Food Items for Captive Caudates

by 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 into pieces 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) Rating Excellent Advantages Nutritious Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates Will not transform into insects Disadvantages Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Varieties N.A. Availability Some pet stores (USA and Australia) Not commonly available in Europe In bulk by mail/Internet
Live Blood Worms (Chironomus spp.) Rating Excellent Advantages Nutritious Readily accepted by aquatic caudates Disadvantages Will become midge flies at maturity Not for terrestrial caudates Some are grown in polluted waters Some humans are allergic Varieties N.A. Availability Some pet stores Rare in the U.S., common in Europe & Asia
Live Tubifex Worms Rating Excellent Advantages Nutritious Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates Will not transform into insects Disadvantages Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Usually collected from polluted waters Varieties N.A. Availability Some pet stores Rare in the U.S., common in Europe & Asia
Daphnia and Scuds Rating Excellent Advantages Nutritious Readily accepted by smaller, aquatic caudates Rich source of carotene, for development of bright color Great for larvae Disadvantages Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Must be cultured for steady supply Not widely available for purchase Varieties Moina Daphnia pulex Daphnia magna Gammarus Hyalella azteca Availability Some pet stores By mail/Internet Wild-caught
White Worms Rating Good Advantages Nutritious Readily accepted by smaller and aquatic caudates Disadvantages Not for larger caudates Must be home cultured Poor source of carotene for color development Varieties White worms (Enchytraeus spp.) Grindle worms Availability Other hobbyists Live food dealers Home culture
Wax Worms Rating Good Advantages Fairly nutritious Accepted by most terrestrial & some aquatic caudates Disadvantages Not for smaller caudates Very high in calories and fats Not good as a staple diet Varieties Waxworms Lesser waxworms Availability Some pet stores Bulk by mail/Internet
Live Grubs Rating Excellent Advantages Nutritious Available in a variety of sizes Readily accepted by many caudates Disadvantages Not widely available Uneaten grubs may hatch into insects Varieties Fly larvae (spikes or maggots) Tebo/Trevo worms Phoenix worms (black soldier fly larvae) Availability Some pet stores Internet bait and feeder dealers Bait shops
Live Wild "Bugs" Rating Excellent to Fair Advantages Nutritious Come in a variety of sizes Many kinds are avidly accepted Disadvantages Sometimes 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 Varieties Earthworms Slugs Woodlice (aka "pill bugs") Termites Spiders Aphids Fruit flies House flies Mosquito wigglers, daphnia, & other aquatic microorganisms Availability Wild caught
Live Crickets Rating Good Advantages Commonly available Disadvantages Fast 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 Varieties Various sizes from pin-head to adult Availability Pet stores Bulk by mail/Internet
Fruit Flies Rating Good Advantages Easy to grow at home Ideal for small terrestrial caudates Disadvantages Not for aquatic caudates or larger species Need to be dusted with calcium/vitamin powder for complete nutrition Varieties Drosophila melanogaster (small) Drosophila hydei (large) Wingless and flightless types available Availability Pet stores Mail/Internet Home grown
Frozen Worms Rating Good Advantages Fairly nutritious Commonly available Easy to store and use Accepted by most aquatic caudates Disadvantages Not for larger or terrestrial caudates No movement to stimulate feeding Some types messy/slimy bad for water quality Varieties Bloodworms (Recommended, especially Hikari brand) Tubifex Blackworms Glass worms Availability Most pet stores
Red Wigglers Rating Good Advantages Moderately available Good Nutritionally Can be cultured at home to obtain small sizes Disadvantages When cut, often refused due to foul-smelling secretions Varieties N.A. Availability Bait shops Some pet stores Online Bait/Feeder Dealers
Live Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Rating Good Advantages Fairly nutritious Hatcheries and eggs commonly available Adults available at some pet stores Disadvantages Not suitable for large or terrestrial caudates Contain salt Eggs must be hatched Perishable and difficult to store or maintain for long periods Varieties Newly-hatched nauplii (for caudate larvae) Adult brine shrimp (for adult caudates) Availability Some pet stores Online pet supply dealers
Live Meal Worms Rating Fair Advantages Commonly available Movement may elicit feeding response Disadvantages May bite captives Hard exoskeleton is poorly digested High in fat Varieties Mini, regular, super, giant Availability Pet Stores Online Bait/Feeder Dealers
Canned and Wet-Pack Foods Rating Fair Advantages Commonly available Easy to store and use Disadvantages Usually rejected by caudates Varieties Can-o-crickets, snails, catepillars, etc. Zooplankton (daphnia) Bloodworms in gel Availability Pet Stores
Freeze Dried Worms Rating Fair Advantages Commonly available Disadvantages Not accepted by many caudates Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Less nutritious than frozen or live Varieties Tubifex Cubes Blood worms Availability Pet stores
Frozen Brine Shrimp Rating Fair Advantages Commonly available Easily stored in freezer Disadvantages Not accepted by some caudates Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Not as nutritious as live Contains salt Varieties N.A. Availability Pet stores
Meat and Organ Meat Rating Fair Advantages Commonly available Easily stored in freezer Disadvantages Not accepted by some caudates Not a "natural" food for caudates Mammalian meats are energy-dense and may cause obesity Most varieties lack calcium and vitamins Liver has excessive vitamin A, may cause hypervitaminosis Varieties Beef heart Raw liver Raw steak, chicken, etc. Availability Pet stores Meat markets and groceries
Raw Fish and Shrimp Rating Good to Fair Advantages Commonly available Easily stored in freezer High in protein, low in fat Disadvantages Not accepted by some caudates Not a "natural" food for some caudates Some varieties lack calcium and vitamins Some varieties have a high salt content Varieties Raw fish Raw shrimp Raw shellfish Availability Pet stores Fish markets and groceries
Feeder Fish Rating Poor Advantages Commonly available Disadvantages Some 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 Varieties Goldfish Tuffies Rosies Guppies Availability Pet stores
Mice and Other Rodents Rating Poor Advantages Commonly available Nutritionally complete Disadvantages Not a "natural" food for most caudates Mammalian meats are energy-dense, may cause obesity Only for very large caudates Live rodents may injure caudate Varieties Frozen/Live Pinkies, Fuzzies, Adults Availability Pet stores
Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp and Krill Rating Poor Advantages Commonly available Disadvantages Some have a high salt content Not as nutritious as live/frozen Not for larger or terrestrial caudates Leftover food may foul water easily Varieties N.A. Availability Pet stores
Freeze Dried Crickets and Meal Worms Rating Poor Advantages Commonly available Disadvantages Practically nutritionally void Messy Not accepted by most caudates Not for smaller or terrestrial caudates Varieties N.A. Availability Pet stores
Pellets Rating Good to Poor Advantages Easy to store and use High-quality carnivore pellets are nutritionally complete Commonly used for axolotls Disadvantages Some 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 Varieties Rangen Soft Moist Salmon Pellets (recommended) ReptoMin JurassiDiet HBH Newt & Salamander Bites Availability Pet stores Mail/Internet
Fish Flakes Rating Poor Advantages Easy to store and use Universally available Disadvantages Formulation not correct for caudates Refused by most caudates Inappropriate for terrestrial caudates Flakes not consumed cloud water Contain corn and other unnatural food sources Varieties Many Availability Pet stores
Other Amphibians Rating Inappropriate Advantages Highly nutritious Disadvantages Possible disease vector May cause injury to captives May be toxic Varieties Tadpoles & larvae Small frogs & toads Small newts & salamanders Availability Pet stores Wild caught

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Additional information on amphibian foods and nutrition

CC article Nutritional Values of Amphibian Foods
CC article Microfoods for Caudate Larvae
CC article Worms: The Ideal Food for Caudates
Caudata.org article Daphnia An Aquarist's Guide

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© 2002 Heather Björnebo. Revised by Jennifer Macke & Ed Kowalski, April 2006.

 

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