Problem:
My local nature center had 2 tiger sals that nobody could ever SEE because they would always dig down into the coco-fiber substrate and stay there. I offered to redo the setup to make the salamanders more visible, together with some bahavior modification to make them more tame.
Features of the new setup:
Photos:
My local nature center had 2 tiger sals that nobody could ever SEE because they would always dig down into the coco-fiber substrate and stay there. I offered to redo the setup to make the salamanders more visible, together with some bahavior modification to make them more tame.
Features of the new setup:
- Substrate is a mix of coco fiber and top soil - less diggable, so hopefully the tigers will not completely hide in it.
- I made an underground "viewing area" using black PVC tubing and elbows. The PVC pipe was cut open longwise (thanks, hubby) and placed along the glass on the front and side of the tank. It's a sort of simulated animal burrow.
- I placed black poster board on the outside of the glass where the tubes were placed, so that the underground area stays dark. Visitors can lift the flap to view the sals.
- The other features of their setup were kept largely the same (water bowl, small plant in a pot).
- Stopped feeding them crickets and mealworms. If the crickets were nibbling the sals, this may have contributed to their staying underground.
- Started feeding with worms, by forceps, in the hopes of making the animals more tame. So far, they will take the worms, but it will take some time to make them associate food with people.
Photos:
