Sally-sitting with questions?

So a friend of mine went on vacation and left me with their salamanders (2 tigers) - they had been keeping them in about 1/2 inch of water, no dry space. That didn't seem right to me, so I dumped the water, put in a substrate of damp paper towels, and a few river rocks from my garden in case they wanted out of the damp paper. They also have a "cave" that is a frosted plastic cup laid on its side, they seem to like it so I left it in the tank.

Does this seem like it's an OK setup? My friend mentioned that the salamanders are constantly shedding their skin, is that normal for tigers, or is that due to them being constantly wet? Since I have damp paper towels, do I need to put in some sort of water dish for them? And how do I politely tell my friend that I think the salamanders need a different setup when they go home?

Don't worry about the little critters too much, my friend is trying to convince her kids to give up the salamanders, she is tired of caring for them since the kids won't do it any longer. If they agree, then the salamanders will come to me I've been wanting a salamander for a while, so I will make sure they get a really nice setup.

lol long as they dont have gills and they really shuldnt keep tigers in the water THEY LIVE ON LANDDDD i want tigers too

Tiger Salamanders like having plenty of land to burrow in and hunt on, but also a water source that they can drink and soak in. Usually a dish that is big enough for them to fit their bodies in.

As for the salamanders and their owners, if they are not caring for them properly they should give them a better home. Not providing good care, no matter how big or small the creature is, is animal neglect and cruelty. They are easy animals to care for, but as with all critters, they do require the attention of a responsible owner.

Paper towls will dry out faster than you think. Make sure you check it every day. I keep my sals on wet paper towls so its fine. Dry winter air will suck out the moisture though so be careful.

Adult tiger salamanders definitely need a terrestrial tank. Depending on how long you're sally-sitting (or adopting), you should think about getting a nice tank set up. There is a caresheet for tiger salamanders here, an article on keeping tigers here, and examples of lovely terrestrial tanks here, any of which would be fine for a tiger salamander.

PS: half-cup caves are fantastic. I have some that I made years ago that I still use. My Jefferson's sal has been using her's since I got her, almost 10 years ago.

Well, I am sally sitting from now till January (about 2 weeks). Luckily our furnace has a humidifier built in - we get nosebleeds from dry air, so our whole house is like a nicely humidified terrarium!

How wet is good for the paper towels? I thoroughly soaked them, since I didn't want the little guys to get sticky and dry. I'm planning on changing the towelling every other day. My friend has been feeding them every other day as well, is that good? I figure I can feed them when I change their towelling.

If her kids agree to give up the salamanders, I'll move them to a fish tank I have (I think it's just a standard ten gallon?) and get coco substrate and a swimming dish for them - seems like it would be loads easier to sink a dish into the coco fiber stuff, if I put a dish on the paper towels they would have to climb up and over the side of it.

When I checked on them this morning, the 2 little salamanders were totally snuggling together :rofl:

You'll find the answers to alll of your questions in this article that Kaysie referenced:
Caudata Culture Articles - Tiger Salamander 101

However, for the paper towels they should be moistened not saturated. I moisten with Poland spring water. Saturate then wring out the toweling.

A 10-gallon will work fine for two if they are small. As they mature and reach adult length, a 20-gallon long is more suitable.

nwmnnaturalist said:

Tiger Salamanders like having plenty of land to burrow in and hunt on, but also a water source that they can drink and soak in.

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Just a point of clarification - by 'drinking' I'm sure you meant absorbing water through their skin. Tiger salamanders do not drink with their mouths as we typically think of when we use the word drink. Rather they receive moisture and hydration from the water content of prey and from the environment through their semi-permeable skin. This is why it is imperative that they are provided a moist substrate.