Question: Caring for eastern tiger salamander during vacation

[Shadowtail117]

Hi all,

I have an eastern tiger salamander who's probably around 2.5 years old. I'm going to be going on vacation for 8 days, and while normally I would have a friend feed him while I'm gone, he's going to be gone as well, so my salamander is probably going to be alone for this vacation. He is well-fed with a mix of crickets and waxworms, and he looks to be at a good body weight, maybe a bit on the heavier side, but I'm not sure what the baseline really looks like.

Would leaving him alone for 8 days be acceptable, assuming I feed and water him plenty beforehand and do the same as soon as I return? The room he's in can be cooled to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which I believe slows a salamander's metabolism down as well. Thanks for any input!

 

[minorhero]

Amphibians can easily go 2 weeks without food assuming they have access to water.

 

[Reccetrooper]

I think the time between feeding depends on the ambient temperature of your salamander enclosure. I live in northern Alberta and keep my two tigers in my den in the basement. The temperature can drop to a low of 54F during the cold winter months. My point is, if you can, lower the ambient temp of your enclosure to around 52 to 58F. This will slow down the body functions for the period of your absence. this won't in any way hurt your Tiger salamander, and they won't need to eat during your absence.