idea. Ill look around to see if I can buy some as I need to buy food anyway.

Heres some new pics below and the fat one on the left is gravid... I think. If she is, she hates the water now for some reason, cause before, she would NEVER go on land.

What is your water quality like, if the newts are taking to land?

Chris

What is your water quality like, if the newts are taking to land?

Chris

Water quality should be good. I havent tested it but its clean as I do changes all the time. However I did start using a water conditioner cause I have hard tap water but I have since stopped and they seem to be doing a bit better.

I bought more nightcrawlers the other night and tried them out again. They all got eaten but they struggled alot cause I cut the pieces too big. They looked small enough but I guess the bits obsorb the water and get fatter.