looking at getting a spotted salamander?

K

kala83

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
40
Location
Columbia,MO (USA)
Country
United States
Display Name
Neko Kitsune
Ok I have no idea if this the correct forum, to be posting and if not please re post this in the right place...but I have been considering getting a Spotted Salamander as a pet in my house. I know a little bit about them but not much so I just wanted to ask what are the general thing a newbie like me would need to know...and what are some of the benefits of owning a Salamander as a pet.
Also if any of you already have SS can you please post pictures or put up links to them if they are in the galleries.
 
Hi Sarah, I moved your post here.

We don't have a caresheet for spotted sals, but these are good sheets for closely-related species:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_opacum.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml
and here is the sheet of photos for spotted sals:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_maculatum.shtml
You may also find some useful pointers from reading the FAQ on that same website.

I haven't kept this species, so I'll leave it to other folks to give specific comments.
 
I've found that spotteds tend to be much shyer than other ambystomatids. They can 'come out of their shell' but tend to be more skittish than, for example, tiger salamanders.
 
Kaysie said:
I've found that spotteds tend to be much shyer than other ambystomatids. They can 'come out of their shell' but tend to be more skittish than, for example, tiger salamanders.
Click to expand...
So you say a Tiger Salamander would be a better choice for a first timer like me?
 
I think that if you're going to be getting into salamanders, your best choice for a first animal would be an aquatic or semi-aquatic one. While a tiger salamander would probably be more visible than a spotted, there's a reason the family Ambystomidae is called the "mole salamanders," meaning that they burrow into the substrate or hide under a cover object, and you'll generally only see the animal at feeding time. I love ambystomids, but I can imagine that it'd be pretty easy to lose interest in an animal you barely ever see.

An axolotl or aquatic newt might be a better choice as a first salamander, though I'd encourage you to get a terrestrial Ambystomid sometime.
 
If you would like a terrestrial animal then, yes, I would say that a tiger would be better for a first-timer. Or, as Peter suggested, an aquatic animal might provide more visual interest. People have strong opinions about which is easier to care for, a terrarium or an aquarium, but it largely comes down to personal preference.
 
Jennewt said:
If you would like a terrestrial animal then, yes, I would say that a tiger would be better for a first-timer. Or, as Peter suggested, an aquatic animal might provide more visual interest. People have strong opinions about which is easier to care for, a terrarium or an aquarium, but it largely comes down to personal preference.
Click to expand...
well I think I would stick with something that stayed above ground instead of something aquatic that was why I was looking at a Salamander more then a newt. Besides I keep Hermit Crabs too and they spend half there time in the sand too! so its not like I am not used to animals the borrow and hide. I think I might go with a Tiger Sal like Kaysie suggested.
 
If you get the right tiger, you'll see it all the time. One of mine is constantly above the surface, waiting for me to feed it. But the other one is always burrowing.

I love tigers. They're awesome pets. Large, outgoing, cool-looking.
 
Kaysie said:
If you get the right tiger, you'll see it all the time. One of mine is constantly above the surface, waiting for me to feed it. But the other one is always burrowing.

I love tigers. They're awesome pets. Large, outgoing, cool-looking.
Click to expand...
I must be lucky to have the 'right' tigers, as they are always visible. I have found that if I make a hole or cave (with an entrance) underneath their heavy shallow water dishes they will always reside there with their heads and shoulders sticking out. Each animal has his own large water dish (my guys range from 11 to almost 13 inches long). I use a 4 inch depth of coco-fiber alone or sometimes mixed with organic topsoil. When I pass their vivariums, they come out and walk about as if they were 'greeting' me...conditioned response to beg for food. They are worse than my dog for begging behaviors. Periodically, I have to reduce the amount of food given as they tend to easily become fat...truth is they are much heavier than they should be.

I agree that they are tremendous animals and they always appear to be smiling.
 
Just out of curiosity what size tank would be good for a single tiger Salamander, 15 gal. or 20?I have read on some caresheets that 15 gal can work just fine but most people on message boards I am on recommend 20 gals. I am just wondering what I should be looking at for a future tank for this little guy:D
 
From the point of view of a salamander, a standard 15 and a standard 20 gallon are the same size: both are 12x24 inches (the height differs, but the tiger sal will not use the depth of the tank space). A 20-long tank would be somewhat larger. I would say get whichever is less expensive (or fits your space): a 15 or a 20-long. Oddly, the 20-long is usually cheaper.
 
Jennewt said:
From the point of view of a salamander, a standard 15 and a standard 20 gallon are the same size: both are 12x24 inches (the height differs, but the tiger sal will not use the depth of the tank space). A 20-long tank would be somewhat larger. I would say get whichever is less expensive (or fits your space): a 15 or a 20-long. Oddly, the 20-long is usually cheaper.
Click to expand...
I think I might go with a 15 not really cuz I could do a 20 but because I would have more space for something like 15 more then 20.
 
When in doubt, go with the larger tank. It gives you more options when it comes to adding things like water dishes and hides.
 
Kaysie said:
When in doubt, go with the larger tank. It gives you more options when it comes to adding things like water dishes and hides.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was kind of thinking of if I could get something like a 15L lol if there really is such a thing never really looked into it before..lol but never had the excuse to before either.
 
I have a spotted salamander that i really enjoy. Although Tigers are really awesome, i found it really hard to get one. Everybody is right in that spotted sals are really shy. Mine is kinda skiddish. However i do see him a lot! If I turn out his tank light in the evening, He is usually out at the front of his burrow in plain site every night. If I feed him crickets at night, It is fun to watch him eat them. Although Tigers are better, I still like spotted salamanders!:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Shane douglas:
    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
     +1
    Unlike
  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
     +1
    Unlike
  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
     +1
    Unlike
  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
     +1
    Unlike
    Clareclare: Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus... +1
    Back
    Top