What Red spotted Newts Eat

My quick answer for impatient viewers:

 My newts eat scuds, worms and isopods for now. 

The rest of the video is for adventurous observers who digs for helpful details. 

Almost a year long search for Red-spotted newts seems like plenty of time to get everything ready.

 I read scientific papers about Eastern newts to get ideas of what my newts may need. 

And surely, I prepared a paludarium for newts long in advance. 

Supplying food for newts is the most crucial part of the preparation. 

One really never knows what new pets will eat until they try the food.

 I populated the tank with breeding Endlers fish assuming newts feed on fish as was mentioned in papers I read. 

My Red-spotted newts do not eat fish.

 And there are plenty of babies and adult fish for newts to choose from. 

With 3 newts in the tank the fish population keeps increasing. 

I also populated the tank with scuds (also known as Gammarus) and black worms. 

Well, it seems that Red-spotted newts like those.

 Here you can see a newt is hunting on a scud or a black worm. 

The first week or so, my newts have been roaming the bottom of the tank consistently. 

Here is another instance of a newt hunting on aquatic critters. 

In the following weeks, I have not seen scuds or black worms anymore in the tank. 

I pick ladybugs among different insects and critters in the park for my newts to try. 

Well, somehow this newt did not notice ladybugs on the first try. 

Though, I noticed something...on the bottom of the tank. 

The other two newts are fighting! 

It looks more like a wrestling match at this point.

 It is the first time I observed a fight among my newts. 

Let's trim off the long standoff part to save your time. 

I assume the fight distracted the first newt from ladybugs. 

So, let's give ladybugs another try...

 Okay, this time the newt noticed ladybugs right away. 

I can see the newt is moving closer to ladybugs. 

The newt kind of sniffs ladybugs... but avoids touching them.

 He-he. A ladybug lands on the newt and the newt makes funny moves shaking the ladybug off. 

The newt grabs an air bubble - all Red spotted newt do it once in a while.

 Okay, this newt turns away from ladybugs. 

Another newt came to check on the first deposit of ladybugs. 

A ladybug rides on the newt back. 

The newt seems to be terrified of the ladybug. 

Newts probably know better than to mess with anything colored orange or red. 

After all, newts have those red spots to ward off enemies too. 

Okay, newts don't eat ladybugs.

 Next I let my newts try termites. 

Top feeding Endlers show interest in termites.

 Though, newts never show up for tasting termites. 

And honestly, I was wary about bringing termites in my apartment. 

Now, let's give millipedes a try.

The newt noticed the millipede right away.

 It looks like the millipede managed to escape this time.

 Let's try it again. 

This time the millipede has no place to hide.

 The newt takes a very close look at the millipede...and lets it go. 

I feed my fish with homemade fish food flakes.

Fish get very excited and swim energetically during feeding time.

Newts often come to investigate the cause of fish activity. 

Newts surely can sense the dry fish food. 

Though, I never saw my newts try any of the various homemade fish food I provide. 

I've been culturing Isopods as part of preparation for feeding newts in the terrestrial stage of development.

 My fish also eat small sized baby Isopods.

 Let's drop adult Isopod for newts to try it. 

Wow! The newt responds instantly, attacking the isopod. 

But the isopod managed to escape. 

Let's drop another isopod. 

Yeah, the newt is certainly going after isopods. 

Ha! That's a funny development in the hunting game. 

The newt hit and missed the isopod. 

And now the isopod is escaping by walking on the back of the newt :)

 Alright, the newt shakes off the isopod. 

And the isopod is sinking down.

 You can see the fish is following the isopod. 

The terrestrial isopods stay alive underwater for 5-10 minutes or so. 

Okay, let's drop another isopod. 

It is the third attempt. 

And the newt caught the isopod.  

This time for certain - Red spotted newts eat isopods.

Now let's give worms a try. 

Here I see a newt...would it bite the worm? 

Oh! The attack came faster than I expected!

 So, let's drop the worm. 

O yes! Red spotted newts do not hesitate when they see worms.

 Eastern or Red-spotted newts do not have teeth.

 So, it takes time for a newt to swallow a long worm. 

And here is the isopod still running around. 

One of the newts will get that isopod eventually or fish and snails will eat later. 

So, my wild caught Red spotted newts feed on live food only. 

So far I've been feeding newts with scuds, worms, and isopods.

 Feeding newts is very engaging and entertaining and time consuming.

 I am going to share details in future videos about feeding newts and culturing the food for newts.

 Have fun and happy Newts :)