Beginner Basics (aka what do I need?)

[d4d]

What all do i need?!?! i was planning originally to get dart frogs but the live food did not go over well with the parents. So now im looking at fire salamanders i know its still live food but earthworms and the occasiional cricket is nothing!

To the Viv! from my dart frog reading i can fit 2 in a 20G(approx: 24"x12"x16") but i wouild believe maybe 3-4 slamanders instead.

Do i need a drainage layer? Terra-lite? gravel?


Substrate divider?

Coco bedding for substrate?

Exotera moss on top?

any water?

Links to construction journals would be great!

Thnx
BTW im looking at fire slamanders but am always open to suggestions.

My ideal pet,

diurnal
bold
easy to breed
long lived
eats simple livefood(night crawlers,earthworms)

[Danny Stammers]

How the terrarium must be heavily depends on what type of salamander you'd like.
I understand that fire salamanders are very hard to get in the US and quite expensive. (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

If I look at your 'ideal' requirements, I'd say find a tiger salamander. They fit all your requirements, except for the breeding part.
They have great character, can get quite tame and just love earthworms. Most salamanders/newts can live for 10+ years with the proper care (and some luck), so keep that in mind.

[Rodrigo]

http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Sa...andra_sp.shtml
That should give you plenty of information.
Use the Search engine in this forum to find more detailed information.

Some basics....COLD. This is an absolute must. If you can´t provide cool temps year-round forget about S.salamandra.
They are definitely not diurnal(no caudate is), but it doesn´t mean you can´t feed them during the day. Don´t expect to see them much though...their activity is very much centered in the night hours.
I wouldn´t house more than 2-3 in a 20gallon. They may not move much but they have their territories.
A very good piece of advice is, do not get WC S.salamandra....they are illegally collected, and they usually do very badly in captivity. Find CB animals from some US breeder.

[d4d]

the temp isnt a problem the room in question is kept a constant temperature of 65-68 Fahrenheit and can be cooled more.

i checked the caudata species page and fire salamanders are located in my region. And breeding is one of the most important to me!

What salamanders are most ofter at petstores i know they can be sick but id like to save them, and dont want to deal with shipping. besides i cant even find any breeders(give me links!!!!)

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by d4d

What salamanders are most ofter at petstores i know they can be sick but id like to save them, and dont want to deal with shipping. besides i cant even find any breeders(give me links!!!!)

I know it may seem righteous to "save" pet shop salamanders, but in the long run it isn't the right thing to do. When you give the pet shop money for imported, WC, stressed, and possibly sick salamanders you are just showing that there is a consumer demand for them. They'll then use that money to buy more salamanders and put them in the same situation.

The "for sale" section of this forum is a great place to look for breeders and obtain CB animals. You could also post an add in the "wanted" section. Neither, however, can be done until you have made at least 5 posts on the forum.

[Rodrigo]

Well..you either lied about your nationality or you are very confused about what a fire salamander is...but S.salamandra is most definitely not located in the US.
If they are local(which means you are not american) bare in mind it is illegal to catch wild fire salamander. Fines are pretty high, plus it is inmoral.

About the shipping, i don´t know what the reason for not wanting animals being shipped to you is, but you need to know that all pet-shop animals have already been shipped...the difference is that they had been shipped in crowded, unhealthy conditions.
I have to repeat that WC S.salamandra are illegally captured, so by purchasing them you are not saving the animals..you are condemning more to the same fate.

If you are patient you will most definitely find a breeder that can ship to you...

[d4d]

i most have misread the map. Im sorry, im very new to all of this dont think to poorly of me.

[d4d]

about how much willl one cost me?

[d4d]

I've done some reading and tigers seem perfect! Thanks!
How much do they cost where can I buy from(other then this site(I don't see any ads))?

[Dylan]

I dont recommend a fire salamander for a beginner. They are difficult to take care of. Instead try tiger salamanders.

[Rodrigo]

S.salamandra are usually considered very easy to keep and breed, as long as you follow the basic needs of most caudates. That of course is when you deal with healthy animals.
WC ones sure are difficult, but it has nothing to do with the species being complicated, but with the individual salamander being horribly stressed and neglected.