Firesalamander who likes a regular bath

[ester]

Has anyone else seen this behaviour in fire salamanders (Salamandra s.t.)?

One of my 2 year olds likes jump into its water bowl, swim to the other side and crawl out again on a regular basis (like at least once a day). The water area is also its favourite spot to take a dump (either near it or in it).

*grin* I'm kinda hoping it's a she, and that she's practicing for the real thing once she's bigger

 

[mike]

Hi Ester,

No I haven't seen this behaviour in Salamandra, purely because I do not provide standing water in their terrariums.

I personally would not provide a water bowl that is deep enough for your salamanders to swim in, as they do drown very easily. I have even seen adults drowned in just 2 centimeters of water!

 

[jameswei]

i have not encountered such behavior with my fire "spankie" but it does have a certain fondness with the water bowl. It used head straight into the water bowl and crawl around after every meal. And now, periodically, it would hang around the water bowl either to take a dump or to pee....

 

[ingo]

Hello Esther, hello Mike,

Though I have not enough water to swim in the tank of my juvenile S.s.t., I have already seen Fire Salamanders swim freely in a brook in the wild. For this, I can´t really imagine, that it´s possible for an adult Salamandra salamandra to drown in 2 cm of standing water...

She had crossed the brook so fastly, I could hardly take photos...

Even if the water looks shallow on the photos, it´s indeed about 30 cm deep in the middle.

However, even if Fire Salamanders can swim, I haven´t seen any swim for their "pleasure"; these were all females dropping their larvae.

(Message edited by Inshi on May 25, 2005)

 

[mike]

Hello Ingo,

I too have seen Fire Salamanders swim in deep water in their natural habitat, and survive.
I have also seen Salamandra drowned in the wild.

What I can say with certainty is that in 40 plus years of keeping and breeding them in captivity I have never lost an animal through drowning, because I don't give them the opportunity.

 

[ingo]

Hello Mike,

I see the point in your argumentation

- security first.
I also agree with you, that especially in juvenile Salamanders it really doesn´t make any sense to give them a water bowl.