Salamanders in basement

I just found this forum and registered because I have a bit of a problem. I live in Northern California, and for the past few years I have had salamanders come into my basement from a sump-pump. Usually they come out during the rainy season and when I find them, I put them outside in a damp, dark and leafy area (I actually see them outside quite a bit when it rains but I have no idea where they come from since I don't live directly near a water source). Today I saw a little head peak out of my sump-pump and I'm not sure what to do now since it has been quite warm in California and I don't think it is going to rain anytime soon. Does anyone have any suggestions on what type of area I should bring them to and how I can keep them safe until I can bring them somewhere? If I don't catch them when I see them they will get lost in the basement and die. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank You.

Hi, I moved this thread to the Help area of the forum, as your post is mostly a question, not an introduction. I commend your efforts to return the sals to the outdoors! It is wonderful that you take the time and effort to do this.

Regarding your basement, perhaps there is some way to build a barrier around the sump pump area so that they cannot go elsewhere and dry up.

Regarding your present dilemma, is there a wooded area nearby? Even in fairly dry weather, animals are able to find moist areas, and wooded areas lose moisture more slowly. If it is absolutely bone-dry, then you could keep them in some sort of temporary enclosure until it rains. For example, a clear Rubbermaid tub with a secure lid and barely-damp soil in your basement is all they would really need. They can go for weeks without food, and they get all the moisture they need from the soil. If you wanted to feed them, you could throw in some pill bugs or worms as food. If you are going to release them, you want to avoid contaminating them with any foreign pathogens. Things you might get at a pet store, for example, might carry foreign bugs from the other animals there. Stick with things you find in your yard.

Thanks for the information

I was actually going to go to a pet store and get some moss and drift wood but now I will just use dirt and some large leaves from outside. I do have a lake somewhat nearby but I have never been there. I will go check it out today and see if there is a good spot to release them. I'm not sure what type of salamanders they are (light to dark grey and brown, kind of translucent with very light spots) so I'm not sure if I should put them near the water or just look for an out of the way wooded type area. I sure would like to know where they come from. I see them around outside when it rains but I have no idea how they get there since I thought they had to start there life in water. I guess I have a lot to learn. Thanks again for your suggestions, they were very helpful.

It would certainly be helpful if you could identify the species in order to know where to release it. You can borrow a field guide from a local library. Or Google "amphibians of State" (using the name of the state you are in) and you might be able to find a list with photos. Alternatively, if you can post a photo here, someone can probably ID it.

http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/salamanders.html is a good place to look at california salamanders. I don't know where you are, but I'd check out the arboreal salamander from your description.

Thanks for the link Pete. I live in the North Berkeley Hills. I checked out the link you provided and to me they look more like the Clouded Salamander although there are a couple of pictures of the Arboreal that they resemble as well. It's hard to tell (well, for me it is anyway).

Well, Clouded and Arboreal are pretty similar, and the range of Clouded is too far north. Arboreal are pretty common in the Berkeley/Oakland hills. Also your description of how you find them, sounds typical of Arboreal behavior. They're pretty neat salamanders, and very robust in our dry summers. They'd likely be fine if your release them on a cool/cloudy evening in an area that had lots of rocks and trees it could find it's way under to hide until the next rain (but I don't think they like eucalyptus forest much though, I never find them there). Just a word of caution on your enclosure, they climb quite well.