eMax
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- Aug 7, 2013
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- Location
- Central New York
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Hello all,
About a year ago I was fortunate enough to get a few of John Clare's CBB barred tiger salamanders. They adapted splendidly while in quarantine, constantly begging for food whenever I was around and absolutely hammering earthworms nearly to the point of obesity.
Back in April or May I moved one of my animals into a 10-gallon tank with about 5 inches of coir/topsoil mix with the plan of moving the other animals to similar setups if this one liked the conditions. Unsurprisingly he made himself right at home and dug a burrow underneath a piece of slate and ended up right at a side pane of glass where I could keep an eye on him. Unfortunately he never again emerged. Since I could keep an eye on him and see that he didn't appear sickly or scrawny, I wasn't too concerned. But this past week I decided he really needed a meal, or at least a checkup, so I dug him up and put him in a dish with an earthworm. He attacked it ravenously but didn't subdue it as quickly as his siblings do, but I suspect his muscles are just a little atrophied. After he finished his meal he buried himself again.
Considering that this animal seems intent on never appearing on the surface again, do you think this is an appropriate setup? I'd like him to be able to burrow and behave at least somewhat naturally, but I don't want him to starve himself to death or have to force feed him twice a year. Thanks all for any input.
-Eric
About a year ago I was fortunate enough to get a few of John Clare's CBB barred tiger salamanders. They adapted splendidly while in quarantine, constantly begging for food whenever I was around and absolutely hammering earthworms nearly to the point of obesity.
Back in April or May I moved one of my animals into a 10-gallon tank with about 5 inches of coir/topsoil mix with the plan of moving the other animals to similar setups if this one liked the conditions. Unsurprisingly he made himself right at home and dug a burrow underneath a piece of slate and ended up right at a side pane of glass where I could keep an eye on him. Unfortunately he never again emerged. Since I could keep an eye on him and see that he didn't appear sickly or scrawny, I wasn't too concerned. But this past week I decided he really needed a meal, or at least a checkup, so I dug him up and put him in a dish with an earthworm. He attacked it ravenously but didn't subdue it as quickly as his siblings do, but I suspect his muscles are just a little atrophied. After he finished his meal he buried himself again.
Considering that this animal seems intent on never appearing on the surface again, do you think this is an appropriate setup? I'd like him to be able to burrow and behave at least somewhat naturally, but I don't want him to starve himself to death or have to force feed him twice a year. Thanks all for any input.
-Eric
