Food for a mandarin salamander

[cat_lady]

Is there anything that isn't a small creepy crawly? Reason I'm asking is because I literally dig food up for Abe from my garden and currently there's about 5" of snow making it a little unlikely I'll find anything.

Not really wanting to buy a whole tub of anything as most of them die before Abe gets round to eating them.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[ferret_corner]

You're looking for some type of pellet aren't you? Their caresheet doesn't indicate any type of acceptable pellet.

Why not purchase a few crickets from the petshop? Maybe frozen bloodworms would work in a pinch. Earth worms keep for a really long time in the fridge too. I've kept a few dozen crickets alive for weeks with daily feeding and cleaning of their container.

Sharon

 

[wargar]

Try a local fishing tackle shop, for tubs of worms (£2.40 for 50'ish) or maggots.

 

[freves]

In addition to feeding sections of earthworms as well as the usual feeder insects, I feed my shanjing sections of fresh shrimp and pre-soaked reptomin sticks offered by forceps in order to add variety. I do not know if reptomin (tetra brand) is available in the UK but in general my caudates really go for it.
Chip

 

[cat_lady]

Thanks guys. I didn't know I could keep earthworms in the fridge. The local petshop won't sell "a few crickets" and crickets always seem to die on me despite cleaning and feeding of them!

 

[ferret_corner]

Wax worms and mealworms can be kept in the fridge too. mealworms last longer but I really dislike crushing their heads or cutting them off. BLECH. The best I've gotten out of wax worms has been 2 weeks before they turn brown.

I have idea if I'm doing something wrong - lol maybe I should go read the live foods forum....

Sharon

 

[louise]

Waxworms, butterworms and earthworms are the way to go.

 

[cat_lady]

He does really like earthworms - do you reckon I'll be able to find some in this weather? Oh, you mean from the bait shop - they only have large worms and I hate cutting them up.

 

[Otterwoman]

Depending on the size of the worms and the size of your newt, he may slurp a worm down like spaghetti. But cutting up worms is the necessary, dark side to salamander owning. In the interests of my animals, I forced myself, and am glad I did.

 

[cat_lady]

Actually, I've never had need to. We get some pretty titchy worms in our back garden and on the one occasion I bought worms from a tackle shop and cut them up (which was a necessity as I couldn't find one) he refused to eat it!

I've managed to find some in the garden - I just have to dig a lot deeper than usual due to the cold! Oh, and he does kind of slurp them too!

Thanks for answering, Dawn.