Fire belly newt stopped eating.

[Lazmarr]

My fire belly newt has stopped eating. It hasn't eaten anything in just over a week, although he seems to be fine and active, climbing on the walls and moving about when handled and things :S
I'm not sure why he's stopped eating. He was eating wax worms happy enough but doesn't pay attention to them anymore. He will look at them and then turn away from them.
I had to move him from his tank whilst I've been cleaning it out ready to be moved :S

I would appreciate any help to getting him to eat again as I'm worried something is wrong.

 

[CatSpit]

How are you housing your newt while you clean out his tank to move it? Have you checked the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) if you have him in a temporary aquatic set-up and are you continuing to condition the water to ensure there is no chlorine or chloramines?

All the changes may have affected his eating, try feeding him earthworms as he might do better with a different type of food and earthworms are nutritionally good for him.

Let us know what your levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are, and what kind of environment he's in these days.

Check out this link for the best kinds of food to offer your newt:

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/foods.shtml

 

[Donna001]

It might be worth cutting the earthworm into small pieces as well, which will be easier for him to swallow.

 

[Lazmarr]

How are you housing your newt while you clean out his tank to move it? Have you checked the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) if you have him in a temporary aquatic set-up and are you continuing to condition the water to ensure there is no chlorine or chloramines?

All the changes may have affected his eating, try feeding him earthworms as he might do better with a different type of food and earthworms are nutritionally good for him.

Let us know what your levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are, and what kind of environment he's in these days.

Check out this link for the best kinds of food to offer your newt:

Caudata Culture Articles - Food Items for Captive Caudates

I had tested the water a few days ago and the parameters were fine, I'm using bottled water that has no chlorine or anything like that in it and the parameters of all the other things were within range. I can't test the water or get him other food until next week as the pet store is closed for the easter holiday :S
The newt isn't actually mine, I've been looking after him for a friend of mine. I was given this little rosewood pet keeper tank to house him in.
He had no trouble eating in his tank, it was mainly water with some land but the java fern died turning brown, I think because it came from a salt water setup prior to the newt tank, the other plants I think it was hornwort were thriving fine.
By earthworms what do you mean? Like garden worms? If so, I live in the UK so are the worms from the garden safe for him?

 

[Lazmarr]

It might be worth cutting the earthworm into small pieces as well, which will be easier for him to swallow.

I live in the UK so will earthworms I find in the garden be safe for him to eat?

 

[Donna001]

Only use earthworms from the garden if you are sure that no pesticides, fertilisers or other chemicals have been used. I get earthworms from a local aquatics and reptile centre, but you could also try a fishing/bait shop.
I would suggest that you do not use bottled water as this can also cause a problem with pH. The person that you are keeping it for, did they use treated tap water? Do they live relatively close to you? It is possible that they use treated tap water and you are using bottled water, that might be part of the problem.
I'm in the UK and will make sure that I check this thread on a regular basis today to try to help as much as possible.
Did your friend give you any water conditioner when they asked you to look after the newt? What information, equipment and things were you provided with? If we get the water issues sorted first then worry about the food.
:happy:

 

[Donna001]

I've just had a quick look at some information on your newt. It says that you can use bottled water, but I've looked on the label of some bottled water I have here and it says that it contains 12mg/l chloride, so that might not be great either.
I have attached the care sheet and I hope it will provide some useful information.

Fire-Bellied newt Caresheet. The Amphibian.co.uk. Fire-Bellied Newt Care, Fire-Bellied Newt breeding, Fire-Bellied Newt housing, Fire-Belllied Newt description and more

Don't forget that you wont have the full set up because your set up is temporary, so don't panic about that, just make sure that all the needs of the newt are met, especially with regards to water changes and parameters.

 

[Lazmarr]

Only use earthworms from the garden if you are sure that no pesticides, fertilisers or other chemicals have been used. I get earthworms from a local aquatics and reptile centre, but you could also try a fishing/bait shop.
I would suggest that you do not use bottled water as this can also cause a problem with pH. The person that you are keeping it for, did they use treated tap water? Do they live relatively close to you? It is possible that they use treated tap water and you are using bottled water, that might be part of the problem.
I'm in the UK and will make sure that I check this thread on a regular basis today to try to help as much as possible.
Did your friend give you any water conditioner when they asked you to look after the newt? What information, equipment and things were you provided with? If we get the water issues sorted first then worry about the food.
:happy:

I;ve been looking after it for a while now, I think around June/July last year, whilst they've been moving home and sorting out with her landlord whether she can keep it.
As far as I am aware she just used water out of the tap without conditioning, when she filled up his tank, he was brought up more terrestrial than aquatic.
He seemed fine with the bottled water when I was filling up his tank with it, it does have 12mg/L of chloride in it but the readings i took before i began cleaning it out said they were all within range and suitable :S
She only gave me the pet carry tank thing, nothing else, and told me that he only eats every 2-3 days and not to overfeed him. I setup his tank and things with the spare I had and the great guidance I had from these forums
I can't fill up his tank either since I'm getting it ready for transportation to her house, and that won't be until next week as an emergency came up and I had to postpone it from this weekend :S
I just hope he's going to be ok

 

[Donna001]

I'm sure it's going to be fine. You've looked after it for quite a while, have tested the water, and know what to do to look after him. Perhaps he's just off his food briefly. If he normally only eats every 2-3 days, and he's still active, then I wouldn't worry too much.
You could try cutting the wax worm so that the insides are exposed so the smell is stronger, that might stimulate his appetite, but he will probably eat when he's hungry enough.
:happy:

 

[Lazmarr]

I'm sure it's going to be fine. You've looked after it for quite a while, have tested the water, and know what to do to look after him. Perhaps he's just off his food briefly. If he normally only eats every 2-3 days, and he's still active, then I wouldn't worry too much.
You could try cutting the wax worm so that the insides are exposed so the smell is stronger, that might stimulate his appetite, but he will probably eat when he's hungry enough.
:happy:

I tried cutting the wax worm in half but he turned his nose and moved away falling off his rock :S
I'll try getting some garden worms and blood worms when I return, I'm just afraid there might be something wrong
Could he be shedding, he has some patchy skin looks like my bearded dragon's when they shed, which is why he might not have an appetite?