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Food Items for Captive Caudatesby Heather Björnebo
Night Crawlers; Lobe Worms | Rating | Excellent | Advantages | Nutritious
Commonly available
For both aquatic and terrestrial caudates
Readily accepted | Disadvantages | Worms must be cut for smaller caudates
| Varieties | Canadian nightcrawlers
Earthworms | Availability | Bait shops
Discount stores and gas stations
Online bait/feeder dealers
Dug from yards and gardens |
Live Black Worms (Lumbriculus variegatus)RatingExcellent
AdvantagesNutritious
Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates
Will not transform into insects
DisadvantagesNot for larger or terrestrial caudates
VarietiesN.A.
Availability
Some pet stores (USA and Australia)
Not commonly available in Europe
In bulk by mail/Internet
Live Blood Worms (Chironomus spp.)RatingExcellent
AdvantagesNutritious
Readily accepted by aquatic caudates
DisadvantagesWill become midge flies at maturity
Not for terrestrial caudates
Some are grown in polluted waters
Some humans are allergic
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilitySome pet stores
Rare in the U.S., common in Europe & Asia
Live Tubifex WormsRatingExcellent
AdvantagesNutritious
Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates
Will not transform into insects
DisadvantagesNot for larger or terrestrial caudates
Usually collected from polluted waters
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilitySome pet stores
Rare in the U.S., common in Europe & Asia
Daphnia and ScudsRatingExcellent
AdvantagesNutritious
Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates
Rich source of carotene, for development of bright color
Great for larvae
DisadvantagesNot for larger or terrestrial caudates
Must be cultured for steady supply
Not widely available for purchase
VarietiesMoina
Daphnia pulex
Daphnia magna
Gammarus
Hyalella azteca
AvailabilitySome pet stores
By mail/Internet
Wild-caughtwww.caudata.org/daphnia/
White Worms RatingGood
AdvantagesNutritious
Readily accepted by smaller and aquatic caudates
DisadvantagesNot for larger caudates
Must be home cultured
Poor source of carotene for color development
VarietiesWhite worms (Enchytraeus spp.)
Grindle worms
AvailabilityOther hobbyists
Live food dealers
Home culture
Wax WormsRatingGood
AdvantagesFairly nutritious
Accepted by most terrestrial & some aquatic caudates
DisadvantagesNot for smaller caudates
Very high in calories and fats
Not good as a staple diet
VarietiesWaxworms
Lesser waxworms
AvailabilitySome pet stores
Bulk by mail/Internet
Live GrubsRatingExcellent
AdvantagesNutritious
Available in a variety of sizes
Readily accepted by many caudates
DisadvantagesNot widely available
Uneaten grubs may hatch into insects
VarietiesFly larvae (spikes or maggots)
Tebo/Trevo worms
Phoenix worms
AvailabilitySome pet stores
Internet Bait/Feeder Dealers
Live Wild "Bugs"RatingExcellent to Fair
AdvantagesNutritious
Come in a variety of sizes
Many kinds are avidly accepted
DisadvantagesSometimes difficult to catch
Risk of introducing pests
Risk of introducing diseases or chemicals
Some varieties may not be eaten
Uneaten bugs may escape into the house
VarietiesEarthworms
Slugs
Woodlice (aka "pill bugs")
Termites
Spiders
Aphids
Fruit flies
House flies
Mosquito wigglers, daphnia, & other aquatic microorganisms
AvailabilityWild caught
Live CricketsRatingGood
AdvantagesCommonly available
DisadvantagesFast moving
Not for most aquatic caudates
Caudate may be bitten by leftover crickets
Poor calciumphosphorus ratio
Need to be dusted with calcium/vitamin powder for complete nutrition
VarietiesVarious sizes from pin-head to adult
AvailabilityPet stores
Bulk by mail/Internet
Fruit FliesRatingGood
AdvantagesEasy to grow at home
Ideal for small terrestrial caudates
DisadvantagesNot for aquatic caudates or larger species
Need to be dusted with calcium/vitamin powder for complete nutrition
VarietiesDrosophila melanogaster (small)
Drosophila hydei (large)
Wingless and flightless types available
AvailabilityPet stores
Mail/Internet
Home grown
Frozen WormsRatingGood
AdvantagesFairly nutritious
Commonly available
Easy to store and use
Accepted by most aquatic caudates
DisadvantagesNot for larger or terrestrial caudates
No movement to stimulate feeding
Some types messy/slimy bad for water quality
VarietiesBloodworms (Recommended, especially Hikari brand)
Tubifex
Blackworms
Glass worms
AvailabilityMost pet stores
Red WigglersRatingGood
AdvantagesModerately available
Good Nutritionally
Can be cultured at home to obtain small sizes
DisadvantagesWhen cut, often refused due to foul-smelling secretions
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilityBait shops
Some pet stores
Online Bait/Feeder Dealers
Live Brine Shrimp (Artemia)RatingGood
AdvantagesFairly nutritious
Hatcheries and eggs commonly available
Adults available at some pet stores
DisadvantagesNot for medium, large or terrestrial caudates
Contain salt
Eggs must be hatched
VarietiesNewly-hatched nauplii (for caudate larvae)
Adult brine shrimp (for adult caudates)
AvailabilitySome pet stores
Online pet supply dealers
Live Meal WormsRatingFair
AdvantagesCommonly available
Movement may elicit feeding response
DisadvantagesMay bite captives
Hard exoskeleton is poorly digested
High in fat
VarietiesMini, regular, super, giant
AvailabilityPet Stores
Online Bait/Feeder Dealers
Canned and Wet-Pack FoodsRatingFair
AdvantagesCommonly available
Easy to store and use
DisadvantagesUsually rejected by caudates
VarietiesCan-o-crickets, snails, catepillars, etc.
Zooplankton (daphnia)
Bloodworms in gel
AvailabilityPet Stores
Freeze Dried WormsRatingFair
AdvantagesCommonly available
DisadvantagesNot accepted by many caudates
Not for larger or terrestrial caudates
Less nutritious than frozen or live
VarietiesTubifex Cubes
Blood worms
AvailabilityPet stores
Frozen Brine ShrimpRatingFair
AdvantagesCommonly available
Easily stored in freezer
DisadvantagesNot accepted by some caudates
Not for larger or terrestrial caudates
Not as nutritious as live
Contains salt
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilityPet stores
Meat and Organ MeatRatingFair
AdvantagesCommonly available
Easily stored in freezer
DisadvantagesNot accepted by some caudates
Not a "natural" food for caudates
Mammalian meats are energy-dense, may cause obesity
Most varieties lack calcium and vitamins
Liver has excessive vitamin A, may cause hypervitaminosis
VarietiesBeef heart
Raw liver
Raw steak, chicken, etc.
AvailabilityPet stores
Meat markets and groceries
Raw Fish and ShrimpRatingGood to Fair
AdvantagesCommonly available
Easily stored in freezer
High in protein, low in fat
DisadvantagesNot accepted by some caudates
Not a "natural" food for some caudates
Some varieties lack calcium and vitamins
Some varieties have a high salt content
VarietiesRaw fish
Raw shrimp
Raw shellfish
AvailabilityPet stores
Fish markets and groceries
Feeder FishRatingPoor
AdvantagesCommonly available
DisadvantagesSome varieties deficient in thiamine
Some have poor fatty acid profile (e.g., goldfish)
May lead to obesity
Possible disease vector
Not for smaller or terrestrial caudates
Too fast-moving for many caudates to catch
VarietiesGoldfish
Tuffies
Rosies
Guppies
AvailabilityPet stores
Mice and Other RodentsRatingPoor
AdvantagesCommonly available
Nutritionally complete
DisadvantagesNot a "natural" food for most caudates
Mammalian meats are energy-dense, may cause obesity
Only for very large caudates
Live rodents may injure caudate
VarietiesFrozen/Live
Pinkies, Fuzzies, Adults
AvailabilityPet stores
Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp and KrillRatingPoor
AdvantagesCommonly available
DisadvantagesHigh salt content
Not as nutritious as live/frozen
Not for larger or terrestrial caudates
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilityPet stores
Freeze Dried Crickets and Meal WormsRatingPoor
AdvantagesCommonly available
DisadvantagesPractically nutritionally void
Messy
Not accepted by most caudates
Not for smaller or terrestrial caudates
VarietiesN.A.
AvailabilityPet stores
PelletsRatingGood to Poor
AdvantagesEasy to store and use
High-quality carnivore pellets are nutritionally complete
Commonly used for axolotls
DisadvantagesSome formulations not correct for caudates
Refused by most newts
Inappropriate for terrestrial caudates
Leftover pellets may cloud water
Contain corn, wheat and other unnatural food sources
Lose nutritional value if stored too long
VarietiesRangen Soft Moist Salmon Pellets (recommended)
ReptoMin
JurassiDiet
HBH Newt & Salamander Bites
AvailabilityPet stores
Mail/Internet
Fish FlakesRatingPoor
AdvantagesEasy to store and use
Universally available
DisadvantagesFormulation not correct for caudates
Refused by most caudates
Inappropriate for terrestrial caudates
Flakes not consumed cloud water
Contain corn and other unnatural food sources
VarietiesMany
AvailabilityPet stores
Other AmphibiansRatingInappropriate
AdvantagesHighly nutritious
DisadvantagesPossible disease vector
May cause injury to captives
May be toxic
VarietiesTadpoles & larvae
Small frogs & toads
Small newts & salamanders
AvailabilityPet stores
Wild caught |
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