I don't know exactly what my pet is....

Maybe someone here can help me- I bought a pet for 25 dollars yesterday at our local mall. I think it is a newt or salamander, but i really don't know. The information guide says it is a "baby dinosaur" but I would like to know what she really is. She lives underwater, but can come out for 5 to 10 minutes. She has lungs and gills but no fins. She eats fish food or small gold fish, but has no teeth. Her water must be kept cold with icecubes. She is green all over and has a small ruffle around her neck. If you can help me identify her please do! Thank you!

Hi Lindsey,it sounds like a larval tiger salamander.Check out here:http://www.caudata.org/axolotl/.
There is a section on tiger salamanders with a picture of a larval tiger sal,see if its the same.Hope this helps.
Cloth

Why but animals that you are unsure of without first checking up on the species.There's no excuse for this in this age where care sheets and information are so readily available through the internet

Hopefully it's more than just a water dog (tiger sal larvae). They go for about $1.00 apiece at the local bait store. It is important that you identify it quickly because now you've got it, you have to take care of it. If it is a tiger sal larvae she probably won't eat fish food and if you're giving it live goldfish, make sure they're free of fungus and disease. I have some and I mostly feed them night crawlers or frozen blood worms. Any chance of a picture so people on the forum can help identify the species and give you some real help?

I agree with Cloth. The green w/ gills leads you to a waterdog "larvae tiger". BUT the $25.00 is biting at me.(even at retail) Is this in US funds? Is it short or Really long body? post a pic.

steve

I don't have a digital camera or a scanner, but I am pretty sure that she is a tiger salamader. I admit I probably should have done more research before I bought her, but I didnt go out planning to buy a salamander. I saw them at the mall and they look so pitiful in those tiny aquariums with barely enough room to move around, and she is so cute. But there is a good chance that I was ripped off, seeing as I'm only 15 and pretty easy to swindle, and I knew nothing about what she was. She does eat fish food though, but only if i drop it from the top and it sinks past her and she can snap at it, she wont eat it off the bottom. How can I make sure that any goldfish I get are clean? I call her a she... but actually, how can you tell the difference between the sexes? thanks to everyone for the help!

Hi Lindsey,you wont usually be able to tell its sex until after metamorphosis.You can feed it earthworms (from an area that has no pesticides),which would be more beneficial than goldfish and fishfood,they will also take the odd cricket,waxworm and frozen bloodworm are good too.Make sure if its on gravel that the gravel is too big for it to swallow,and keep the water quality good and it should do fine.Hope this helps.
can you tell us how long (snout to tail tip) it is?

What is metamorphosis? I've seen it on several care sheets but none of them tell exactly what it is or how I should treat my pet when she goes through it. One said to lower the water level, but another said that can be dangerous. She seems like she may be sheading her skin now, is that healthy? She is also spending alot more time just at the surface of the water, instead of at the bottom like she did before. She is about 8 inches long.

Metamorphosis is the time that larval (baby) salamanders turn into adults,they lose their frilly gills and tail fins and begin to spend more time at the surface of the water or out on the edge of the water.It certainly wouldnt hurt to lower the water level,it sounds a good size for morphing,or adding some rocks so it can climb out when it wants too.It may go off its food while it changes but keep offering it anyway.Many tiger sals shed alot while going through metamamorphosis (mine did) so its quite natural.Keep an eye on him/her to see any changes in its appearance,its quite something to see them through the change

How cool! I can't wait to see the change. I've been thinking about getting another one to keep her company, will they be okay together if one is already an adult and the other is only a larva? Will they eventually live on just the land, and if they do will the large gravel I have at the bottom of the tank still be ok for them? I am also wondering about the other salamanders at the mall... the vendor provides no information on metomorphis, or on what these creatures really are. When not given the opportunity to come out of the water, will the larva die? And if so, is there anything that can be done to make the seller at least give the proper name? I'd hate to think of so many animals dying just because their owners are uninformed.

Lindsey, how big is your tank? It might not be big enough for another one. Also, be sure to change some water every week (about a fourth of it) so it doesn't get polluted. Even if it looks clear, it still gets a build-up of waste products which can be deadly. Be sure to get the crud out of the gravel with a siphon. After it is completely through with metamorphosis, it will need a terrarium, with top soil and/or mulch and places to dig and hide. If one morphs a long time before the other, they might need separate tanks for a while. If not allowed to come out of the water, one that is already a salamander might live for a while, but could die. Be sure to read:
http://www.caudata.org/caudatecentral/caresheets/Ambystoma_tigrinum.html

Thank you so much that site was very helpful! But there is another thing that bothers me now- where her tail begins, instead of her underside being flat, it ends at almost a right angle. On that site, it says "the pelvic region should not be protruding." What should I do about it, or is there anything I can do?

When it says "the pelvic region should not be protruding" it means that if the waterdog is too skinny, you will be able to see the two pelvic bones protruding (on its backside, above the rear legs). I'm not sure I understand your description of yours, but it's probably normal.

She died! I don't know what I did wrong- I've changed her water every three days, yesterday I gave her a bit of earth worm, but she didnt eat it- I thought that was normal because alot of sites say its common for them to refuse food when they're morphing. I woke up this moring, and she's dead . Thanks to everyone for your help, I'm sorry that I didn't do a better job.

Sorry to hear that Lindsey ,how long did you have her/him? Maybe it might be worth going to the petshop you got it from and telling them.

I'd only had it less than two weeks- I'm going there today to complain, and to hopefully get a new one. Now that I know more about anphibians maybe I'll be able to take better care of this one.

Sorry about the loss of your salamander Lindsey.

I think you should complain to the petstore about thier lack of info and even of giving you a proper name.

Something I have to say though, my personal opinion only, is that people should not buy from a sketchy petstore with the thought that they are "rescueing" a poorly-cared-for pet - what you do is create demand, and the store will order another unfortunate animal to fill the spot...

Anyway, take a look around Lindsey, find a type of salamander that appeals to you, make sure you have a good setup for it, and then find a better petstore to buy from! Glad to see your interest and enthusiasm!