Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello I have recently purchased two firebellied newts and four firebellied toads the recommended amount for my size tank. Note the petstore had the newts and toads in the same tank. My issue is that my newts don't appear to be eating. The toads eat the crickets just fine. The pet store said that the newts eat the sinking newt pellets but I have brown gravel and I can't tell if they're eating but I suspect they aren't because they spend most of their time hiding underwater under the rock. I had some leftover dried bloodworms and one of the newts came out and ate yesterday but today did not seem interested. The other reason for my concern is that one of them comes out when I feed the toads but doesn't seem to eat, I feel like he/she is left out. I tried putting the two newts in my tiny not much bigger than a cup critter keeper for a few minutes to see if they would eat the crickets but they didn't and they didn't go for the bloodworms but I'm going to try some fresher ones. Any other ideas? thanks.

It's best to seperate these two species as they really don't do well together. The toxins from the toads can harm the newts & there may be aggression between the two species. I've seen petstores keep completely incompatible species together, so they are, unfortunately, little good when it comes to advice.

I feed my firebelly newts a diet of frozen bloodworms one day, then "Newt/Salamander bites" at the next feeding. I feed them every other day. They are thriving on this diet.

Best of luck & please seperate for the health & wellbeing of both species.
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1.3.0 leos, Yoda, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
1.1.4 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton, Olivia Newton John & Helmut Newton
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena

I agree with buffysmom. Here's some reading material that might help you:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/faq.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/foods.shtml

>>It's best to seperate these two species as they really don't do well together. The toxins from the toads can harm the newts & there may be aggression between the two species. I've seen petstores keep completely incompatible species together, so they are, unfortunately, little good when it comes to advice.
>>
>>I feed my firebelly newts a diet of frozen bloodworms one day, then "Newt/Salamander bites" at the next feeding. I feed them every other day. They are thriving on this diet.
>>
>>Best of luck & please seperate for the health & wellbeing of both species.
>>-----
>>1.3.0 leos, Yoda, Geo, Tang, Ginger
>>1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
>>0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
>>1.1.4 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton, Olivia Newton John & Helmut Newton
>>1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena
>>

Just one more question my newts are about an inch long, if they actually start eating do I continue to feed them daily? It seems the things I've read so far have been wrong so I want to try and help these guys survive. Thanks again

At that size, they are still juveniles and DO need to eat every day. They may also need to stay on land most of time, as juveniles do. Try feeding them live blackworms in a shallow dish.

>>Just one more question my newts are about an inch long, if they actually start eating do I continue to feed them daily? It seems the things I've read so far have been wrong so I want to try and help these guys survive. Thanks again

Hey thanks. Everything I've read about separating fire bellieds has been conflicting. Some say it's a must some say not necessary. But I think I will especially since they don't seem to be eating.