Herp-noob checking in.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/members/swampape-albums-herb.html

Here are pics of Herb's growth and his new tank. He's getting a little fat, but growing very quickly.

swampape-albums-herb-picture18712-herb1.jpg
 
Lookin' good! It's amazing how fast they grow, eh?
 
I rescued one with a damaged tail a couple years ago. When I got him, he was barely morphed. Within a year, he is the second-biggest of the group, pushing 9 inches.
 
That's a lot of growth in a short amount of time. Herb is a healthy little guy with a great appetite. I know more what to expect with his growth, now. How big was your injured one, at first? Herb was morphed and 5in. when I got him.

I'm impressed with him getting bigger almost by the day. Crickets are like Cheetos. Worms would be the steak. He's gotten a little fatter, but definitely not obese. I have no doubt he could down a pinkie with his appetite.

Herb has been exploring his new digs. He's got a few tunnels dug out now and completely dug up around the big rock. They have to be related to dachsunds :bowl:
 
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The little dude (Spartacus, or Toadstool, depending on who you ask, lol) was maybe 4 inches, definitely no bigger than 5. I got him as a rescue.

Pinkies are fine in moderation, as they provide a good source of calcium. Growing juveniles can be fed a lot more than adults, as they put all of their energy toward growing bigger, rather than growing rounder.
 
He ate his first pinkie today and hasn't moved much since. That little guy was done in under 2 minutes.
 
I left for a week, two weeks ago. When I got back, I ate something bad in the fridge and spent the other week in the hospital. (I'm ok.) Herb had one worm and two crickets in that time span until I got home yesterday. Was he ever hungry! 12 inches of earthworms later and he's a happy critter. He is approaching 7 inches, now. His water was a worry over that timespan, but he appears to be just fine.

He has grown about two inches and I have yet to ever see him shed. I figured it might be one shedding per inch as well, but not so far. Thoughts?
 
Well, don't many salamanders, toads, frogs, and newts eat their shed skin? I've witness this in toads multiple times and have seen my newts easting their shed skin as well.
 
That's what I understand as well. I thought I'd see it, though. I have only ever seen snakes shed and that takes a few days.

Here's a vid of his first pinkie mouse meal.

[youtube]XsxfcewlP0Q[/youtube]
 
He's shedding right now. I wondered when I would see it. It's pretty interesting. There was this bubble of skin on his nose that he kept blowing up and making bigger. He's peeling a bit like an onion. He also seems a little perturbed, but is making good use of the big rock I put in his waterdish. Length is now 7.25in.
 
Most herps start their shed at their noses. Some come off in patches, while others peel off like a glove. Fascinating to watch, but remember Herb feels very vulnerable right now.

And will soon return to being the living exemplar of what Ambystoma means in Latin. :)
 
He had some worm after he was done and looks normal now. He looks a little segmented in the belly and not quite so "amphibian" smooth like he was. Is that what he looks like fresh out of the wrapper?

He's not obese but is definitely a little fatter than when I got him. He's got a bigger head and jaws on him now. It's very interesting to watch him grow.
 
I've found mine tend to get a little wrinkly when they shed. They just soak for a bit and smooth back out.
 
Herb shed again. Is this normal? I never see it then see him do it twice in a week. He is looking more like an adult and growing like a weed...err...bratwurst actually. He's a little hefty and not obese, maybe near a 1/2lb? He can finish an 8in worm in two sections in 3 days. BTW, he is attached to his waterdish like a cat and a blanket. He's in there for a few days, and his hit hut for a few days. Rinse. Repeat.

It is very cold outside so I figured he would pack on some fat and slow down. He did that, but this is a funny little growth spurt to watch. His growth has been a 1/4in. per week for 8 weeks, now at 7.5in. The weight that he's put on was what I noticed the most. Should these be fed less in the winter?
 
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If he's growing that quickly, I'm not surprised he's shedding fairly frequently. That skin's constricting!

My tigers have the same routine. They'll be in their burrows with their heads poking out from under the water dish for a few days, then they'll rotate between who's soaking in the dish. Usually it's the big female. She's a bully. But she lets the boys in once in a while.

During the winter, they usually beg for less food. But it depends on how warm it is, really. Being exothermic, the warmer they are, the more food they need, and vice versa. So if his tank is significantly cooler than it was in previous months, you can probably cut back on the food. Also, if at any point he can't put all 4 feet on the ground, you can probably cut back on the food then as well. ;)
 
He's sworn off pinkies since he yakked one up. The last two I have tried he won't eat. I think I should maybe start dusting his crickets to get calcium into his system. If he's a growing boy, I just want to feed him right. His feet definitely still touch the ground ;). Worms and crickets are by far his two favorites.
 
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Gross. One time I borrowed a snake for an event and the dude had fed it a rat like, 2 days before. My car smelled terrible for like a week.

Earthworms are pretty calcium/phosphorus balanced. Get some good quality cricket dust or gutload and Herb should be set.
 
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What is the wintertime behavior of these animals? Do they just not move much but don't actually hibernate? I left for a week and had the heat on it's lowest setting of 50F, but it snowed sideways outside and got really cold while I was gone. I got back yesterday and he still hasn't come out or eaten. I gut loaded Herb a little before I left and I figure he's slowed down a bit while metabolizing in the cold. It's usually around 65 in here in the winter. He shed again while I was gone. He'll look back at me but hasn't come out of his cave. He looks comfy.

I missed that adorable little face full of dirt :lol:.

(edit--and of course as soon as I post this he comes out to shed again.)
 
They don't actually hibernate. They just kind of... slow down. If it got down to 50F or colder, I'm not surprised he's not as spunky as usual. He'll perk up when the temp comes back up a little.
 
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