New Ambystoma Maculatum(s)!

[NinjaNewt]

I just got two Abystoma Maculatum (Spotted Salamanders) at my local reptile show. Believe it or not this is the first time I’ve ever seen salamanders (with the exclusion of axolotls) for sale locally. I currently have them in a Bioactive10 gallon setup and I am hoping to breed them in the future! Is there any tips or tricks that help with keeping/breeding this species also how long do they usually live in captivity, I’ve heard some people say ten years and others say thirty-five.

 

[PDONTnAMBY]

Congrats! Maculatum are great--wish I still had mine, but I think they're very happy at the nature center I donated them to. Yours look pretty young. Did the vendor say how old they were?

As for tips, I'd say either stick to foods that can live in their substrate like red wrigglers and pillbugs, or be very watchful to make sure that no finnickier foods escape them. Substrate quality is very important, and nightcrawlers (their favorite food in my experience) can foul quickly if not eaten. Apart from that, just make sure the enclosure is misted regularly, do occasional substrate changes, and keep the temps below 72ish, and your maculatum should be pretty hardy!

 

[NinjaNewt]

Congrats! Maculatum are great--wish I still had mine, but I think they're very happy at the nature center I donated them to. Yours look pretty young. Did the vendor say how old they were?

As for tips, I'd say either stick to foods that can live in their substrate like red wrigglers and pillbugs, or be very watchful to make sure that no finnickier foods escape them. Substrate quality is very important, and nightcrawlers (their favorite food in my experience) can foul quickly if not eaten. Apart from that, just make sure the enclosure is misted regularly, do occasional substrate changes, and keep the temps below 72ish, and your maculatum should be pretty hardy!

It has been a year since the both came onto land according to the breeder. Also I have them setup in a bio active setup, will that be enough to keep the soil clean? I have armadillidium s. and Canadian night crawlers both for cleanup crew will the salamanders way them all before they can clean up the tank

 

[NinjaNewt]

I have them in a Bioactive setup, will the clean up crew (armadillidium vulgare, lumbricus terrestris, and Collembola sp.) be enough to clean the soil?