new, getting tiger salamander

[salamander101]

hey! i am not getting him for awhile, but the place i volunteer at is selling him for 50. i need to study! i will not get him for a long timem not untill i am completly knoledgable! have any good info sites for me?

 

[Kaysie]

Whoa! $50 for a tiger salamander?? That's outrageous! Unless it's albino or solid gold, I wouldn't pay that much for a tiger.

 

[salamander101]

i can probably snag it for 30, i really want him i like him, i am going in tommorow i will get a pic. thx so much! can you hold salamanders? like for just two minutes?

 

[t_summ]

Holding salamanders is not the best thing in the world. Most of us would tell you to use caution when handling. Make sure to wash your hands well and minimize the length of time that the salamander needs to be held.

Give this a read http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml
It should help you out further with the tiger salamander knowledge hunt.

 

[salamander101]

cool! thank you so much!

 

[salamander101]

i have the tank witch is 10 or 7 gallons (dont worry i am getting a new one soon!) i have the gravel bedding (i dont think its called gravel but thats the ony word i can think of right now) and the areas of land, what else do i need? do i need a filter? i think i have one already.

 

[Kaysie]

An adult tiger salamander will need at least a 10 gallon tank, but preferably a 20 gallon. They are completely terrestrial, and need soil substrates in which to burrow. You can provide a small water dish, but it isn't necessarily needed.

A caresheet can be found here: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml

 

[Jennewt]

I would not recommend gravel as a substrate. Dirt and dirt-like substrates are "cleaner" (don't go foul) and allow the sal to dig. You don't need a filter, because tiger sals don't need water, except maybe a water dish.

 

[salamander101]

but then wont they dry out?

i will get dirt for him then

OWWW!!! i googled it and the dirt has to be moist, i get it!

 

[John]

Actually they like it dry. I have a long vivarium full of top soil. I water one end of it to keep that end a little moist. The other end is nearly completely dry - the gradient lets them pick the area in which they're most happy at any given time. I usually find them buried about half way along.