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Salamanders

bellyache

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What salamanders are poisonous to humans and what ones are safe?
Am used to axolotls but would like to get a salamader since its in same group type.
 

manderkeeper

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Hi,

All salamanders that I know of are safe to keep as pets but you should wash your hands after handling them and do not eat them. You'll find a lot of paranoid people giving overly cautious advice about things like salamanders, toads, and even garter snakes. Most of those folks are hypochondriacs, best to ignore them.
 

sde

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None, unless you plan on eating them...

Erm, not quite true.
Ever seen Johnny Farnens account of getting poisoned by a N. kaiseri? Yeah, the threat is real. Kaysie ( moderator ) got Tetrodotoxin ( TTX ) from a T. granulosa in here finger, it paralyzed her whole arm and caused "tingling" for hours. And she didn't even see the toxin on the newt. There are multiple other accounts as well. Its no joke, newt toxin is nothing to mess around with, if you have any cuts or open wounds in your hands you would be wise wear gloves when handling your newts. If you hands don't have any cuts or open wounds, then washing after handling should suffice.
Usually they won't secrete any poison unless provoked, even then they may not. But when you are dealing with toxin as powerful as you can find in newts, why risk it? Always wash your hands after handling newts, like manderkeeper says.

Here is Johnny's thread; http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...iseri-poisoning-incident.html?highlight=toxin
Here is Kaysie's account ( scroll down ); http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...nulosa-secreting-poison.html?highlight=poison
Here is a CC link; Caudata Culture Articles - Newt Toxins

Anywho, just thought I would point out that you ought to be careful with newts, they are little toxin packets just waiting to get you ;)
 

Asevernnnn

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I guess I got some tank water in a cut on my toe after a water change and it got infected and eventually had to get a third of my toenail cut off so they could put chemicals on it lol
 

Stupot1610

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Erm, not quite true.
Ever seen Johnny Farnens account of getting poisoned by a N. kaiseri? Yeah, the threat is real. Kaysie ( moderator ) got Tetrodotoxin ( TTX ) from a T. granulosa in here finger, it paralyzed her whole arm and caused "tingling" for hours. And she didn't even see the toxin on the newt. There are multiple other accounts as well. Its no joke, newt toxin is nothing to mess around with, if you have any cuts or open wounds in your hands you would be wise wear gloves when handling your newts. If you hands don't have any cuts or open wounds, then washing after handling should suffice.
Usually they won't secrete any poison unless provoked, even then they may not. But when you are dealing with toxin as powerful as you can find in newts, why risk it? Always wash your hands after handling newts, like manderkeeper says.

Here is Johnny's thread; http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...iseri-poisoning-incident.html?highlight=toxin
Here is Kaysie's account ( scroll down ); http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...nulosa-secreting-poison.html?highlight=poison
Here is a CC link; Caudata Culture Articles - Newt Toxins

Anywho, just thought I would point out that you ought to be careful with newts, they are little toxin packets just waiting to get you ;)

I know :D I was being very brief, hoping that someone would pick me up on it :)
 

AdvythAF

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Some salamanders/newts are poisonous. Taricha are poisonous. I heard of an instance where a hiker drank water and accidentally ingested the newt's poison and died. The Plethodon glutinosus complex aren't poisonous, but they secrete a sticky substance. I have also heard that Ensatinas and other small lungless salamanders can secrete a sticky mucus-like substance when threatened.

Also, the emperor newt, Tylototriton shanjing) excretes poison through its ribs.
A lot of salamanders are poisonous but the poison only affects a human if the poison is ingested, or gets into the blood stream of the victim.
 

sde

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I guess I got some tank water in a cut on my toe after a water change and it got infected and eventually had to get a third of my toenail cut off so they could put chemicals on it lol

Yikes, that sounds uncomfortable. It may have been toxin, or maybe just something in the water. What species was in the tank where the water came from?
 

caleb

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mr cyclone

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Triturus marmoratous secrete toxins quite often when I pick them up , they must thin I'm going to eat them. Infact every marm ive kept terrestrial has secreted toxins when ive been handling briefly.ive been fortunate enough to wash my hands afterwards and not poison myself probably out of dumb luck.
I'm quite clumsy
 

Asevernnnn

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Yikes, that sounds uncomfortable. It may have been toxin, or maybe just something in the water. What species was in the tank where the water came from?

H. orientalis I believe
 

Providence

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I appreciate this advice. I have been using plastic gloves to handle my mole salamander. I freaked out when I read the secretion off their skin can cause blindness. I am not planning on touching my eyes or mucus membranes of my nose, but will regular soap and water wash off the secretion from their skin?

Oh thank you so much. I am new to the whole salamander pet joy. I found my in my Christmas tree last year. I made my own habitat and change the water out weekly. Last week I put some moss from my pond. Yeah, kinda regret that it made my lil habitat stinky. I change out the dirt and the chlorine free water weekly and have rocks, dark and sandy dirt as well as a 3/4 inch water area for it. I feed it fresh crickets when I find them and have tried the freeze dried crickets, (it seems to ignore),earthworms, and pallets. Last week some while letting it get some fresh air I found mosquito larve in its water and let it feed on them for a week. But being paranoid about changing its water and dirt I had to pour them out. Any suggestions on better ways to feed my Mole Salamander? Also is there some special species name for it? Thanks a bunch have a good one.
 
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sde

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I appreciate this advice. I have been using plastic gloves to handle my mole salamander. I freaked out when I read the secretion off their skin can cause blindness. I am not planning on touching my eyes or mucus membranes of my nose, but will regular soap and water wash off the secretion from their skin?

Oh thank you so much. I am new to the whole salamander pet joy. I found my in my Christmas tree last year. I made my own habitat and change the water out weekly. Last week I put some moss from my pond. Yeah, kinda regret that it made my lil habitat stinky. I change out the dirt and the chlorine free water weekly and have rocks, dark and sandy dirt as well as a 3/4 inch water area for it. I feed it fresh crickets when I find them and have tried the freeze dried crickets, (it seems to ignore),earthworms, and pallets. Last week some while letting it get some fresh air I found mosquito larve in its water and let it feed on them for a week. But being paranoid about changing its water and dirt I had to pour them out. Any suggestions on better ways to feed my Mole Salamander? Also is there some special species name for it? Thanks a bunch have a good one.

Mole salamanders aren’t very toxic, you don’t have much to worry about with them. I’ve gotten toxin secreted from Northwestern Salamanders (which is what I think you have) on my hands and nothing happened. I’ve read that their toxin can irritate some people’s skin but haven’t heard any personal accounts of that.
As for feeding your salamander, it depends on what species it is. Since it came from Alaska and is a mole salamander it must be either a Northwestern or a long toed sally. Long toed salamanders are some of the most docile and personable I’ve ever kept, and should be tong feeding for you soon enough. Northwesterns not so much. You could try putting a small dish on the land and leaving worm pieces in that overnight. Just make sure it’s close to flush with the ground so he can find it easily.
You could PM me pictures or make a separate thread showing pictures for a positive ID
 
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