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Question: How to get terrestrial newt/salamander morphs to eat?

axolotlfreak56

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So this is something I've been struggling with and unsuccessful with for quite a long time and deters me from wanting to acquire terrestrial newts or salamanders as juveniles. I've been successful with breeding easier aquatic species such as ribbed newts and dobrogicus and karelinii. I've raised them from egg to morph with no problems and after they morph I have no issues getting them to eat.

But I cannot seem to get any terrestrial morphs to eat. I've tried with Tylototriton verrucosus, Laotriton laoensis, Triturus marmoratus, and Cynops orientalis. I've dug deep through many threads for each species and reread the FAQs. I'm certain I'm getting their setups correct. I try to feed them dwarf isopods and spring tails, but I never see these terrestrial newtlets eat anything. I try to place live black worms in front of them too with no success. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any advice on substrate, temperature, container size, water bowl, etc. would be appreciated.
 

joemomma1016

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Hmmm. A lot people like white worms when they are young juveniles. I had a lot of luck with young newts by putting live blackworms on a small piece of paper towel in front of them. They see the movement and usually jump at em. Waxworms are always a favorite too I feel like. I keep em in my basement with some pothos plants, and a dirt and coco fiber mix. Dirt is just from the woods near my house. But no sphagnum moss or fertilizers if you get dirt from a hardware store or something.
 

Herpin Man

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I keep a few small terrestrial sallys, including marmoratus. I have had success feeding them size-appropriate crickets, dubia, fruit flies, bean beetles, and chopped earthworms. As long as it's moving, they should find it. I seldom watch for them to eat, however as long as the prey keeps disappearing and the salamanders keep growing, I don't worry too much about it. My vivariums are heavily planted, with lots of hiding places. I feed right around lights-out, and I mist before I feed. This encourages activity, and I suspect it also conditions them to be aware that it's feeding time.
 
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