Can feeding by A. maculatum on large prey cause choking?

[Bill B]

Hi,

I am now quite sure that the larva I collected near the beginning of July of this year is Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander - yellow spots). It, I think, has been eating tiny fruitflies. I put a small cricket yesterday, and salamander tackled and ate it. I figured it would and could not eat the whole thing, but tear off pieces. The sallie still seems OK. Can it choke on large items? Also, I had a small Gray Treefrog die after eating a bunch of small crickets, perhaps because of ruptured stomach? I don't quite know why. The treefrog apparently didn't know how much food was too much. Could this happen with the (yellow) Spotted Salamander?

Bill

 

[igor]

I think he'll be fine. I raised some Jefferson salamander larvae, which are now little salamanders, and the little one - who only morphed 3 weeks ago - is a voracious eater who will sometimes grab a larger cricket meant for a larger sibling (some of them morphed back in May and are quite a good size). I've worried about the size of some of his "catches," but he always ends up being fine. :happy: