Tiger Salamander trying to climb out of cage?

[Rikkoshaye]

Hey guys, I have a question for you all. For the past 3 or 4 days my Tiger Salamanders have been acting a bit different then normal; two of the three of them have been trying to climb the walls of their aquarium! Up until this point they have been perfectly content staying burrowed in the ground or nestled in their hides, so I'm wondering if this is normal or possibly indicating some sort of problem.

It happens more often later at night, which of course is when they're more active anyway so it might be them just trying to move around. I've been keeping their substrate (a mix of topsoil and organic potting soil) nice and damp and have been feeding them with earthworms every two or three days. (And they've been eating great too, so no troubles there.)

The only thing I can think of is maybe the cage is too small? I keep them in a 20 gallon tank which is a bit on the small side, but I have plants in there to give them cover and two hides for them to use as well as more then two inches of dirt for them to dig around in.

Anyway, I'm not too worried at the moment but perhaps you guys will have some ideas on why they keep trying to escape. Thanks for reading.

 

[Rikkoshaye]

Here is an additional picture; they really like trying to use the plants as "stepping stools."

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Has your temperatures changed lately? Either direction would get them moving. Too warm and they are uncomfortable and want to seek a cooler place. On the other hand if it is cooler they feel more comfortable to roam around. Just food for thought I suppose.

 

[madeve]

My tigers do something similar, the weather here got cooler and a lot more humid, they have been coming out a lot more. My tigers are big beggars and climb the glass every time someone walks by. My husband has tried convincing me they must be hungry ... they are just being gluttons and trying to be cute to score more worms, if I fell for it I'd have some really fat salamanders (and I've been told mine are quite plump).
My guess is they are getting into a routine and are getting to expect food and begging for it.
Hope this helps.

 

[Rikkoshaye]

Thanks for the replies, there recently has been a big temp drop around here so I bet that is what is causing it. I didn't even think of that!

 

[penthea]

Mine do the same as yours, mine are looking for food once i feed them they simply go back to their holes !

 

[Coastal Groovin]

Its probally just the change in seasons. Mine are more active now also. But I keep mine in a 55 gal size container so they have more room. If you worried the only thing you might change is the soil mix. Is it time to change it out? I change mine every 2-3 months depending if they are active and eating alot. Other than that it's probally just the weather change. Nice animals. They don't seem very bright but I love the patterns.

 

[Rikkoshaye]

Yeah, they're definitely on the duller side of most tigers, but they have very distinctive patterns which I like. (One has spots, the other has stripes, and the last one has a big black line down his spine with splotches everywhere else.)

I do change out my soil frequently, usually once a month just to make sure it stays fresh. I'm guessing the weather is the big culprit, especially since the temps went from high 60s to low 40s in a very short amount of time this year. It does help to know other people are experiencing the same burst of energy from their tigers; at least the behavior isn't too out of place.

 

[Daniel]

A drop in temperature might be the cause for their behavior, but I have an additional note. Did you change your substrate lately? Whenever I change the substrate in my tanks, I always add some powdered sepia (calcium) to it just in case the pH of the substrate might be too low. Acidic substrate can be dangerous to their body-calcium level.

 

[Rikkoshaye]

I did change the substrate lately, and I didn't even think about the pH. I do have some powdered calcium around so I'll put a bit in and see if the behavior changes. Thanks a ton for the advice guys.