New owner of 2 Ambystoma maculatum

[debra]

I just got 2 yellow spotted salamanders last night. I put them both in a ten gallon short tank with about 1 inch of cocofiber substrate with moss on top and several pieces of driftwood along with a large rock with reindeer lichen on top. Right now the temperature in the room approaches 75 degrees. Please comment on my setup. If too hot, can I cool it down with some sort of cool packs?
Is a 10 gallon too small for two? Should I get a 20 gallon short? The slightly larger of the two roamed around the enclosure last night and then curled up on top of the other one to rest all day. Is the pH of the spaghnum moss a problem? I got a 1.25 inch straight PVC pipe and may imbed that in the subtrate for use as a tunnel. Is the pH of the spaghnum moss a problem?

I have offered them crickets with no success so far but I have nightcrawlers (fairly large) in the refrigerator. Should I offer them those in the waterbowl this evening?

 

[chris]

Give them much deeper soil - they are fossorial (live mainly under ground). I think a bigger tank would be better for them. Once they have settled down and can bury themselves, they should start feeding.
Their care is basically the same as terrestrial Tiger Sals http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml

Chris

 

[seevan]

awww i have a spotted salamander, too.

i used a layer of soft reptile bark, then a layer of sphagnum moss, which he really enjoys. i also bought a cave, where he spends most of his time. i'm wondering about the 20 gal tank myself, as i want to get another salamander.

 

[meghan]

I too have 2 yellow spotted sals. I've found that mine like to bury themselves under a curved piece of bark that's half buried into peat moss. They also seem to prefer nice fat worms compared to crickets.