New salamander viv

[Followgravity]

I'm almost done with a 29g tank I've been working on for the past couple weeks to house a diacamptodon tenebrosus. This is my second attempt at vivarium building my first was a ten gallon that I am gunna use for dart frogs. I used a lot of the ideas I learned from that to make this build. Tried to add a pond and an underground viewing area which was idea I got here.
Started with an egg crate false bottom covered in window screen then I siliconed the back of the tank and some supports for the bottom

Put in some tubing to go under the pond wall
Next was some great stuff pond foam for the background and the pond
More gs foam some planters and a madrone branch
Siliconed a mix of sand, tree fern, and coco fiber to the background, and added substrate
Water and plants...
Lighting will be a single 22" t5, I'm going to try to build a moonlight led and add it in over the next couple weeks.
Let me know what you all think this is my first foray in to keeping herps since I was a kid so any advice or criticism would be much appreciated.

 

[Followgravity]

Here's a couple pics of the future occupant.

 

[Lia]

Here's a couple pics of the future occupant.

Great set up, never heard of those salamanders before, just looked them up.

Imagine they need it rather cool.

 

[Followgravity]

I've been keeping him in the mid to low sixties, but have read on here that they tolerate low seventies with no apparent issue. I will be working on a cooling system in the next few weeks to make sure he stays happy this summer.
Got him moved in he seems to like his new home

 

[Lia]

I've been keeping him in the mid to low sixties, but have read on here that they tolerate low seventies with no apparent issue. I will be working on a cooling system in the next few weeks to make sure he stays happy this summer.
Got him moved in he seems to like his new home
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Thanks sure is a neat looking and unusual salamander. Have you considered adding a female or not easily obtainable?

 

[Followgravity]

I'm actually not sure he is a he but if I could find a mate I would be super excited, from everything I've been reading the terrestrial form of these are pretty elusive.

 

[baddfish]

Wow Matt. That set up doesn't look like something built by an amateur. Looks like a "pro" built that thing. Excellent job man. Looks like you put some great thought and time into it.

 

[DGK925]

How did you get these salamanders?

 

[Followgravity]

Thanks baddfish that really means a lot to me. There was a bit of time put in. I think building these enclosures is almost as fun as watching your critters.

I found this guy in my bone dry basement

 

[Followgravity]

Lovin the water.....

 

[TristanClark]

Wow what a nice setup, i'd like to do something like that for my tiger salamander.

 

[JTinker92]

wow he is a beauty like a tiger with big eyes or something i would not mind having one myself :happy: cant believe he was in your basement that was dry and buy the looks of it he loves water. does he like to hide or is he more outgoing kind of salamander?

 

[Followgravity]

Thanks for the compliments guys,
He has become really out going lately and comes out at least once a day to take a swim, and has no problem snapping worms right out of my fingers
I recently found a few of these under a very large old wood pile with the closest water source about 40 meters away, so I'm guessing that being being a bit on the dry side isn't to bad for these guys.

 

[Kaysie]

Being that they're in the family of Ambystomatidae (take that for what it's worth, I guess!), I'm not surprised to find they migrate far from water. Tigers have been found hundreds of yards from their breeding ponds.