New Tank

Yesterday I got a huge tank from a friend! I don't know the size but it is bigger than any I have ever had. I am not sure what to put in it but I know it will be half land half water.

The bad news is my ensatina passed away but don't worry it was because she got very old.

What is legal and illegal in BC? I might get any ambystoma but I heard that they were illegal.

I might get a paddle tail newt if they are not poisonous.

All newts and salamanders are poisonous to a greater or lesser degree. They produce toxins in the skin as a defence against predators.
If you do decide to get some newts, I would not recommend Paddletails. For a start, all Paddletais are wild caught so come with the usual risks of disease and stress. Also, they are very territorial and aggressive, so can only really be kept in pairs and even then they have been known to turn on each other for no apparent reason.
I would recommend either Ribbed newts (Pleurodeles) or Crocodile newts (Tylototriton verrucosus). Both are large, usually captive bred species that are fun to watch and don't mind being kept in groups to make the most of a large tank.

You won't be able to captivate any wild ambystoma in British Columbia, as their wildlife protection laws prohibit it. And you won't be able to find a lot of native species in BC captive bred, because they are difficult to breed in captivity - especially tigers. Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum (blotched tiger salamander) is an endangered species in B.C. also, I don't think they will let you keep any of those at all.

However, I don't know about the import laws for B.C., so you may be able to get a mole salamander of some kind sent to you from a breeder--- maybe even a different species of tiger. You'd have to look into your local laws. It's a lot more lax here in Saskatchewan.

I have heard that paddle tails, ribbed newts and fire bellies are all good starter newts. I also know fire bellies are often wild caught from pet shops though, so that is something to be weary about. And Chinadog there wrote some information about paddle tails I was previously unaware of until now (lol).

I attached a list of native salamander species in B.C. for you. You can look up the names and find out some more information about each.