Is this good enough for A. Maculatum

[amkid247]

i have one spotted salamander who metamorphosed completely in august. hes only grown slightly since then but im just making sure his home is adequate for the time being. its one of those plastic pet houses with the colored plastic cover, its the size under the five gallon, maybe two or three?
anyway he seems happy, he doesn't really come out of that coconut shell besides the other night when i noticed his head poking out before i went to bed, only to see him in the same position when i awoke.
Again im just asking if this is a good enough habitat for him until he grows.

• the first picture is just an extreme closeup!

 

[John]

What's the substrate? Eco earth? I prefer real, additive free, top soil over eco earth but it looks fine to me. Maybe slightly dry?

 

[newtamander]

I found Cypress Mulch works great for Spotteds.

 

[tylototriton]

I have to agree with John. I've used Eco Earth, and I think its ok for a lot of species, but it doesn't hold moisture. I would mix it topsoil or some other moisture holding material. Otherwise, you're off to a good start. You have a hide, which is really important for Ambystoma. So basically, it looks good, but i would add some other moisture holding substrate as well.

Best of Luck,
Alex

 

[amkid247]

its not eco earth but it is coconut bedding, before i put the bedding in i drenched it with water, and than squeezed out the water in handfulls. along with misting every morning the moss holds some moisture as well, but i am trying to get some top soil because i had a mold problem with my orginal setup.

 

[tylototriton]

Sounds like a good plan. You're off to a very good start.

 

[amkid247]

awesome ^_^ thanks guys!

 

[Jan]

I have to agree with John. I've used Eco Earth, and I think its ok for a lot of species, but it doesn't hold moisture. I would mix it topsoil or some other moisture holding material. Otherwise, you're off to a good start. You have a hide, which is really important for Ambystoma. So basically, it looks good, but i would add some other moisture holding substrate as well.

Best of Luck,
Alex

Hi Alex
As a point of discussion, my experience is that Eco Earth and other such products e.g., Bed-a-Beast provide a great deal of moisture retentive properties to a viv's substrate. I use the compressed blocks that have to be reconstituted with water -4 liters to a block provide a nice, moist fluffy substrate for my ambystomatids. I have used this both alone and mixed with organic top soil. I change my substrate every couple of months. During that time period, the substrate stays moist with infrequent mistings. The loose coco-fiber sold in 8 qt bags (also called Eco Earth), is a dry substance and I have never used this product.


John
As a matter of curiosity, why do you prefer soil?

 

[Mark]

As a matter of curiosity, why do you prefer soil?

I prefer soil because it supports a wide range of micro fauna. Many of these will process waste material - very handy in a terrarium environment. I don’t have any data to support the theory but I doubt shredded coco fibre can support the same bacteria, fungi, algae, nematodes, protozoa and insect life that soil does. If you’re changing your substrate every few weeks this may not matter so much. Many of my larger terrestrial tanks get soil changed once or twice a year.

Can't speak for John though...

 

[tylototriton]

My experience has been with the bagged "forest bedding." I'm not really sure what brand. Its very possible I didn't saturate it enough, but it just seemed so dry. I prefer top soil, or a mix of top soil and something else for a lot of reasons. I like the way it holds moisture, I find that plants grow easier in it, and like Mark said, it supports a lot of microorganisms that the cocofibre beddings probably dont. Thats just my personal preference. Oh, and one other factor, its usually free.

Alex

 

[John]

Can't speak for John though...

On the contrary, you can.

 

[Jan]

I prefer soil because it supports a wide range of micro fauna. Many of these will process waste material - very handy in a terrarium environment. I don’t have any data to support the theory but I doubt shredded coco fibre can support the same bacteria, fungi, algae, nematodes, protozoa and insect life that soil does. If you’re changing your substrate every few weeks this may not matter so much. Many of my larger terrestrial tanks get soil changed once or twice a year.

Can't speak for John though...

Thanks Mark - your response is what I would have anticipated. I would agree that for longer lengths between substrate changes e.g., once a year, soil would provide benefits that coco-fiber probably does not. With changing substrate every ~ 8 weeks and weekly spot cleaning for shed skin/feces, coco-fiber works well. I have a bias against fungus gnats that seem to appear if I let the substrate go longer than a few months before changing.

 

[amkid247]

well what i did with the coconut bedding seemed to have worked better than just misting alone, it has held water much better than my last setup, which also grew mold. the moss does dry out a few hours after misting but the bedding stays moist all day long until my next spray. i do understand the bacterial benefit of topsoil and it makes complete sense. i'm going to pick up a bag soon.

 

[dane_zu]

It looks good, but I'd put in a hide that is closer to the ground, maybe a large piece of flat bark, spotteds love their privacy.

 

[onetwentysix]

You might have some luck with a PVC pipe; I've had animals utilize these pretty well. You could even cut some in half to make a tunnel, and then silicone it to the side of the tank for viewability, though something like this would do better in a 10 gallon or larger tank. Ten gallon tanks generally aren't too expensive, unless you need to buy a lot of them. For a lid, you could buy a screen and tape plastic wrap to it (unattractive, around $10), get a hood and lid (~$20-30), or get some glass cut at Lowes or another store, which works pretty well too, though you might want to leave some ventilation area to cover with screen if you go this route.

Not that I'm saying your current setup won't work; I guess I'm just kind of running with an idea I'd like to try some time in the future.

 

[amkid247]

Well yes his little plastic place is only temporary. I want to get him a critter cage! and then I'll make what ever customizations to the top screen to help retain humidity. What size should I buy for him? For his final size that is.

 

[Kaysie]

The downside to Critter Cages (at least the lids) is that they're plastic, and they do tend to break down over time. They don't line up well or lock if you use them frequently. A couple of my 'show' tanks (tanks I take to do outreach events) have these lids, and they're really kind of a hassle.

I much prefer plain metal mesh lids.

 

[newtamander]

You should get him a 10g. glass tank. Critter keepers I only use for temporary setups.

 

[Griffin8891]

I think for now the plastic container should be fine. There is one at my work that we have had for 15+ years and its in an enclosure that is smaller than a 10 gal tank. If it grows and if you feel the little guy looks cramped than upgrade it.