Question: Spotted Salamander feeding ???

[FRANCOIS]

Hello, I am new here, so hello to everybody.
I recently acquired a spotted salamander and placed it in a 10 Gallon terrarium (temporary) until the 50 G is ready... In the terrarium I placed top soil, a little spaghum moss, bark, drift wood and moss.... the salamander seems happy. I also included earth worms, small snails, rolli-polly etc... So, it should have the food it needs but the salamander keeps digging as it should and as a result I have no idea if it's actually feeding...
Any idea? Any inputs? Please help. Thanks!!!

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Your setup and food items sound ideal. Spotteds are notoriously shy and you may rarely actually see it eat. Just keep adding food as needed and I would check on it about every 2 weeks or so just to make sure it is looking healthy.

 

[henslowsparrow]

Wow...a spotted salamander in a 50gal terrarium Lucky little guy. You should post pics of your set up when it's ready.

 

[FRANCOIS]

Your setup and food items sound ideal. Spotteds are notoriously shy and you may rarely actually see it eat. Just keep adding food as needed and I would check on it about every 2 weeks or so just to make sure it is looking healthy.

Thank u so much.... any suggestion to make its life better and safer?

 

[FRANCOIS]

Emily, yes I will post pictures....

 

[Mark]

With patience spotted salamanders can become quite tame and will learn to take food from forceps. I keep 4 in a large soil set-up with bark pieces. One great item you can add is hides made of plastic piping (5-6cm in diameter). Lay them so they're angled down and bury them in top soil to create a soil bank, leaving the entrance exposed. Place some soil in the pipe to give the salamander something to sit on rather than bare plastic. If you position the opening so it's easily accessible you can start teaching your salamander it accept food at the pipe entrance.

Below is one of mine patiently waiting for dinner at the the mouth of it's tube hide.