My first Ambystoma maculatum!

[morrissey]

Hello!
Here's my first Ambystoma maculatum, as I said before, I saw it in the pet shop with real bad and dirty condition, so I wanted to give them some advice...but finally the shop keeper keep promoting it to me and i got it home.
Here's 2 photos of it, since i'm new to spotted salamander, so I'm not sure for many things, should I treat him like Tiger Salamander too?
I use water now since the shop keeping him in about 4" water deep for several months, I'm planning to change soil basement but I think i should make it step by step. He's a little fussy guy, whenever I get close to the tank, he's a bit scared and running...

 

[travis]

It will be good to transition him to a terrestrial setup. I don't see any reason why it needs to be a gradual process. I think he would do fine right off the bat....

 

[cameron]

That is very true. They spend most of their lives underground and avoid water until breeding season in early spring. Otherwise they are very terrestrial and where I live they can only be found deep underground but a small pool of water in the exhibit would not hurt it.

 

[jacob]

definitely get it some more land!

 

[morrissey]

Hi all!
Thanks a lot of the advice! I just bought my Ambystoma maculatum a new tank today, with soil based and moss. He seems love it and hiding into it once I put him inside! LOL!

Here are some pictures!

 

[cameron]

Nice job! Now Sean will feel right at home.

 

[annmarie]

Morrisey, You always have such lovely caudates!

Great looking A.maculatum Good luck with Sean.

 

[morrissey]

Ha! Thanks Cam & Ann,

I'm only trying my best.

By the way, I'm currently feeding him with crickets, and actually how often should I feed him? He's a small one, and around 12cm long, I have been told that he's around 1 years old.

He's kind of quiet, I don't see him moving at all but only lay down for the whole day!

 

[mark]

I keep mine in storage tubs with about 4 inches of topsoil. Sunk into the soil are black plastic tubes at an angle, about 4cm in diameter and 20cm long to make a fake burrow. The salamanders spend all day hiding deep in their burrows and poke their heads out at night to wait for food.

Crickets are accepted but make sure you don't leave uneaten ones in the enclosure. They have a nasty habit of chewing and you don't want them to chew on your sal. I feed a mix of earthworms, crickets, waxworm, and mealworm - mostly using tweezers.

 

[cameron]

Probably one cricket each day. Four days a week. That should do the job and as Mark said " don't leave uneaten ones in the enclosure." Good Luck!

 

[morrissey]

Thanks Mark & Cameron,

It;s really helpful!

Morrissey

 

[dane]

i feed mine a decent sized worm every couple of days, and there are pillbugs in to tank for mine