What to feed newly morph salamanders??!?

[charles]

my marbled salamander larvae just recently morph and I dont know what to feed them! They seem to have no more interest in live brine shrimp [in a shallow dish] and i have no where to get blackworms. Earthworms that i found are 2 large for them so I have no clue what to feed them, help please!

 

[jennifer]

The earthworms will work, you just have to cut them. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/worms2.shtml

One problem with marbled sal morphs is that they tend to be very shy. I would suggest putting some pieces of cut-up worm in the place where the sals are hiding (usually under something!). Check back later to see if there are fewer pieces of worm, so you know that they are eating. Good luck!

P.S. I would be very surprised if you cannot find blackworms in NYC. Have you called all the pet stores that you could get to? For the morphs, earthworm is probably better, but for future larvae, blackworms are the best.

 

[ian]

I can't find any Black worm in Canada Toronto as well. Dont know why. Anyway, do you think fruit flies and pin head crickets will do as well?

 

[ali]

Charles, I'll add a difference from the sheet that Jennifer directed you to. I don't feed the worms to my newts on a toothpick, I put them in a feeding dish. When I first started doing this, I had to point my newts in the right direction. Maybe that will work for you.

 

[charles]

thank you everyone for your help!

I put some worms under the cork bark where they hide and when I checked today, some of the worms were gone. I'll put some in the feeding dish and see what happens, thanks again!

 

[riikka]

how long time they can be without eating. My first Cynops pyrrhogaster morph 7.5 but i have not seen him to eat anything. i put little cup to him hiding place and put the earthworm pieces, but no results this far i think.

i read Jennifers advice last weekend, so i've been doing this way only few day. i'm really worried. i've been taking care my all 11 larvae well and nobody died, but now i'm really confused

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[fran]

i have new marbled morphs they like springtails i just use their saturate in the tank in a corner they role and eat and then fall asleep what a like fran

 

[jennifer]

Hi Riikka, I think this won't work with Cynops, as they are too small for earthworm pieces. If you are keeping them terrestrial, you will need springtails, pinhead crickets, fruit flies, whiteworms, or other very small terrestrial food.

 

[ian]

I have feed Cynops morphs (C.O) with frozen blood worm on toothpick. So I think blood worm will work if you dont want to go over the hustle for the live food. However, you have to wait for a months or so and probably only the healthier bigger guys will eat the bloodworm. so I gave some springtails to feed the smaller ones as well.

 

[riikka]

where i can get springtails?

i have given frozen bloodworms also to little larvae in the water and the eating with pleasure. i tried to give bloodworm to morphed one couple days after morphosis but he no eating then. maybe i should try again.

(Message edited by mimete on May 20, 2006)

 

[ian]

I bought springtails from some online source, if you search on google. you should be able to find it.

Mine didn't start eating until after about a month. I think you may try again. But keep in mind that every species is different, some are more shy.

 

[jennifer]

Riikka, how did you offer the bloodworm? In a dish, or on a toothpick like Ian suggested? It may be necessary to make the bloodworm "move" to get a feeding response... but at the same time, you don't want to scare the newt.

 

[riikka]

i first tried to give from toothpick and now i tried to give from little plate. when i tried with toothpick, he only tries to run away.

ian, do you mean than your morphs did not eat anything until after 1 month? i'm all the time worrying that he will die.