Salamander's toes twitch while eating? Eating questions.

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I'm not sure if this is normal, but my Tiger Salamander, Muffin, every time he goes into his food dish, when he sits on the rim, his back toes twitch. Not sure if he is adjusting his grip or what, or if that is normal. I don't even know how to describe the motion. Kind of like they wiggle back and forth? Just want to make sure he's ok and it's not a medical issue or something to be concerned about. He's eating a varied diet, not just the same thing over and over again. I try to mix things up for him :)

Another thing, is Muffin refuses to eat live bugs unless I hand feed him. He will often wait until the things either stop moving or are dead until he eats them, that or unless the bugs touch him will he then attempt to eat it. Otherwise, he can really care less. I actually got him some freeze dried worms since he wasn't eating the live ones, and he seemed to enjoy them more that way. It's weird because my frog was the same exact way. He wouldn't eat live bugs either, still doesn't. I know when Muffin was little, before he "evolved" as I call it (when he was a larvae), I used to hand feed him all the time, vitamins, worms, pellets, shrimp bits this and that. He would wait at the surface to be fed. I'm not sure if that habit has affected now why he won't eat live bugs on his own? yet he will eat everything else... just not live bugs. He will pick through his food or leave the live bugs. It's just kind of weird I find.

Just was kind of curious. He won't take live food form anybody else's hands it seems, as they claim he "shys away". Seems like all the pets I get, none of them like to eat live bugs and I can't figure out why. As I am away at college for 4 days out of the week, my family claims that Muffin never comes out, and barely touches his food. Yet when I come back, I make sure everything is cleaned and what not, my family does a good job of watching over, making sure he has water and food. He comes out when I do get back, and usually eats quite well on the weekends when I am home. But it's like he can go days without eating according to them. Is that normal? Not like they are doing anything different than how I feed him.

Figured I would ask to see if anybody else has or had a similar experience with the twitching toes and the not eating live bugs. Can't say I know anyone in person with a salamander, so I figured why not try and ask here. :)

Thank you!
 
This seems to be a pretty common trait in Ambystomatids. I'm also unsure why they do it.
 
Mine do that all the time. Especially when they are about to strike their food. I've heard people call Ambystomids toe tappers. Especially Tiger Salamanders.

Kaysie don't some researchers do tail clippings instead of toe clippings now? Because the toe tappings were considered relevant behavior?
 
A recent issue of herpetology the journal has an article about learning which toes are critical to the animals survival and clipping the ones that seem less valuable. I believe it was on hylids but the concepts would still be the same.
Logan
 
Tail clip tissue is used heavily in research for genetic studies, especially unisexual Ambystomatids.
 
y' know, my frog does that too just before she pounces o her prey.
 
Well I've seen my Tiger Salamanders tap their toes when they see food or notice movement. Usually after tapping their toes movement follows right afterwards. Either moving away from place to place or striking food. Still not sure why they do it but the longer toes seem valuable. Since they are not truely social I doubt its a communication gesture.

I know that tail/toe clippings are used for genetic testing. I've actually helped out with a couple tail clippings. It was then when a biologist suggested tail clipping was a better method since the salamanders use their toes for tapping. The tail clipping was performed on a Ambystoma maculatum/Yellow Spotted Salamander.
 
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