Dicamptodon tenebrosus - larvae morph to adults photo journal

[Curt]

I have a few Coastal Giant Salamander larvae that I'm raising to adults. Decided to post some photos as they progress.

[Curt]

Here are a couple more pics. The enclosure is a 36"x36"x18" ExoTerra. One side is elevated about two inches with 4" of water at the deep end. Rocks are pumice so they are actually floating a little. Plat has a couple little rocks under it to prop it up the larvae can hide under it.

I currently have 1x 4yr old, 1x 3yr old, 4x 2yr olds and 5x 1yr olds. I'll be giving away the 1yr olds since they won't morph this year and I don't have tons of space. The 3yr old is currently morphing. She's the one in all the pics attached to this post. You can see how her snout is getting shorter and narrower + eye ridges are starting to raise up. The rest still have more flat, shovel-shaped heads.

They are all currently eating blackworms. They take their time approaching the blackworms but strike with savage fury. I've tried feeding the larger larvae earthworms. They will strike them and tear them apart but they always spit the earthworms back up, not sure why.

[Skeeter]

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

[Curt]

That was fast! The most advanced Dicamp is turning color, from dark gray/green to s splotchy green/gold. Eyes are starting to seriously protrude and her head is getting closer to an adult form.

[Curt]

Now they are all getting in on the action. Dryland is the place to be.

[Curt]

The three-year-old is now terrestrial, though her colors haven't fully come in. Right now she is a dark coppery bronze color. All the rest are in the middle of morphing, even the smallest one. They seem to be progressing in order of size, largest to smallest.

[Curt]

Today I switched my habitat from primarily aquatic to primarily terrestrial. The two largest have completely matured. The three two-year-olds have lost their gills and are most of the way through metamorphosis. Their tails are still elongated and they still have a dark gray coloration. The smallest is actually a large one year old - I originally misidentified it as a two-year-old. She is undergoing metamorphosis but still has residual gills. I've been feeding them all blackworms and I'm hoping to switch them all over to earthworms if I can.

[Curt]

Here are my most recent pictures. Classic Pacific Giant Salamander coloration is starting to come in.

[Curt]

Eating a worm! I have never seen salamanders eat worms as fast as these Dicamps, they make my Tigers look slow.

[Curt]

Updated pic of my Pacific Giant salamander