Ambystoma Laterale

[richard]

Does anyone here keep Ambystoma Laterale(Blue Spotted Sal)? Am iI correct in assuming that the conditions(special requirements?) in which i should keep mine are similar to Ambystoma Maculatum? I have found both in the wild? Are people discouraged from trying to keep these species as Caudata.org has no real helpful information on them in Caudata Culture. Is this just due to lack of interest?

 

[kaysie]

Richard, most ambystomatid salamanders have similar care. If you've read the tiger sal care sheet, then you basically know how to take care of all ambystomatids.

Obviously blue-spotteds need smaller food than tigers, but otherwise it's just the same.

I have 2 myself. What they lack in size, they make up for in personality. These two are the most outgoing of all my ambystomatids. Everyone adores them.

 

[richard]

I love them too, but its sad to see their steady decline around where I live. each year they get harder to find I only found about 25 this summer.(Its not illegal to collect them from the wild is it? in Canada anyway? I only have one)
anyway thanks cause its a relief to know that I'm in the clear for taking care of him.

 

[kaysie]

I couldn't say about Canadian law, but in Michigan, you need a fishing license and can only collect 10 a season (at least as of last year). I know of a couple breeding ponds where I find hundreds of them. I'm thankful they're still plentiful around here.

 

[caudatadude28]

There are breeding ponds next to me also. I have collected a couple and they have morphed in a month and a half of care. They are about one inch to two inches long. I wanted tigers, so i am letting them go.

 

[Talen]

Regarding the care for blue spotted salamanders, I've had success keeping 5 of them in a damp (almost flooded sometimes) terrarium with a deep moss cover. They seem to enjoy making tunnels above my substrate and in the moss layer to hide and ambush crickets and insects as they walk past the tunnel entrances. I have used both fake rock hides and natural tree bark and they like to hide in both easily enough, but seem to prefer that the hides are submerged in the moss.

Regarding Canadian law, you are allowed to keep 1 animal of any species, so long as it's not considered endangered, but only 1...ie: 1 blue spotted salamander and nothing else...or 1 native toad and nothing else, etc...no breeding, sales, etc...without permission from the government