Marbled secretions

[k.]

I had a friend of mine report to me her findings from this weekend. She related a defensive behavior I was unaware of...
"It slimed me like a spotted slimy would...white slime visibly oozed out of its skin on its tail!"

Apparently no rough handling was involved, but it was picked up. What is the significance of this behavior, and just how common it is? My limited exposure to opacum in the wild has not afforded me this experience!

The picture below is the marbled in question, in case you had any doubts out its ID. You can actually see some of the slime on its tail

 

[nate]

Hi Kory, that's the defensive secretions that all Ambystoma are capable of secreting. It does feel slimy and they do lash it at predators like shrews when being attacked.

Apparently it did not like being picked up.

 

[k.]

Thanks
I should have specified that it doesn't surprise me to find an amphibian secreting noxious fluids, I simply hadn't heard of it in Marbleds.