shanski6710
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- Nov 5, 2013
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Hi Everyone! I'm Shannon and I live in Massachusetts. I'm new here and to salamanders (or any other amphibian or reptile for that matter)
The other night I found a little salamander (about 3 inches long including the tail) running through my work! I work in a machine shop and the poor little thing was covered in dust and metal chips (don't need to be an expert to know this isn't good, just an animal lover
). I brought him home because the area is being torn up for building expansion and I felt as if he wouldn't survive.
I've done nothing but research since I brought him home. But its always good to get some opinions from experienced keepers. I'm 99% sure he is a yellow spotted since he is all black with a grayish belly and what seems to be two rows of yellow spots. He must be pretty young given his size and the fact that his spots are really little.
I have him (or her) in a 10 gallon tank right now with some "forest moss" bought from the pet store (I plan on changing this to a soil/moss mixture this weekend). He has a shallow water dish in there with a rock and a log. I've been feeding him crickets for now but plan on getting some worms tomorrow. He seems happy. He has eaten, He has been in his water dish and he has burrowed himself between the rock and the glass about two inches below the substrate. And he even shed his skin on Monday! That is good right? I read that it shows he is healthy and growing.
I mist the tank day and night with dechlorinated water just enough so the moss is damp. And the tank stays right around 66 degrees.
I just want to make sure it sounds like he is adjusting well or at least on his way to becoming adjusted.
A few questions I have are can I keep his food in the tank with him? Like can I keep worms IN the tank, or is it better to have portion control? I'd really like to turn this into a little vivarium setup with live plants and everything. Any tips on that? Also, I know the tank should be spot cleaned regularly, but how often should I clean out the entire setup? I have a light on (just in the room not over the tank) for a good portion of the day/night (I work nights) Should I move him to a darker room and use a light for "night and day" or is it ok for the light to be on most of the time? I read about powder for the insects. Is this necessary?
Any information is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
The other night I found a little salamander (about 3 inches long including the tail) running through my work! I work in a machine shop and the poor little thing was covered in dust and metal chips (don't need to be an expert to know this isn't good, just an animal lover
). I brought him home because the area is being torn up for building expansion and I felt as if he wouldn't survive. I've done nothing but research since I brought him home. But its always good to get some opinions from experienced keepers. I'm 99% sure he is a yellow spotted since he is all black with a grayish belly and what seems to be two rows of yellow spots. He must be pretty young given his size and the fact that his spots are really little.
I have him (or her) in a 10 gallon tank right now with some "forest moss" bought from the pet store (I plan on changing this to a soil/moss mixture this weekend). He has a shallow water dish in there with a rock and a log. I've been feeding him crickets for now but plan on getting some worms tomorrow. He seems happy. He has eaten, He has been in his water dish and he has burrowed himself between the rock and the glass about two inches below the substrate. And he even shed his skin on Monday! That is good right? I read that it shows he is healthy and growing.
I mist the tank day and night with dechlorinated water just enough so the moss is damp. And the tank stays right around 66 degrees.
I just want to make sure it sounds like he is adjusting well or at least on his way to becoming adjusted.
A few questions I have are can I keep his food in the tank with him? Like can I keep worms IN the tank, or is it better to have portion control? I'd really like to turn this into a little vivarium setup with live plants and everything. Any tips on that? Also, I know the tank should be spot cleaned regularly, but how often should I clean out the entire setup? I have a light on (just in the room not over the tank) for a good portion of the day/night (I work nights) Should I move him to a darker room and use a light for "night and day" or is it ok for the light to be on most of the time? I read about powder for the insects. Is this necessary?
Any information is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
