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redone setup for tiger sal exhibit

Jennewt

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Problem:
My local nature center had 2 tiger sals that nobody could ever SEE because they would always dig down into the coco-fiber substrate and stay there. I offered to redo the setup to make the salamanders more visible, together with some bahavior modification to make them more tame.

Features of the new setup:
  • Substrate is a mix of coco fiber and top soil - less diggable, so hopefully the tigers will not completely hide in it.
  • I made an underground "viewing area" using black PVC tubing and elbows. The PVC pipe was cut open longwise (thanks, hubby) and placed along the glass on the front and side of the tank. It's a sort of simulated animal burrow.
  • I placed black poster board on the outside of the glass where the tubes were placed, so that the underground area stays dark. Visitors can lift the flap to view the sals.
  • The other features of their setup were kept largely the same (water bowl, small plant in a pot).
Behavior modification:
  • Stopped feeding them crickets and mealworms. If the crickets were nibbling the sals, this may have contributed to their staying underground.
  • Started feeding with worms, by forceps, in the hopes of making the animals more tame. So far, they will take the worms, but it will take some time to make them associate food with people.
So far, the sals have been staying in the PVC tube along the front glass! Time will tell whether the behavior modification is similarly successful.

Photos:
 

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niajetze

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thats fantastic !!! I was thinking of doing something along those lines myself (instead of a water/ land set up as 1 minimises risk of drowning & 2 frees up a tank/filter )- - - its nice to actually be able to see your pets!! its great that those two are taking so well to the tube also (as i was not sure if tiger sals would if they have dirt to dig in) though honestly mine probably would of been half as good ..... i like the idea of the cover too so they can have some privacy. now all i need is a tiger sal .....mmmm :(
 

coendeurloo

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Great modification Jen, I had a change in the behaviour of my Tiger when I started to feed him with tweezers. Normally I would never see him, now he's begging 24/7 :).
 

Jennewt

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Thanks for the comments. So far, so good. The sals are staying in the tube along the front of the tank. It looks like they "rove" at night, as the water dish does get dirt in it. Today one of them came over to take worm from the tweezers, so this is going very well.
 

jewett

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Thats great Jen! My tiger sal is quite tame, and I think it must be from the hand/tweezer feeding it from the time I obtained it. Now, unless it has just had a really big meal, any movement it senses outside its enclosure, even if its the dogs, it eagerly goes to the front of the tank. I think not only my dogs get a kick out of this, but my young nephews as well. So I hope the kids who visit the nature center from now on will appreciate all your hard work. Again, well done
Heather
 
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