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Question: Semi-aquatic salamanders?

T0ny

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I would like to know of any/all semi-aquatic salamanders to keep as a pet (preferably in a list form). I have been searching around the internet for awhile and haven't found much or sites that say conflicting things. I've stumbled on this site multiple times and was hoping someone could help point me in the right direction. Thank you in advance.
 

Asevernnnn

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I don't believe theres any truly "Semi-Aquatic Salamanders" but T. kweichowensis and T. yangi are probably the closest to "Semi-Aquatic" but each individual is different and their behaviors can vary depending on its personality and the environment its given
 

T0ny

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Yeah, I keep seeing that newts seem to fall into that category more than salamanders. I was essentially wanting to build a terrarium that has land on one half and slopes to a deeper pool of water at about 6 inches. I dont really want to add stress or anything to a salamander that would prefer more land or water.
 

sde

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Yeah I agree with Aaron, there really aren't any truly semi aquatic salamanders that you could find in captivity. There are plenty of semi aquatic newts though.
 

Asevernnnn

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Technically all newts are salamanders lol. Some can be semi-aquatic but can often be housed fully aquatic as adults.
 

Otterwoman

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Also it can be seasonal- they'll spend most of the time on land and go to the water during mating season. Animals I find in or out at any time are only my Tylototriton verrucosus. Maybe also Taricha granulosa.
 

T0ny

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So if i'm understanding right I can get whatever I want and it'll be fine? Like I can get a tiger salamander and it'll enjoy a nice swim or get a dog faced salamander and it'll stretch his land legs every so often?
 

Asevernnnn

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Tiger salamanders should be housed in a terrarium with a burrowing substrate and a water bowl. I haven't really even seen my tiger in its water bowl ever, making it a water area wouldn't really be ideal, it would just take up space.
Im assuming "dog faced salamander" means a specie or warty or paddletail newts, they're mostly fully aquatic and would only require a piece of floating cork bark if anything.
 

T0ny

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I know that is the type of environments you want for those two. And I use common names for these because I am by no means a "zoologist". But from everything that i'm reading i'm assuming that I would have to pick from a newt, I was hoping to stick with an "official" salamander. I have also read about an iberian ribbed salamander that is considered semi-aquatic in shallow water only but I have seen enclousers that was fulled with water for them. I have also stumbled upon a spanish ribbed newt though, are these the same animal?
 

Asevernnnn

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I know that is the type of environments you want for those two. And I use common names for these because I am by no means a "zoologist". But from everything that i'm reading i'm assuming that I would have to pick from a newt, I was hoping to stick with an "official" salamander. I have also read about an iberian ribbed salamander that is considered semi-aquatic in shallow water only but I have seen enclousers that was fulled with water for them. I have also stumbled upon a spanish ribbed newt though, are these the same animal?

They're both P. waltl and they're basically fully aquatic, I have never once seen mine on land so I just removed the cork bark all together, and I haven't had a problem.
If you want something truly semi-aquatic, it would probably be best to go with fire belly toads, which utilizes both areas.
 

sde

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Technically all newts are salamanders lol.

You never fail to point that out.....

I agree with otterwoman, T. granulosa ( Rough skinned newt ) are pretty semi aquatic. The ones I have kept are almost completely aquatic in the breeding season, but like a fair amount of land in the summer and fall. Also each individual has it's own preferences, like one of my females was on the land most of the time whereas one of the other females preferred to be in the water most the time.
 

T0ny

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Awesome, thank you all for the information. I have a pretty good idea of what to go with now.
 
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