Question: Red Eft Diet

[jaraha2008]

I think the red eft is one of the most beautiful amphibians in the world. Does anyone know about them in captivity? I've never seen one in a terrarium, even at my local aquarium.

 

[FRANCOIS]

I have some thanks to a great guy I won't name, I feed them blackworms for now.... It's a very good food for them, just like a tiny earthworm. Yes you are right, they are striking little things! ;-)

 

[Aaron Chris]

I'm having a similar issue with my Red Efts. They aren't leaving their logs to come eat. I'm current feeding them cleaned Blood Worms (Frozen) and I'm unsure if they are eating. I don't like disturbing them by moving they're logs or watching them since I don't want to stress them out.

 

[slowfoot]

I would switch to small chopped earthworms (moving pieces) or live blackworms. Sometimes you have to lift the log, add the food right in front of the efts, then replace the hide carefully to get these guys to eat. I do this all the time, and whenever I check under the hide a minute or so later the food is being eaten. I think efts will often hide to the point of starving to death, so making sure they are eating is important.

 

[Jennewt]

I agree with Erin's suggestions. I would also suggest trying to hand-feed using a toothpick and tiny pieces of chopped nightcrawler. Also, pinhead crickets work very well (though I realize it can be difficult to get them). But pinheads are the one food I would say is a "sure shot" for getting any eft to eat.

 

[Red Eft14]

Hey,I also have a red eft(hence my username Red Eft14,lol) and its in the terristrial stage right now and its 2 inche's.I feed mine flightless fruit flies,wax worms,small crickets and thats about it.How I feed it is I use tweezers or my fingers and drop the wax worm right in front of it.It then eats it and if it don't eat in front of me I put the waxworm in it's hideing log and put the red eft in there too.Then I come back 5 mins later and its gone.Also if you going to feed it small crickets they are hard to catch for the slow red eft.So here's a trick.I take the bag of crickets and stick them in the fridge NOT freezer for about 30 mins.Then the crickets are'nt as jumpy and fast since they are cold.Next I put the cridket in the corner of the red eft's tank and the red eft can easily corner it and eat it then.

Here's question too.How often do you guys feed red efts?In the terrestrial stage?

 

[Aaron Chris]

The local Pet Store was kind enough to give me a couple tiny crickets as a trial for my two Red Efts (Thank you for suggesting them )

They've been in the terrarium for about 5 hours now and they haven't been eaten. However, the Efts were also switched into a larger terrarium today so perhaps they are just shy to their new home and will be comfortable eating later? I am also wondering if the cricket is too large for them to eat, even though it is still very small. It's about the size of the Eft's head lengthwise.

I will spray the tank lightly with water so the Eft's feel inclined to come out of their hiding spots before bed and hopefully they eat overnight. I will check in tomorrow. Thank you everyone for your help

 

[Red Eft14]

Also for some reason right after I spray my red efts tank he gets more active.And did you but the bag of crickets in the fridge for 30 mins?It slows the crickets down since crickets are fast and jump and newts are slow.Also my red eft eats small waxworms the size of its head so the crickets can't really be too big I'am guessing.

 

[Aaron Chris]

Overnight, one of the crickets (out of two) were eaten. (The other was crushed by one of their logs apparently and died, knowing how my lizard eats I doubt the Eft's will eat dead bugs.). So today I bought 6 new tiny crickets and put 2 in the cage, along with a few tiny ants.

Hopefully all goes well.

 

[Red Eft14]

Ants?I would stay away from them.If they are wild caught.Also I forget what they have but they have something acid in there body and they have string jaws and might munch on your eft

 

[Aaron Chris]

Upon hearing this I have taken the ants out, no damage was caused thankfully. And after much, much, MUCH searching I finally came across a pet-store that sold Pinheads. So after putting them in the fridge to slow them down I dropped a few in the tank before spraying it with water to get the Efts more active. The pinheads were gone by the morning and I've finally gotten my Red Efts to eat!

Thanks everyone for the help!

One of the Efts is almost in it's aquatic stage (tail flattening and getting taller, skin becoming green)while the other is vibrant red. If I come across a camera I'll link some pictures.

 

[Red Eft14]

Your welcome!Glad to know I helped.My red eft is 2 inches and it seems to be turning a bit darker since I got it.