New here AND to Salamanders

[Bryman]

Hello all, id like to start out by saying that.

NOW down to business LOL. im 37 and have NEVER owned a reptile/lizard of any kind. my wife is a veterinary technician so we do have a large amount of mammal knowledge however that helps us VERY little when it comes to our newest house mate.

below is a pic of our little friend Wellington. my wife named him that since she found him in out window well. our basement is 5 feet underground so we have those deel windows that we can get into and crawl out up the ladder. anyway she was in the window pulling the weeds that often grow in there and she screams AHAHAHAH a fregging lizard!!! i go look and sure enough is a small gecko at least thats what i thought. i looked online and turns out he is a tiger salamander? any way he is about 5 inches long black with green splotches. i know he cant get out of this area at all, so i figute he has been in there since our house was built 2 years ago. he is really cool!! i havent touched him since i kinda want him to stay wild, yet i know he does not get a lot of food due to the fact that we have our house sprayed outside for spiders/bugs etc (its farm land and bugs are everywhere) anyway we put a little rock type bowl in there for water and another for food...mealworms are so far what ive read to give him. my questions are

1. what else can he eat?
2. what type of care does he need?
3. the winter is coming wil he die in the snow here in Colorado? our windows are Plexiglas covered so our girls dont fall in.

he has a pretty deep little hole he lives in, so deep i cant see him in it

any info will help guys

thanks a lot

 

[Derek]

I am new to the forums myself and the only thing I can tell you is that it is an amphibian...not a reptile. And they eat crickets and roaches and even pinky mice if they need fattened up.....

 

[shmifty5]

That is indeed a Tiger sal, but it's unlikely he was there when you built you the house, he may have gotten trapped when he was going to a new watering hole to bunk up with the ladies, lol, anyways Tiger Salamanders are extremely easy to care for, they also become readily domesticated (mine knows I have food, so he sees me and comes running for chow (even if it's not a feeding day), they can be fed almost anything that will fit in their mouths, from mealworms to baby mice, from crickets to gold fish.

You can keep the guy as an indoor house pet if you wanted to, all you need is a container (a plastic shoe-box can work or a 20 gallon fish tank, it depends on your budget/space requirements, he will also need a moist substrate like coconut-fibre or organic topsoil (a mix is usually the most recomended), he won't need plants or anything and will do fine in his moist home if you give him food.

He will survive the winter outside just fine as long as his burrow doesn't collapse, if it does he might be stuck, the cold won't kill him however (he lives through winters in the wild, he will do so under your house to), unfortunately it seems his home is kind of inescapable, so he won't be able to breed or anything and it would seem he has been exposed to pesticide.

My own Tiger Sal was caught locally near the water plant (they process salt water and he was going to go for a swim in the processor), I keep him in a 20-gallon long glass aquarium, he has a couple fake plants because I liek the way they look and he doesn't mind them, he has a 4-5 inch deep bed of coco-fibre (which I spray daily to keep moist) and he has a plastic reptile cave which he uses as a club-house, I feed him earthworms from my pesticide free backyard, crickets that I buy at the pet store, super worms occasionally (their shell is rather hard to digest), and sometimes he gets feeder gold fish, this is just how I keep mine, he would do fine in a big plastic crate with air-holes but the tank was a bargain for 20$.

Here is some excellent further reading:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Tiger salamander
Caudata Culture Articles
Caudata Culture - Frequently Asked Questions

Give those a go-over and if you still have any questions com eback and ask here rather than starting a new thread.

Now to me it appears in the photo that he doesn't have the fatty jowls or fat tummy that Tigers are so well known for, I'd recomend that if you aren't going to keep him as a pet indoors that you relocate him to a wooded or swampy area, these guys live in burrows left by other critters (though they can dig their own homes) and a moist soil helps them dig and function, if you do keep him as a pet (which I would advise you to, these guys are wonderful first amphibians as they are very hardy and personable) it would be nice to give him some fatty foods to help him get there, perhaps a pinky mouse or feeder fish (both have good calcium, the pinky has far more fat in it) but you will need to feed him these while they are alive, Tigers are notorious for not consuming dead prey (they hunt by movement rather than smell) so if live feeding grosses you out try wax-worms (kind of the junk-food of bugs).

P.S. since your wife is a vet she will be better able to do some research and it will prepare her for future dealings with amphibians or exotic critters.

P.S.S enjoy and have fun, our community would be glad to have you 2.

 

[shmifty5]

Axolotls - Metamorphosed & Tiger Salamanders

I forgot this site, they have some extremely useful info on Tiger Salamnder care, plus they have a pictorial that shows you how basic/simple a Tiger set-up can be (the one they show would maybe cost 28$ here (6$ for the plastic container, 8$ per coconut fibre brick (x2), 5$ for a cave/piece of plastic pipe)).

 

[Bryman]

ok so i read that they tend to use water bowls to defecate in? so if i do away with the bowl, how does he drink water?

 

[Jan]

Unlike mammals and some other animals, tiger salamanders do not drink water. They recieve moisture from their prey and environment.

A water dish is not needed, but moist substrate is. It is not that tigers will seek water bowls to defecate in....they will poop anywhere that is convenient. It is just that feces is more readily observed in a water dish.

 

[Bryman]

well the dirt in the window well is what he is digging in.........its a pretty solid looking hole as you can see in the pic, he seems to like it there and is safe, do you all suppose keeping him in there is ok home for him?

 

[shmifty5]

He will be fine in there, but food won't be as readily available, neither will moisture or an escape, personally I don't like the idea of limiting the Tiger to a deep box next to your window, if you want to leave him there he should be able to live, but considering that these guys can live 10+ years I don't think he should be left there, just my opinion of course.

 

[Manion]

I wouldn't recommend meal-worms for tiger salamanders. They do not provide them with enough nutritional value and their jaws have the potential to injure the salamander. Earthworms would probably be a better food source.

 

[Bryman]

OK so IF we are to bring him inside..........it just so happens we have a 32 gallon bow-front tank that we have not put fish in since out recent move yet......is that a decent home do you suppose? can he climb that size of a tank? it has a full top cover on it half glass and a small triangle in back that's plastic......plus we still have the light on top too......

what all will he need? our 3 year old is quite attached to this guy so maybe bringing him inside will be better........how old do you suppose he is? at 7 or so inches long from nose to tail tip. also how do i know if its a male or female? whats the best stuff to put into his tank? also how often do we need to clean his home? is it like fish? water changes weekly?

 

[shmifty5]

That tank is more than enough room, heck, with 30 gallons you could have 3 tigers, the things you will need (very basics) are about 4-5 inches of coconut fibre substrate or organic (nothing added) topsoil, and a hiding place, that is lieterally the bare-bones basics of what that Tiger will need to be comfy. Now a mixed substrate is often recomended (such as a organic topsoil + coconut fibre + sand +moss (the type really does depend), a food dish or water diesh really aren't necesary as long as you remove any uneaten crickets or bity foods and you keep his substrate moist, plants are for you, he won't care about his scenery one tiny bit, and set him up so that the back wall and sides of his tank aren't exposd to the open (it will make him feel more secure, and we all like security).

Now many users will say "don't ever handle your salamander" and for the most part this is true, but my Tiger is held and occasionally moved around by hand fairly often, maybe once a week, he has not once been sick or ill because of it and he calms down when I have him in my lap or sitting on my palm.

For food, you can feed anything you want, just try and give him a varied diet, earthworms should be considered the staple diet but you can use crickets instead (feed the crickets good food before feeding them to the tiger, once a month dust his crickets with calcium powder + multivits if you want to, it isn't a must), he can be fed any insect and some of the smaller animals, liek pinky mice or feeder fish or even small amphibians (I wouldn't recomend the amphibians).

All in all the previous caresheets/links I provided earlier will have all of the info you need to get started and keep him happy, these guys are very hardy so don't be worried, I would have to try and kill my Tiger to kill him.

P.S. about the escaping, my Tiger is big enough that he could probably climb a fake plant and escape, but he's not very bright, don't worry about escape unless you have something in the tank that he could use to accidentally get out.

 

[Bryman]

AWESOME advice, NOW with earthworms are you talking the kind i can get like from a fishing/tackle shop? also do i just put them in there? i mean will they burrow around under the substrate stuff? and how often do i clean the substrate? and when i do is it a all gets removed all gets replaced thing?

also will i even need the aquarium light or just get rid of it? does this little guy need any type of sunlight? meaning do i need to put the tank near a window? or can the aquarium light be the light source?

HEAT....do i need any or will the ambient temp of the house temp be enough? and by keeping the substrate moist do you do that by squirt bottle daily or what?

thanks for the help BTW......i know NOTHING about this but i want to make sure this guy(or girl) is healthy

 

[Jan]

The answers to many of the questions you ask have been provided in the readings suggested by Shmifty5. As well, here is a recent thread that provides 3 discussions on tiger salamander habitats:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...wt-salamander-help/70871-habitat-upgrade.html

To answer your questions directly:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AWESOME advice, NOW with earthworms are you talking the kind i can get like from a fishing/tackle shop? Yes. Nightcrawlers are a great choice.also do i just put them in there? i mean will they burrow around under the substrate stuff? I recommend handfeeding so you know what your animal is eating and how much. You may need to chop large nightcrawlers into smaller pieces. and how often do i clean the substrate? For the size of your enclosure, maybe every 4 months. The key is to clean if it begins to smell stale. Spot clean for feces and dead prey every few days. and when i do is it a all gets removed all gets replaced thing? Yes.

also will i even need the aquarium light or just get rid of it? Get rid of it. does this little guy need any type of sunlight? meaning do i need to put the tank near a window? Do not place the enlosure next to direct sunlight. or can the aquarium light be the light source? No light source is needed.

HEAT....do i need any or will the ambient temp of the house temp be enough? NO heat. You want the maximum temps to be in the low 70sF, preferably less. and by keeping the substrate moist do you do that by squirt bottle daily or what?Yes, a squirt bottle filled with dechlorinated/deammoniated water or bottled spring water. You do not need to do this daily - only when the substrate begins to appear dry - when using coco-fiber, you can readily see it beginning to dry.

thanks for the help BTW......i know NOTHING about this but i want to make sure this guy(or girl) is healthy. Please read all of the readings that have been offered to you....they provide a wealth of information.

The other thing you will want to do is get rid of the glass top. You must have a well ventillated enclosure. See the aforementioned discussions regarding this. Wire mesh works very well.

I advocate not handling the animal except when absolutely necessary, e.g., when changing substrate. The oils on our hands are not friendly to the animal. Wash hands and thoroughly rinse before handling. While changing substrate, placing the sal in a plastic container with a half-inch of dechlorinated/deammoniated water or bottled spring water works well. I use Rubbermaid containers with air holes punched in the lid for the animals when changing substrate. Also, wet your hands with this same water when handling the sal.

 

[Bryman]

Thanks Jan. Wow, tons of answers!! I think in our basement is where i´ll end up putting the tank...it rarely reaches 70 down there. Now, i just have to find a way to make a wire mesh top for this tank!!

 

[Wolferic]

They really are amazing pets.
Once you have a idea of how much he eats at once.. And how often its really quite easy to care for them. Mine likes to watch Tv, I try to keep his schedule the same feedings mistings that sort of thing. Change his water daily make sure that he doesn't have to big a water bowl so he can drown. I mist every morning when i put on the coffee.Depending on the temperature i usually feed my guy once every 2-3 days. Everyday if it is really warm. I try a combo of Worms and crickets (dusted at least once a month with calcium) also the odd locust or moth or what ever bug i find that is fine for him to eat. I also hand feed him as been noted to keep a eye on what he is eating. I Don't handle my guy very often and when i do its Minimal at best and with wet hands that have been washed free of body salt then rinse again with drinking bottled water. (don't use tap water because of the chlorine) SOrry make sure to use Bottle water or chlorine free water in his water dish also. I keep my Tank away from any windows or heat source or direct light In-direct light works best and If he seems stressed A towel over his tank during the day seems to help mine after a big tank change. Though my Guy hardly gets stressed now.. Only When i change around his tank or remove hides.. He gets kind of ticked when i take his favorite hide out lol.. Once or twice a month I do a Fecal scan in the substrate to find the grey footballs lol.. The ones he doesn't deposit in the water. get rid of them. Also I Would DO a Full tank clean more in the Hot months..to make sure he doesn't get sick.. and Just make sure your substrate is Wet enough as he does take in the moisture threw the substrate as well as the food. You will get to know the feel of it after the first couple of times..:> Also Hand feeding your guy comes in handy for not having dead rotting bugs in your tanking causing problems for your pet:> Enjoy and share the pictures lots:>

 

[Wolferic]

ALso a side note if you are going to Collect bugs (worms ect) in your yard make sure your neighbors do not spray their Grass with chemicals.. as been said it would or could make your guy sick.. ALso if your going to collect WOrms.. you can store them in your fridge in a container but don't keep them in there too long as i have read of Salamanders getting sick or drying due to feedings of Worms that were kept to long. If in doubt throw it out. LOL.. Good luck!:>

 

[Bryman]

im back. its been a LONG time....our little wild friend is still with us, we didnt see him through the winter at all, and i feared the worst. but he came out about 2 months ago and i could not have been happier. i left him out there because we are currently finishing our basement and didnt want to stress him, HOWEVER its time he become a member of our family. he actually jumps up in the air when i go to feed him, and even when i walk up to the window he "smiles" at me and comes running. i have to clean the 32 gallon bowfront aquarium, its still really funky from our old setup of fish. ill post a pic of it below. now when you all talk about wire mesh for the tank top, can i get an example of the mesh? ill need something fairly sturdy as we have cats the like to sit on the tank (we dont promote it and the get shooed off when we see it)

also i just want to make sure........topsoil or organic top soil is ok? mixed with cocnut fiber? is that a 50-50 mix? also where do i pick up this cocnut fiber? my local petsmart laughed at me when i asked for it yesterday......




here is the tank...........keep in mind its in need of a cleaning..... i also thought of leaving the top glass on......the reason? well its glass covered about 85% of the top. therear corner however is uncovered for the pump hoses etc, for when in use for fish...that part ill wire mesh cover and should give ample air intake you think???

 

[Bryman]

well here is the tank.........all cleaned, got my 50/50 cocnut fibre/organic topsoil. got a few fake plants in there for looks.........got a small "pool" he can go in, a food dish, and a rock cave. the mixture is about 5 inches deep. hopefully ill get him in there some time today, he is hiding in his outside hole now.

quick question, what do you all use to mist the substrate? i got this mister from petco, but it kinda sucks.....im open to ideas as to whats better.........


also, not using the light, its just there...........

 

[JKoz]

WOW.

That is impressive.

I wrote a huge post, then it went away. :angry:

So pay attention! haha

I got mine from the wild too, she was about to die in January after coming out too early.

Most important things to keep him alive:

1) Check the temp guage INSIDE the tank and make sure it doesn't go above 70C If it does, just devovte some major real estate to ice packs, or something else that will keep it down.

2) Don't handle him, if you have to, scoop with some moss, clean wet hands, rinse or mist him off after in water.

3) Put a water dish in. Ideally they don't need one, but what is ideal? It is the perfect 'life preserver' for him in case you let everything dry out. If you see him soaking in it, you knwo you have dropped the ball and the substrate is too dry. Wet it, he will give you a look, and go back in. :nono: But he won't be dead!

4) Earthworms are awesome! I have even read they contain everything they need tobe happy and healthy. So get the smallest ones you can, and go for it.

That is it - have fun, I am a even little jealous cause tigers are more outgoing than spotted, even though I wouldnt trade my pretty sally for the world, but enjoy this fascinating creature. It will help everyone that sees him appreciate wetlands a little more. roud:

JK

 

[Bryman]

thanks. i just put him in last night........he seemed kinda freaked out for a bit today he is a lot calmer. popped in 6 crickets 5 mins ago........there are only 2 left LOL. got some small worms from the store, ill probably give him 1-2 in a day or so...they are wickedly tiny.

he hasnt burrowed in the substrate yet.......should i be concerned??