Question on wild caught salamanders.

[E1lek3n]

I recently caught what I believe to be a jefferson salamander. I've read that should any adults of these species are found that I call a certain number. However I live in new york and the site was for Jefferson's in Massachusetts. Is this species at risk and should I return him? Figured I'd be doing him a favor seeing as how he was caught with only one eye. O and this was the first I had ever seen of this species where I live (central new york) in over 13 years of living here. Also is it alright for him to be house with two yellow spotted salamanders?

 

[Kaysie]

If you found the salamander in New York, you don't need to report it to the state of Massachusetts.

Is the species protected in the state where you live? If yes, you cannot keep it. But now since it's been in contact with possibly non-native species, you cannot return it to the wild (that is usually ILLEGAL!). Contact your state DNR and find if it's protected. If it is not, you can probably keep it as a pet.

One-eyed salamanders can live just fine. I have a large blue-spotted that was rescued (someone's dog dug up its hibernaculum mid-winter), and it grew to a large size in the wild despite having never developed one eye.

You cannot keep Jefferson's and spotteds together. While both species are shy, it's best to keep single-species tanks. I bet spotteds would go after a Jefferson's.

 

[E1lek3n]

I looked it up and it's "of special concern" in NY so apparently it's not protected yet. It has only come into contact with native species so there's no concern there. I've also read that it may be a hybrid as apparently that is fairly common.