Back What's new
By:
Filters
Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Lost Pets

S

solidyouth

New member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
My sons were keeping three, small Dusky Salamanders in a fish tank. We hadn't seen two of them for a couple of days, thinking they were burrowed under one of the large rocks. My husband lifted the rock today, just to check...and the salamanders are nowhere to be found in the tank. Could the third salamander have eaten them? They were about 2-1/2 inches long. If they escaped from the tank, how long would they be able to live in our house? We've searched the house, but no sign of them anywhere. Any ideas?
 
C

caud8

New member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Tacoma, WA
Did the aquarium have some sort of lid or cover on it? If not they could have climbed out. I'm sorry to say that the chances of finding them alive are very slim. Mark
 
Mark

Mark

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Messages
3,259
Reaction score
59
Location
Bristol
Salamanders desiccate very quickly once away from moisture. Unfortunately houses are normally dry and dusty which is a bad combination for slimy amphibians. I keep dusky sals and they’re very capable of jumping or climbing out of a lidless tank. They are also very good at squeezing into tiny spaces so the chance of finding them is very slim.

We would normally suggest putting damp towels on the floor in the room you suspect them to be. Check under furniture etc especially in corners. In my experience these are very quick salamanders could easily be far away from the tank by now.
 
S

solidyouth

New member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Thank you for your responses. We haven't found the salamanders yet...no evidence of them, either. The lid to the tank was not secure, so they could have jumped out rather easily. We're still looking, though, but not as hopeful of finding them. We'll try the damp towel idea to see if we can draw them out, if indeed they're still around.
 
O

oregon newt

New member
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
589
Reaction score
16
Location
Maryland
I don't know about that caudatadude. Duskies are known to jump several times their own length in efforts to escape.
 
S

solidyouth

New member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
We found one of the lost salamanders! It was in the bottom of our recycling bin in a puddle of soda. Sorry to say it was dead...but at least it was found. Now if we could just find the other one, we would all have some peace of mind, since we keep walking around our house, expecting it to jump out of any space at any time!
 
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
    Top