Slimy salamander setup with bioactive substrate

[innoko]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post (should it be in setups? I don't know! sorry), but I wanted to share my setup and get any input I can from experienced keepers, since I am obviously a newb to the amphibian world. This is my first salamander and first viv setup.

I believe I have a P. cylindraceus judging by collection location (west of Charlotte, NC). I wanted a viv that required minimal attention from me and would replicate this animal's natural environment as closely as possible. He was collected from a damp forest ravine, and some leaf litter, moss, and small woodland plants from the area were collected along with him (just calling it "him" for ease of explanation, I don't know how to sex it).

The viv is set up in a 30-gallon tall aquarium, layered with pea gravel, playground sand, then a mixture of organic potting soil and coco coir, then all the leaf litter. I threw a little pothos in there for more foliage, even though it's not local. I also added moss from the ravine where the sally was found, though it's not doing too well and may need replacing soon. I created a cave/burrow lined with the moss in one corner of the viv, and that's where the sally spends most of his time--he's made a burrow in the dirt and usually sits facing out toward the main part of the viv. I have a thermometer on one side of the viv, under the leaf litter against the dirt, and it stays about 71-74* F, and I mist it daily, sometimes twice.

I put a board down in a damp part of my yard to collect prey items, although I'm not really sure what Slimy's eat in the wild besides earthworms. I've thrown in several worms, slugs, small snails, centipedes, and pillbugs, and now most of the invertebrates seem to be breeding and thriving, and I assume the sally is eating some of them, although I try not to disturb him much so I'm not sure. I did accidentally frighten him away from a worm one day so I know he's eating them at least. Sometimes I find him facing the glass wall of his burrow and I think he's stalking centipedes as they come down the "hill."

Anyway, here's some pics, they're not great because all I have is an iphone for a camera, but hopefully they show y'all the setup and salamander.

(looking into the cave/burrow)

(caught him going back into the cave one night)

(last night I caught him climbing around on the pothos)

...anything I should be doing differently? Any suggestions for other types of moss that might be more hardy? Could I add another wild-caught plethodontid or would that stress out the slimy?

 

[TristanClark]

I think that's a really good setup! your not doing anything wrong at all but that substrate seems like alot of work lol. if you can use tongs and dangle the worms in front of wherever its hiding if you wanna make sure its eating. that will get it used to taking food from you but good job if i was a slimy sal i'd love that. heres one of my old setups

 

[TristanClark]

And on you adding more I wouldn't suggest adding any different species that is just asking for trouble but in a tank that size you could add more slimys. just make sure they all have their on space

 

[JMH]

Don't ever mix different Plethodons together, the possibility of hybridization exists. If you are breeding always make sure that the animals come from the same population or the same geographic area. So, the only other salamander I would put with the one you have now is the same species found in the same area you found this one.

I like your setup, it has plenty of leaf litter, rock crops, and hiding places. For some of my salamander vivs I will use soil, rocks, and plants that I found where I had collected the animals. I think it might be helpful if trying to breed them, just a hunch.