Greetings from Michigan...

[Salvadortiger]

Hi guys!
I just became the friend of a beautiful Eastern Tiger salamander. He was living in a large aquarium at my work place that I had always thought was empty. Apparently he had been found a couple of years prior, stuck in there with some dry sandy substrate and fed 2 dozen crickets twice a year or so. As soon as we met I knew that I had to rescue him. So I asked around and was given both the salamander (Salvador as we call him) and the tank he was in (I think it may be a 40 or 50 gallon? haven't measured it.) I got it home, cleaned it up very well, bought him a water dish, mixed michigan earth with jungle bedding designed for amphibians and reptiles and some moss and decked it out to match our environment as best I could. He's doing really well now, I gave him a dozen crickets and he munched them all in under an evening, no more twice a year torture for my buddy. Anyway, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. Any words of advice to a new keeper would be much appreciated.

 

[Otterwoman]

What a lucky salamander, to have found you! He sounds happier already. Maybe he'll get something besides boring old crickets sometimes now.

 

[oregon newt]

Did you use spanghum moss? Because that has a low Ph and can be harmful to your salamander.

 

[Salvadortiger]

no it was some kind of designer pet moss that said it was safe for amphibians, I was careful what I chose for him. I plan to start feeding him mostly earth worms (nightcrawlers), crickets and other feeder bugs also and maybe when he gets bigger the very occasional pinky. Thanks for responding guys.

 

[oregon newt]

Be careful because sometimes products say they are safe for amphibians, but they really aren't.

 

[Otterwoman]

Well, I think you're doing a great job and it's going to be a very happy little creature.

 

[oregon newt]

I also agree. Good luck.

 

[John]

If you want a happy tiger salamander give it a few waxworms every now and then. It's like giving kids chocolate.

The other thing I would say is make sure it has a lot of substrate to dig in - I would say a minimum of 4 inches (10 centimetres).