Can someone please help me?!

[katie]

I think I have long-tailed salamanders. I am not 100% sure if they are long-tailed, but they look like the larvae that i have found pictures of, since i cant get pictures to turn out of my own little guys. They were about 3/4 inch when i got them and I have had them for about two months now and they are just over an inch long. Will these stay fully aquatic? And if not when will they change?

 

[katie]

Sorry about posting in the wrong place!! It was my first time using this! I found them in a creek by my house. I live near Washington Pa. I tried to take pictures of them but they did not turn out at all. I will keep trying to get pics of my guys. I found a picture that looks exactly like them but i am not 100% sure what they are. So will try to put that pic up.

 

[jennifer]

Attn. Nate, this question needs you.

Actually, I've heard from 2 different people that Critter Keepers are not absolutely escape-proof. Salamanders have escape skills to rival Houdini.

 

[kaysie]

Jen, thats an understatement. But if you close a critter-keeper correctly, and they're not small enough to slip through the cracks, they work very well.

Katie, what are you feeding them and how are you keeping them? If they're growing, thats a pretty good sign!

 

[katie]

I am just keeping them in a 5 gallon aquarium. I am feeding them frozen shrimp. They have doubled in size since I got them. I have a tight lid so they won't escape, but they dont go near the top at all, they are still fully aquatic.

 

[kaysie]

try bloodworms, tubifex, really tiny pieces of earthworm. While they have gills, they will be fully aquatic, but they will probably morph into adults. So make sure they've got at least a small place where they can climb out of the water.

 

[katie]

I have a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen cover on it for when they get a little bigger. I had my dad make the cover so it fits tight. Should this be ok for them? I also tried worms, they dont like them. I try to feed them worms a few times a week because when they get bigger they wont be able to eat the brine shrimp I am giving them no. Its way too small!

 

[katie]

They are about 2 months old...should i put some land area in there now...

 

[nate]

Hi all, there's simply no way to know without a photo. The photo you posted is of Eurycea tynerensis larvae. If they fit that general look, they're probably E. bislineata larvae.

 

[dot]

Hooray for Eurycea!

 

[katie]

Thats prob what they are. E.bislineata and E. longicauda are both found in my area. Do i need to keep these guys tank totally aquatic or put some land there also? They are 2 months old.

 

[dot]

Check out Caudata Culture (http://caudata.org/cc), click on "Species" and then on "Plethodontidae." Scroll down a bit until you get to "Genus: Eurycea." That's where you'll find Nate's caresheet on E.bislineata/E.cirrigera/E.junaluska. Unfortunately, there aren't caresheets yet regarding E.longicauda or E.tynerensis, but there are pictures that may be helpful to you.

I've got three E.cirrigera larvae that aren't much bigger than yours. I keep mine in a 2.5 gallon tank, with a bare bottom, primarily just so it's easier to find them at feeding time, (aside from my being a minimalist.

)

Since they're still larvae, I keep mine 100% aquatic, but I believe you can keep morphs/adults 100% aquatic as well.

Good luck!

(Message edited by dot on September 16, 2004)