kevin
New member
Hello people –
I’m writing a care sheet on fire salamanders for an exotic pets website; I kept them a few years ago and had everything down pat then, but some of it has escaped me as I’ve wandered into tiger salamanders and leopard geckos…
I have a few parenthesized notes throughout the article, I don’t feel like taking them all out just for posting it here, and the care-related notes/questions/comments I have can draw attention to areas where I need more information, anyways.
I’d appreciate feedback on the veracity of these components in my care sheet (or just general information on these areas if you’re not up to reading the actual article):
- My descriptions of the geographic origin of fire salamanders, and the different subspecies. Was it accurate, and in the context of an article based primarily around describing proper care for fire salamanders, did it give a sufficient explanation of that area of fire salamanders?
- The name myth. I know there’s a story about them coming out of logs as they were placed in bonfires; where/when/who did this myth originate from?
-Substrate types. I recommended leaf litter, and I’m pretty sure I said peat moss was an acceptable choice, as well. Is any of this untrue & what other types of substrates are ideal for fire salamanders?
-How often is it ideal to change the substrate?
-Do they generally handfeed? I seem to remember mostly leaving crickets in with mine, but have you guys had success handfeeding & is it typically doable?
-What sort of calcium/vitamin supplementation schedule do you use?
-If I remember, the frequency of feedings is dictated by temperature – what are the ranges?
-What are ideal temperature ranges for them to be housed at overall?
Thanks a LOT for any feedback you can offer; it’ll definitely be put to good use. Comments on the quality of the writing/structure of the article would be more than welcome as well, although not at all expected.
Article:
Currently one of the most commonly available salamanders in the pet trade and a frequent first time amphibian, the fire salamander is a broad genus with animals from it showing significant variation in both colour and geography.
The common form of fire salamander, salamandra salamandra, originates in most European countries. Other subspecies can be found from Morocco and Algeria to Turkey and Lebanon; because this article is primarily concerned with addressing the needs of captive care for fire salamanders, references will be to the salamandra salamandra species. However, keepers with different types of fire salamander will not find the care for their pets varying significantly from that described here, as the basic needs of the fire salamander apply to all subspecies.
Salamandra salamandra is also known as the ‘European fire salamander’, which is obviously credence to the species’ geographic origins. Visually, most specimens have dark black bodies with vibrant yellow blotches. In the common European fire salamander, the blotches often seem to be arbitrary in their distribution over the body; however, other subspecies of fire salamander often have distinct stripe patterns and colours that are different shades of yellow, from a bright yellow all the way to a deep orange.
(name myth)
Fire salamanders’ natural habitat is mostly deciduous forest, and ideal terrariums in captivity should aim to mimic that environment. Different types of leaf litter, common mosses and pieces of cork or bark can make up the basics of a fire salamander set up (additional types of bedding). Due to the fact that this is a burrowing species of salamander – that is, it must spend a fair portion of its time underground – the substrate must be several inches deep to allow salamanders to completely cover their body when burrowed. The pieces of cork, bark and rock throughout the terrarium serve as hide spots for the salamanders to keep under throughout the day. * changing substrate inre: mold
While fire salamanders are predominantly terrestrial animals – full submergence in water is only necessary for specimens that are breeding (veracity?) – like all amphibians, they do need to be constantly moist. Their moisture needs can be met by ‘misting’ their enclosure on a daily basis; generally, the salamanders won’t be harmed if you need to miss a couple of days’ misting here and there, but it is important that they typically* have some sort of dampness in their terrarium.
Multiple salamanders can be housed together in theory, and in practice often are. A set up that is about 16 X 16 (inches) is sufficient for a pair; it is also important to note that the number of ‘hides’ in the terrarium should reflect the number of salamanders – each salamander should be able to choose from at least one (with two or more being ideal) object/s (grammar) (large rocks, pieces of cork, bark and so on) to hide under alone.
As is the case when it comes to having any two (or more) animals live together, however, there are warning signs that need to be carefully watched out for (awkward). Bullying is a serious problem amongst captive reptile and amphibians, and left out of control it can result in serious health problems for its victim (structure).
A first general rule – and following this eliminates a good portion of all bullying-related issues with captive animals – is that all salamanders housed together must be of roughly similar sizes. This prevents a lot of physical fighting that could otherwise occur, and makes an unequal distribution of food much less likely.
It is also important to monitor food intake. As will be discussed shortly, many fire salamanders, due to their voracious appetites, are happy to hand-feed (true?); this makes knowing exactly which salamander ate how much food very easy. However, when salamanders are unwilling to hand-feed (or when the keeper chooses not to) and instead eat by hunting feeder insects left in the terrarium, it is crucial to ensure that the animals are all growing at roughly similar rates. If one salamander is growing much faster than another, it likely dominates the feeding process and separation is necessary.
A key advantage to keeping fire salamanders – and a core part of their appeal to first time amphibian owners – is the size of their appetite. They are not, unlike some smaller salamanders, finicky eaters and take readily to a variety of commonly available feeder insects.
Many keepers choose to use earthworms as a staple diet. Due to their length, earthworms should be cut into smaller pieces before feeding. Crickets are also a focal part of many healthy specimens’ diets; as is the case with all reptiles and amphibians, it is essential that there is variety in a fire salamander’s diet – fire salamanders are also happy to eat butterworms, silkworms, mealworms and superworms. Waxworms are high in fat and should be fed infrequently – more than a couple times a month is excessive – while several ‘newer’ feeder insects such as phoenix worms and hornworms can be useful parts of a varied diet.
Feeding schedules are largely based on temperature; salamanders at lower temperatures can be fed as little as once a week, whereas salamanders at higher temperatures can be fed three to four times a week.
I’m writing a care sheet on fire salamanders for an exotic pets website; I kept them a few years ago and had everything down pat then, but some of it has escaped me as I’ve wandered into tiger salamanders and leopard geckos…
I have a few parenthesized notes throughout the article, I don’t feel like taking them all out just for posting it here, and the care-related notes/questions/comments I have can draw attention to areas where I need more information, anyways.
I’d appreciate feedback on the veracity of these components in my care sheet (or just general information on these areas if you’re not up to reading the actual article):
- My descriptions of the geographic origin of fire salamanders, and the different subspecies. Was it accurate, and in the context of an article based primarily around describing proper care for fire salamanders, did it give a sufficient explanation of that area of fire salamanders?
- The name myth. I know there’s a story about them coming out of logs as they were placed in bonfires; where/when/who did this myth originate from?
-Substrate types. I recommended leaf litter, and I’m pretty sure I said peat moss was an acceptable choice, as well. Is any of this untrue & what other types of substrates are ideal for fire salamanders?
-How often is it ideal to change the substrate?
-Do they generally handfeed? I seem to remember mostly leaving crickets in with mine, but have you guys had success handfeeding & is it typically doable?
-What sort of calcium/vitamin supplementation schedule do you use?
-If I remember, the frequency of feedings is dictated by temperature – what are the ranges?
-What are ideal temperature ranges for them to be housed at overall?
Thanks a LOT for any feedback you can offer; it’ll definitely be put to good use. Comments on the quality of the writing/structure of the article would be more than welcome as well, although not at all expected.
Article:
Currently one of the most commonly available salamanders in the pet trade and a frequent first time amphibian, the fire salamander is a broad genus with animals from it showing significant variation in both colour and geography.
The common form of fire salamander, salamandra salamandra, originates in most European countries. Other subspecies can be found from Morocco and Algeria to Turkey and Lebanon; because this article is primarily concerned with addressing the needs of captive care for fire salamanders, references will be to the salamandra salamandra species. However, keepers with different types of fire salamander will not find the care for their pets varying significantly from that described here, as the basic needs of the fire salamander apply to all subspecies.
Salamandra salamandra is also known as the ‘European fire salamander’, which is obviously credence to the species’ geographic origins. Visually, most specimens have dark black bodies with vibrant yellow blotches. In the common European fire salamander, the blotches often seem to be arbitrary in their distribution over the body; however, other subspecies of fire salamander often have distinct stripe patterns and colours that are different shades of yellow, from a bright yellow all the way to a deep orange.
(name myth)
Fire salamanders’ natural habitat is mostly deciduous forest, and ideal terrariums in captivity should aim to mimic that environment. Different types of leaf litter, common mosses and pieces of cork or bark can make up the basics of a fire salamander set up (additional types of bedding). Due to the fact that this is a burrowing species of salamander – that is, it must spend a fair portion of its time underground – the substrate must be several inches deep to allow salamanders to completely cover their body when burrowed. The pieces of cork, bark and rock throughout the terrarium serve as hide spots for the salamanders to keep under throughout the day. * changing substrate inre: mold
While fire salamanders are predominantly terrestrial animals – full submergence in water is only necessary for specimens that are breeding (veracity?) – like all amphibians, they do need to be constantly moist. Their moisture needs can be met by ‘misting’ their enclosure on a daily basis; generally, the salamanders won’t be harmed if you need to miss a couple of days’ misting here and there, but it is important that they typically* have some sort of dampness in their terrarium.
Multiple salamanders can be housed together in theory, and in practice often are. A set up that is about 16 X 16 (inches) is sufficient for a pair; it is also important to note that the number of ‘hides’ in the terrarium should reflect the number of salamanders – each salamander should be able to choose from at least one (with two or more being ideal) object/s (grammar) (large rocks, pieces of cork, bark and so on) to hide under alone.
As is the case when it comes to having any two (or more) animals live together, however, there are warning signs that need to be carefully watched out for (awkward). Bullying is a serious problem amongst captive reptile and amphibians, and left out of control it can result in serious health problems for its victim (structure).
A first general rule – and following this eliminates a good portion of all bullying-related issues with captive animals – is that all salamanders housed together must be of roughly similar sizes. This prevents a lot of physical fighting that could otherwise occur, and makes an unequal distribution of food much less likely.
It is also important to monitor food intake. As will be discussed shortly, many fire salamanders, due to their voracious appetites, are happy to hand-feed (true?); this makes knowing exactly which salamander ate how much food very easy. However, when salamanders are unwilling to hand-feed (or when the keeper chooses not to) and instead eat by hunting feeder insects left in the terrarium, it is crucial to ensure that the animals are all growing at roughly similar rates. If one salamander is growing much faster than another, it likely dominates the feeding process and separation is necessary.
A key advantage to keeping fire salamanders – and a core part of their appeal to first time amphibian owners – is the size of their appetite. They are not, unlike some smaller salamanders, finicky eaters and take readily to a variety of commonly available feeder insects.
Many keepers choose to use earthworms as a staple diet. Due to their length, earthworms should be cut into smaller pieces before feeding. Crickets are also a focal part of many healthy specimens’ diets; as is the case with all reptiles and amphibians, it is essential that there is variety in a fire salamander’s diet – fire salamanders are also happy to eat butterworms, silkworms, mealworms and superworms. Waxworms are high in fat and should be fed infrequently – more than a couple times a month is excessive – while several ‘newer’ feeder insects such as phoenix worms and hornworms can be useful parts of a varied diet.
Feeding schedules are largely based on temperature; salamanders at lower temperatures can be fed as little as once a week, whereas salamanders at higher temperatures can be fed three to four times a week.
