E. andersoni morphs

[TJ]

Got my first morph today:

And this one is probably next:

 

[ira]

very nice! you will have to let us know how the morphs behave!

 

[jeff]

That's awesome Tim. Has the morph shown any interest in eating yet?

 

[ira]

PS. their little white feet are very cute.

 

[paris]

wow tim! how big are they at morphing? it looks so unlike an adult too....any idea if they are good or picky eaters?

 

[TJ]

I'm told the hard part starts now, in that yes, they're difficult feeders. Luckily, I live next to a natural park where I can collect lots of yummies (pill bugs, etc.). I'll also try tiny waxworms. It'll probably be a few days before this first morph begins eating, but I'll try dangling frozen bloodworm this evening.

Size-wise, the morph is 4 cm

 

[TJ]

Hmmm...I wish I had more cause to be optimistic, but no luck so far in feeding them.

I was told by somebody who has raised this species successfully that the best way to start them off is to use little balls of tubifex placed strategically in front of their mouths as in the picture above. No luck yet. I have added 30 small pillbugs into the container, which has about 10 morphs, but I can't tell if any have been eaten. I'm also trying waxworms, but no luck there either (though I did witness one morph snap at a one). I have tried dangling frozen bloodworm in front of their mouths as well.

I thought about removing them from their container and trying to feed them on moist paper towel, but have been advised that they are less likely to eat when taken out like that. Still, I might give it a try if nothing else works -- at least with a few of them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! -- as long as it doesn't involve chopping up anything that's alive

 

[TJ]

Can anybody identify these possible pests that I find crawling (fairly rapidly actually) all over my morphs, on some more than others? Are they harmful?

 

[TJ]

Some more morphs:

 

[edward]

Hi Tim,
Its hard to tell from the pictures but they look to be some form of mite (probably a detrivore). There are anecdotal reports of detrivore mites stressing dendrobatid froglets to death.
Ed

 

[TJ]

Thanks, Ed. Yeah, I would think they'd find these critters to be stressful

I'll have to see what I can do about the (possible) problem...

In the meantime, here's a closer look:

I've just noticed that they're pretty widespread throughout the tank, not only on the newts.

(Message edited by TJ on July 21, 2005)

 

[juraj]

Hi Tim,
try white worms (enchytreus) and put the tank to the dark part of the room or make shadow over the animals when you are feeding them.

 

[jesper]

How about ideas that involve your wife chopping living things?

 

[edward]

Hi Tim,
Those are definetly mites. None of them appear to be attached to the newts so I think they are detrivores but having them constantly crawling over the newts may be problomatic.

Ed

 

[erik]

I bred andersoni at work several months ago. They transformed around 2 or 3 months ago. I have not ever SEEN them eat, but they must be eating something as they have decent body form and have grown a little. I have only offered tiny crickets and balls of whiteworms placed in front of them. There are a few springtails in there also. They are sluggish, shy and I guess slow growing......

Probably doesn't help much but that my 2 cents....

 

[TJ]

Hi Erik, any info helps

Well, I guess I am just a step ahead of you as I have finally witnessed them eating!

They actively go for the smallest waxworms when the worms are placed in front of them. A couple less shy ones now even eat them from plastic tweezers! (you'll find you have more control over these small worms with plastic, rather than metal, tweezers)

It seems they are more apt to eat when not disturbed (i.e. by being moved) just prior to feeding.

I have also finally had success, though less so, with small balls of tubifex worms placed directly in front of the morph.left to wriggle on the wall of the container. Depending on the size of the ball, this can make for a much more substantial meal that a tiny waxworm or two, so I hope to get more used to eating this way.

Prior to this, I had been regularly adding the smallest pillbugs and and the smallest crickets to their container, and like you and your situation, I assume the morphs have been eating one or the other of them because they are not skinny, since even before the success with waxworms and tubifex. I would still like to witness a cricket being eaten to be sure.

Have you tried fruitflies? I have access to these but haven't tried them yet.

 

[TJ]

I just want to clarify a couple of things from my last post:

The morphs do not take the worms in front of me without exception. Only about half of them do. The others pretty much have to do without as it doesn't take long for the worms to scale the tank walls and exit the container.

Also, I said "the smallest waxworms" when I meant "very small" waxworms as the ones I select to feed are 2-3 times larger than hatchling worms.

 

[erik]

Yes ours eat the tiny waxworms too. Of course I don't see them eat, but the waxworms are always gone within a few minutes. I have also seen the little juveniles stalking whiteworms....

 

[TJ]

Mine seem to be over the hump now as most are eating well

Their skin as taken on a more granular texture, or at least it's more noticeable:

I've noticed that by carving out small areas in the moss for them (say leaving 3/10 of an opening), the individual newts that are comfortably ensconced in those excavated areas more readily catch worms than the ones that are less sheltered or the ones that are disturbed in order to be fed.

(Message edited by TJ on August 07, 2005)

 

[carlos]

I also have this problem with my new juveniles. I try to kill a cricket and place the body on a very wet soil. After few days you will have some tiny worms eating the body. My juveniles E. andersoni take this worm until they grown longer.