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 #1503048


Warui
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 My salamander barfed... What now?

I’ve had Buddy and Blackie, two firebellied salamanders, for several years now. I’ve never had any problems with them up until now.
Lately they haven’t been eating as much, mostly because they’re...well, let’s just call them special needs salamanders. When they go for the crickets, they bite them and the crickets flail and it scares them and they let it go and then get discouraged and give up for a while. If that’s not the case, they’ll see a cricket and pursue it, but then get sidetracked by another cricket or their own reflection or something stupid like that.
Rather than having them in their big tank to feed, I’ve gotten them into a smaller tank for feeding so that the crickets don’t scamper away as easily.
They’ve been eating just fine (if not better than normal) in there. They had each gotten at least two crickets, and I kept them in there for a little while longer, the tank covered and such. I know about the fifteen minute rule, where you’re to only give them enough crickets as they can eat in 15 minutes, but with them, they spend the whole 15 minutes chasing after random crickets and don’t end up getting any, so I left them alone for about a half hour, as they were still chasing after crickets.
I came back a little later and saw Blackie (I think; they look exactly the same..) with two overly-slimey crickets in front of him, and he was a bit skinnier than he had been before. So, I figure: he barfed. I don’t know if it was because he had eaten the two crickets too fast, or if he’s sick.
Any suggestions would be helpful. Feel free to email me at if it would be easier.
Thank you very much in advance.
11/05/07  10:30pm

 #1503134


Brairpatch
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   Message To: Warui   In reference to Message Id: 1503048


 My salamander barfed... What now?

i wouldnt be too concerned- just keep an eye on em- try to feed again tomorrow- and see what happens- you may also want to remove a leg or two off of the crickets- makes it a little easier for
sallies to get their prey- another thing- you may want to give em a variety of foods- not only crickets-

greg
11/05/07  11:27pm

 #1667340


Crotus
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   Message To: Brairpatch   In reference to Message Id: 1503134


 My salamander barfed... What now?

Why don’t you try impaling them the crickets on the end of a broomstraw and waving them in front of the newts (are they newts?) to simulate movement? This makes it easier for them to catch normally fast-moving prey like this. Also, why not offer them some small worms, woodlice, etc. which are not as fast-moving?
03/19/08  02:20pm

 #1676275


Warui
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   Message To: Crotus   In reference to Message Id: 1667340


 My salamander barfed... What now?

I wait for stupid crickets to jump in the water and drown, then immediately scoop them onto a plastic spoon and wave them in front of my little dudes’ faces so they can go om nom nom on crickets ^^ Buddy and Blackie are doing well last I checked.
03/26/08  03:34am


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