Baby Fire Belly Newts

[miggs]

Hello everyone, I got my trio of juvinile Fire belly newts about a week or two ago and they have not eaten. I have dumped springtails and fruit flies in their enclosure. I cant figure out how to hand feed them because they sure seem scared, I have a culture of white worms coming in. still in the hunt for mosquito larvae. how do I even know that they are eating? I am super worried

 

[Herpin Man]

Do the newts have lots of places to hide? Fruit flies, bean beetles, small isopods, and tiny crickets are all good food choices. My suggestion is to mist their enclosure right at lights out, to encourage activity. Then dump the prey insects in, and leave the newts to hunt.
If the newts remain plump and the insects are disappearing, then you will know that the newts are eating. If they are shy, you may seldom see them eating. They also may be inhibited by your watching them.

 

[miggs]

thanks for the reply
here are the most Current pictures
as for the hides ill work on getting more of those.
how do you think they look? last night I dumped in fruit flies. I left the container and let them fly out on their own. I did see one of the newts right next to the tube eyeing whatever was inside. as if in attack mode. so that's cool im glad I see hunting posture.
what do you think? are they skinny?

 

[James L]

What are the temps within the enclosure and the room they are in? Do you have a light directly on them? What kind if water are you using? Tap, treated tap, RO or distilled? These thing all could effect them. Also, keeping them as simple as possible in a smaller enclosure may help. Like keeping in spag moss instead of soil. And no decor except hides and a dish. Don't keep poking at them either. That will definitely stress them out. One more thing. Did you consider they are eating when you aren't around? They could be munching up a storm when you leave the room. Look for poop. If there's poop, the newts are eating. Don't freak out yet. They look good to me.

 

[miggs]

the temps stay around 50's sometimes dip to 45. or so the water temp in my other tanks indicate. that is a good point ill take temp readings of the enclosure.
there is no light on them. the only light they receive is the natural light from the window, they are towards the back of the room so they get the ambient light. I have a coconut hide and a piece of bark that came with the springtail order that are in there. I had a small dish but I didn't think it to useful. should i fill it up and put it in again? I can fill it up with spag moss instead of the coconut fiber im using . I try to leave them alone as much as possible. I shine a light on them to see them for a few minutes. I hope they are eating when im not looking . ill try to find newt poop, might be difficult as my substrate is dark. oh and im using drinking water to mist them

 

[robbudo]

Miggs, where did you get yours? I'd love to get a group of 3 of these!