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What kind of lid for Salamandra?

What kind of lid for Salamandra?

  • screen lid

    Votes: 87 37.3%
  • solid aquarium lid (hood or glass)

    Votes: 24 10.3%
  • plastic tub lid with some holes

    Votes: 21 9.0%
  • plastic tub lid with large area of screen

    Votes: 12 5.2%
  • other lid type

    Votes: 18 7.7%
  • I don't keep Salamandra, but want to see the poll results

    Votes: 71 30.5%

  • Total voters
    233

Opacum

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When I kept my sallys, I used a screen top with glass panes and had my fluorescent light to one side unblocked by the glass. I also had a bubbling water dish within the aquarium and a hygrometer/thermometer to check temp and humidity. I would usually mist in the AM and give the tank time to evaporate that. I would add or remove the glass depending on the heat of my room. Seemed to work out fine. ;) I definitely like the 'open top' approach.
 

Molch

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I don't have Salamandra spp. now, but I had some in the past. I used a 2-part wood-frame wire mesh lid for my 100 X 50 cm tank. On either side of each half, I glued on wooden sliding rails into which I could slide a glass pane (custom-made from the glaser). I could cover up the whole lid or slide the glass over part way to leave slits open, as needed. Of course, you could simply lay the glass pane on top of the frame.
 

rethgar

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Mine are in a tank which is essentially a glass cube with sliding doors on the front, There are two vents in the back to for cooling (I can use a fan blowing through them) it keeps the humidity to a nice level.
Wasn't sure if that was glass aquarium lid to or other as it doesn't actually have a lid so I went 'other'
 

heavysleaze

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What would you all say is the most desirable humidity level for this species? I use a screen top and my humidity gauge is on the inside of the tank wall. I mist frequently because I feel I am losing moisture with the screen top. According to the digital gauge I am getting a 48-50% humidity range. I would assume the humidity level is higher in the soil as it stays moist but this seems low to me. Temp stays around 67 degrees. Both salamanders are very active. Thoughts? Should I incorporate a piece of glass into the mix to keep the humidity higher?
 

Azhael

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I´d say the humidity level is not that important if you are misting regularly. If humidity gets too low, they´ll just burrow under some cover (since it will indeed provide more humidity) and become active once you mist again. The real fear is air stagnation. They can deal with variations in humidity but they don´t do well with constant high humidity and insufficient aeration. In such conditions, they are prone to skin problems, like infections.
I would keep the mesh lid to provide excellent ventilation and continue to do regular mistings (preferably at dusk).
 

Elliriyanna

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I am using a screen lid due to the security for the animal both from escaping and from outside animals ( AKA my cat ) getting into the tank and injuring the animal. However I did not want a solid lid due to the lack of ventilation keeping temperatures higher.
 

sde

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Well, I would have voted for both plastic lid with holes drilled in it and screen lid. The setup they are in right now have plastic lids with holes drilled in them, but the vivaria they are going in soon will have mesh lid. I would definitely prefer the mesh though.
 

dannyyyallenn

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It honestly depends.
If you are keeping a salamander in aquarium there are basically two lid options: screen and standard tank lid. The tank lid probably comes with a lighting system so it boils down to the environment you want to create. Screen lids are good for allowing good aeration and evaporation in the tank, giving it a cooler temp. The tank lid with a light may raise the temperature(unless u use an LED light) but is ideal for lots of vegetation. If both are flush against the tank lip, however, they both should consistently keep the salamander from escaping. I personally like screen lids better because they allow a top view, aeration and cooling, and still allow for a light like natural sunlight or a lamp to shine through.They are also lighter and easier to deal with. Hope that helps.
 

Blackbun

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I've been thinking a bit about this one. For me, it depends. It depends on what I'm trying to achieve.
A maintenance enclosure outside, used for adults, might be open topped to allow air to circulate and to prevent the likelihood of mould (due to for example uneaten segments of worms etc). Stick your nose in....is the air stale? That's a big no no. I also believe a bit of sunshine helps keep micro organisms at bay (I'm thinking uv). It also keeps the humidity and temperature similar to the outside surroundings which is important when I'm priming adults for next year's breeding.
Enclosure siting is important too. None are placed in deep and prolonged shade or full and prolonged sunlight.
Come the winter though, then a wooden lid is placed over them on cold days to take the bite out of sharp frosts. I am also conscious of excess rain and wafer logging. Allowances are made for drainage but on particularly prolonged periods of rain then a polycarbonate lid is put over.
Growing on youngsters have a similar set up but I never leave the enclosure uncovered. I've seen birds flicking through the leaf litter in the enclosures and won't run the risk of losing any youngsters. I also find that these youngsters are more agile than the adults and maybe could escape by crawling up the walls. A wet belly certainly helps them stick to the sides. Yes, all enclosures do have over hangs but I won't take the risk.
Enclosures inside are nearly always covered. This might be with a glass sheet with a 1 or 2 mm screen (size to prevent 2+ instar crickets from escaping) on one end only. This ensures a humidity gradient (I've used a hygrometer). Obviously the type of substrate and positioning of a water container have a big influence here and this is where knowledge of the subspecies' habitat comes in and what you're trying to achieve. These indoor enclosures are really for my yearlings which I want fully active and feeding.
There are times I will mist the enclosure to increase humidity and water dropletsavailability for the animals and will leave the screwing covered for an hour or so. Other times I will remove the glass plate to allow a certain amount of drying.
For me, it seems to be working but I'm always conscious that I have much to learn and my system will evolve accordingly.
 
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