How do you keep your salamander cool?

Just curious how you all keep your salamander "homes" cool. i put a small thermometer in the terrarium, and it says 90 degrees. thats with half the glass roof on, and the other half is screen covered. i opened the glass lid and temp dropped to 80 degrees. i also have one of those stick on thermometers, and its down low basically below dirt level and its saying 70 degrees. i mist the substrate daily, and am wondering id i may need to completely remove the partial glass top? could the humidity level in there be making the temps rise?

basically whats a great temp for his little area?

Bryman said:

Just curious how you all keep your salamander "homes" cool. i put a small thermometer in the terrarium, and it says 90 degrees. thats with half the glass roof on, and the other half is screen covered. i opened the glass lid and temp dropped to 80 degrees. i also have one of those stick on thermometers, and its down low basically below dirt level and its saying 70 degrees. i mist the substrate daily, and am wondering id i may need to completely remove the partial glass top? could the humidity level in there be making the temps rise?

basically whats a great temp for his little area?

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90 to 80 to 70 ? Huge differences, makes little sense, are you sure about such temps? 90 degrees in a terrarium is way high and deadly, what are you keeping in it???

FRANCOIS said:

90 to 80 to 70 ? Huge differences, makes little sense, are you sure about such temps? 90 degrees in a terrarium is way high and deadly, what are you keeping in it???

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it makes perfect sense........with the half glass lid closed the inside thermometer says 90. with the half glass lid open it drops to 80. that little stick on sticker type thermometer that looks black and shows what temp it is by color is at dirt level and says 70.


anyway all that is in there is his substrate, a water bowl type thing, a fake plant in the middle, and his rock cave home he hides in. thats it.

the terrarium is down in our basement, on the opposite side of the room from a window. even with the curtain open the terrarium never gets direct sunlight. our basement is a lot cooler than the upstairs, and i have really no idea how to make it any cooler down there.

You didn't say what species are keeping...or how large the enlosure is.

However, a full mesh screen top provides for good air ventilation - no need for the glass top as it holds in heat. If any part of your basement has a cement floor away from sunlight, place your enclosure there. If it is a fossorial species, use 6 inches depth of substrate so the animal can burrow. If you a keeping an ambystomatid, low 70's will be fine. If you can't acheive that temperature, ice packs under the enlosure can reduce temps. Don't use a fan placed on top of the enclosure due to risk of dessication. Mist with refrigerated dechlorinated or spring water.

I almost lost mine when it got to 80C

Dedicate 1/3 of the neclosure to ice packs. Switch them out as needed. That worked for me. Keeping things cool is the hardest part of keeping a salamander as a pet, but you can do it!

:happy: JK

sorry LOL. i have a tiger salamander.....and i left the glass lid open for about 2 hours and the temp inside the glass dropped down to 75ish.......so i think ill have to screen the whole top instead of partial. hmmmm......what do you all use to custom mesh tops?

Wood frame with window screen mesh works. If you have a standard size aquarium, there are mesh tops available in pet stores that are fairly inexpensive.

yeah. ill have to get really creative, i have a bowfront talk........hmmmmm