Newts are amphibians belonging to the salamander family, defined by an exclusively carnivorous diet. The specific organisms they consume depend heavily on their current habitat, which shifts between aquatic and terrestrial environments, and their stage of growth. A newt’s menu is an ongoing reflection of the small invertebrates available in its immediate surroundings.
Core Dietary Components in the Wild
In the wild, newts are opportunistic predators, consuming any small invertebrate they can successfully capture. Their varied diet is composed primarily of soft-bodied prey and slow-moving insect forms. Aquatic newts frequently consume small crustaceans, such as water fleas and copepods, encountered while swimming in ponds and slow-moving water sources.
Terrestrial adult newts and juveniles primarily hunt among damp leaf litter and under logs, focusing on land-based invertebrates. Common prey items include small earthworms, slugs, snails, and various insect larvae, beetles, and spiders. On land, they capture prey using a quick, sticky tongue mechanism. Newts always target the most numerous and manageable prey species present in their ecosystem, constrained by size.
Dietary Shifts Based on Life Stage
A newt’s life involves a significant transformation in appearance and habitat, which directly influences its feeding habits. The three distinct stages—larva, eft, and adult—each require different food sources available in their specific environments. This cyclical change ensures the newt utilizes resources best suited to its current size and location.
Larvae (Aquatic)
Newt larvae hatch in the water with external gills, immediately feeding on microscopic aquatic organisms. Their diet consists mainly of microfauna and zooplankton, such as rotifers and planktonic crustaceans. As they grow, larvae graduate to slightly larger prey, including mosquito larvae and the fry of other aquatic insects. This diet provides the necessary protein for rapid growth before metamorphosis.
Efts (Terrestrial Juveniles)
After metamorphosis, the juvenile newt (eft) moves onto land, shifting its diet entirely to terrestrial invertebrates. Efts are often found in woodland areas, hunting among moist leaf litter and under bark. Their smaller size dictates they hunt tiny prey like mites, springtails, and minute insects that inhabit the soil surface.
Aquatic Adults (Breeding Phase)
When the eft reaches maturity, it returns to the water to breed, shifting its diet back to aquatic prey. These adult newts consume larger items than larvae, including small tadpoles and the eggs of fish and other amphibians. They also feed on aquatic insect larvae, such as midges, and small mollusks.
Feeding Newts in Captivity
Providing a suitable diet for pet newts involves mimicking the variety and nutritional quality of their natural, carnivorous diet. The most appropriate foods are typically live or frozen, as newts are primarily stimulated to eat by movement or scent. Earthworms, especially nightcrawlers cut into manageable pieces, are widely regarded as a nutritionally complete staple food for adult newts.
Frozen and thawed foods are a necessary component of a captive diet, providing variety and convenience. Common options include frozen bloodworms, tubifex worms, and brine shrimp, which should be completely thawed before being offered. Live blackworms and white worms are also excellent choices, although white worms should be fed sparingly due to their higher fat content.
Commercial pellets specifically formulated for carnivorous amphibians are available and can be offered, though some newts may refuse them in favor of live or frozen prey. Nutritional supplementation is sometimes necessary, especially for growing juveniles or breeding adults. This involves lightly dusting feeder insects with a calcium and vitamin D3 powder to ensure proper bone development and overall health.