Feeding help with my tiger salamander

[snowflake]

i have read so much, now im just confused, the guy at the petsmart is not very helpful, they have every kind of worm stocked and he said the only one i could feed him was the meal worms, which i just read those are hard to digest? he likes crickets sometimes, but i want to know the best worm to give for his normal feeding...he likes the mealworms, i hand feed him and he begs, its cute and i have read that they should only eat every 2-3 days...how many worms or crickets do i put in the cage and how often? and how long do i give him to eat, i read to put the food in at night, but i also read not to leave uneaten food in the tank??? thanks!

 

[Nathan050793]

You're right in that mealworms are difficult to digest. Crickets too are nutritionally lacking unless dusted with vitamin powder. Your best bet would be to start feeding night-crawlers (earthworms) either whole, or chopped. They are readily accepted and are nutritionally complete- they may even sell them at petsmart.

You could probably feed every other day, or every two days, giving only as much as your salamander is willing to eat in about 20 minutes time. And yes, make sure to remove any uneaten food!

Good Luck!

 

[snowflake]

i went to petsmart and got some night crawlers, they told me to keep them in the fridge, is this true? we gave it to him whole, he attacked it the second i put it in the cage, it looked huge but he ate all of it, if you chop it up first what is the best way to do this? do you kill it first? i could hardly watch him eat it, i felt bad for the worm

 

[snowflake]

and another question i have, do salamanders like to be alone or do they prefer to have a cage mate? we purchased a 20gallon long for him, and it looks like it would be plenty of room for two in there, i would like to get another one but only if they would get along, and does it matter male or female, i dont really want them breeding, i woudnt know how to take care of the babies or eggs. i think mine might be a female, but im not completely sure. and can you mix two different kinds together, like a marble salamander and a gray tiger salamander?

 

[Kaysie]

Nightcrawlers/earthworms do just fine in the fridge. They'll last for months.

To cut them up, use a sharp knife (non-serrated is best), or a pair of sharp scissors. You don't have to do anything to the worm as preparation. But if he can eat the worms whole, I wouldn't worry about it. As for the worms, I hope it's consolation that they don't feel pain as we know pain. It's all a part of the circle of life.

Salamanders are solitary creatures. They don't require any tank-mates. A 20-long is fine for 2 tiger salamanders. You will not be able to breed them; there are less than a handful of records for captive breeding of tiger salamanders, and all of those were people who tried REALLY hard to get them to breed. And no, you cannot mix species. Tigers are voracious predators, and they would make a meal out of any other species, especially timid marbled salamanders!

 

[bubonj]

Sorry to kind've sideline this post, but I think its related.

My sally has been fed crickets for most of her life, dust and all. But I've decided to start feeding her nightcrawlers after I realized that they are just better in everyway possible.

Only problem now is she doesn't seem every responsive to them at all. I have only successfully fed her one worm, and since then she hasn't eaten at all. With crickets I would never hand feed her, but now with worms I don't really know any other way. I use tongs to hold with worms and literally dangle it infront of her and try to nudge her snout with them, she might take interest in it but doesn't snap and if she does she either misses or doesn't get bite enough of it and the worm gets away. Is the handfeeding stressing her out? Shes quite large now too at the very least 8inches tail to nose so I don't think the nightcrawlers are too large.

Any advice? I'm starting to get concerned, its almost been a week since shes eaten and I am almost ready to give up on the worms since I literally stand there for an hour for nothing to happen.

Regards.

 

[Jan]

It can sometimes be hard for a tiger to lunge at a dangling worm while being hand fed. I've found that when this doesn't work, I entice the tiger by dangling the worm in front of its snout. Then when it appears interested, I place the worm next to it, on a flat piece of driftwood or other smooth surface (so the worm doesn't burrow into the substrate). This grabs its attention and usually works. Set this up prior to offering the worm.

I've also observed that some tigers just never take to worms especially when historically fed a diet of crickets/other insects.

If the tiger is of healthy weight....one week without eating is nothing to be concerned with. In the winter, I've noticed that tigers can have a sluggish appetite, especially if this is coupled with lower ambient temperatures.

 

[snowflake]

mine has been doing great, he wouldnt take the earthworm from my hand, he would snap at it but couldnt get it, so i would show it to him and then lay it down and he eats them up...is it okay to give them to him cold? i keep them in the fridge, i wasnt sure if i should leave it out to let it get to room temp.? he doesnt seem to care weither way...here is a pic of the little guy begging and also, how do you keep the substrate moist? i just spray it down once or twice a day but it gets really dry fast, its really cold here so we have the house heater on at around 70-72 so i think that probably why? should i get a fogger or something?

 

[Jan]

To keep the substrate moist, start with a moisture retentive substrate. Tigers are mole salamanders and the type of substrate used should allow for burrowing and be at least 4 inches in depth. Think about changing the substrate to soil without any additives or chemicals, or coco-fiber blocks that have been reconsituted or a 50/50 mix of both. This provides for a substrate that will retain the required moisture and provide a substrate needed for burrowing. Misting may only be required once a week at 70F.

Cold worms are fine.

 

[BubblyKix]

yes u do refridgerate them i have baby crawlers and canadian first im using the baby but when i get to the canadian i will chopp them to smaller pieces i have done this b4 and it doesnt make a difference so good luck

 

[jhunter]

jan, i saw you said no coco fiber substrate, i use a substrate wich has that in it is it bad for them? my substrates holds the moisture very well bran is eco earth but im wondering, is the coco fiber itself bad for them?

 

[herbaltree]

cocofibre is a good substrate to use. I think Jan meant use soil without additives and chemicals OR use cocofibre. It holds moisture well

 

[Coastal Groovin]

Buy your worms at Walmart. They are cheaper. Always look inside to check they are alive.