Question: Fire Salamander Help Part 2 - Voluntary Hibernation???

[Gregory Horne]

Hey all,

Need a little help more with my fire salamander. I've had snakes and lizards before, but this is my first amphibian. I got him 4 months ago, he has eaten very little, although he is not skinny. He used to pop his head out of his hide at night. However, as of late he has not ventured out of his hide. At first I got worried and decided to dig him out to see if he was ok....and he seemed to be. However I am concerned about the lack of eating combined with the 'self-imposed' hiding/hibernating. His tank is sufficiently moist and the temperature is always between 16-20oC. I have read plenty but am unable to find an answer to my worries/problems with him.

Is this normal?

Is there such thing as voluntary hibernation with regards to fire salamanders?

Could someone please help me?

Many thanks

Greg

 

[Bellabelloo]

Hi Greg.
My Fire salamanders go through spells where they rarely venture out, mine hide all over the place. I see most activity when it has rained, they come stomping out when it is dark and go looking for food. Even winter time when there has been snow on the ground I have seen them out. ( they are in an outdoor enclosure). I feed mine live earthworms and woodlice.. these just get chucked in.
The soil doesn't need to be too moist, I wonder if you let it dry out a bit and then maybe spray lightly with water , that your little salamander may venture out?
What are you currently feeding?

 

[Gregory Horne]

Cheers!

His standard food has been a mixture of crickets and hoppers, although I have tried fruit flies, fruit beetle grubs, calci-worms, and normal worms, all to somewhat little effect....I think.

Greg

 

[Aplestris]

Hi
I only see mine out at night or in the evening. As he is outdoors the temperature dropped to around 5 degrees Celsius at night in April and March ( I brought him indoors during the winter although it never dropped below 0c ) and that was when I found him 'hibernating'; curled up under his piece of driftwood and didn't really react so much. I don't think yours is however, he sounds shy to me and the temperature is not really cool for them.
Do you have a light over the tank during the day? That might make him more reclusive..
Mine is an amazing eater. The first time I tried feeding him he ate viciously (he was a juvenile last year but is like 14cm now, not sure if he's sexually mature though). How do you feed yours? I just drop a small worm in front of him as he tries to move away and as soon as he sees it he pounces.

 

[Gregory Horne]

Good afternoon Alplestris,

Many thanks for your response.

With regards to lighting, I do not use lights with any of my animals as they are/were nocturnal (kenyan sandboa, leopard gecko, and now the fire salamander). I keep Boba (the fire salamander) in an area of the front room that has minimal direct sunlight, but enough to indicate day and night.

With regards to temperature, I am aware it is at the higher end of his tolerance, although most of the literature indicates that this acceptable. To compensate, Boba's substrate is moist cocoa husk and I've installed some cooling packs on the outside of his vivarium.

In terms of feeding, the crickets and locusts run rampant (which I think he is eating). The various other things I've tried to feed him I have dangled them and just dropped them in front of him. He shows some interest and then ignores them.

I think you may be right on the shyness aspect.

Cheers

Greg