How to Keep a Salamander Alive

Salamanders require a lot of attention to keep them alive. It is important to know all about your particular species of salamander to provide it with the necessary environment and food. Salamanders can be aquatic, semi-aquatic or terrestrial. They are small amphibians, measuring on average 6 inches or less. Most have four legs in adulthood, although the siren species have only two legs, and some have webbed feet. Different species also have different ways of breathing. Most breathe through their skin and thin membranes in their mouth and throat, while others have gills.

Things You'll Need

  • Waterproof aquarium with lid
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Aquatic plants
  • Sterile potting soil, peat moss or garden loam
  • Submersible water heater or heating pads
  • Broad-spectrum light
  • Water filter
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Instructions

  1. Preparing The Aquarium

    • 1

      Line the bottom of the tank with washed aquarium gravel. For an aquatic salamander, form a slope starting about 2 inches deep at the front and ending about 3 inches deep at the back.

    • 2

      Make a division using a piece of glass through half of the tank for a semi-aquatic salamander. Add water to one side. Make a slope with the aquarium gravel so that the salamander can reach the land. Drill holes in the land side to allow water drainage. On the land side, add sterile potting soil, peat moss or garden loam. Position pieces of bark, rocks or fragments of clay pots as places for the salamander to hide or sleep under.

    • 3

      Use sterile potting soil, peat moss or garden loam for a terrestrial salamander. In addition to pieces of bark, rocks or fragments of clay pots, add many plants, moss and a dish of water to create a high level of humidity.

    Maintenance

    • 4

      Ensure the tank stays at the temperature the salamander would encounter in the wild. Salamanders from temperate climates don't need a special heating system, but it is essential to keep tropical and subtropical salamanders warm at night. Use a submersible water heater and/or heating pads under the tank. Heat only one side of the tank so the salamander may thermoregulate itself. Decrease the heating by about 12 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

    • 5

      Use a broad-spectrum light with a timer set to the number of hours of light the salamander would normally receive in the wild. Lights fitted in the aquarium lid need a mesh covering to avoid the salamander coming into contact with them.

    • 6

      Drill rows of 1/4-inch holes in acrylic and Plexiglas tanks to allow for ventilation. Fit an aquarium aerator in aquatic and semi-aquatic tanks. Make the upper part of at least two of the sides out of mesh. Mist the tank several times a day. Filter the water in the tank using a water filter.

    Feeding

    • 7

      Feed terrestrial and semi-aquatic salamanders pillbugs, beetles, earthworms, small millipedes, small moths and other insects. Aquatic salamanders eat small aquatic invertebrates, found in ponds and streams, and small crustaceans like Daphnia and water fleas, from water containing high amounts of algae. Alternatively, buy them from an aquarium shop, where you can also purchase brine shrimp.

    • 8

      Feed only as much as the salamander can eat at one time. Terrestrial salamanders may have leftovers in the tank, but don't feed again until your salamander has consumed everything. For non-hibernating species, dip food in vitamins two to three times a week during the winter.

    • 9

      Do not feed your salamander carnivorous insect larvae, including dragonflies and water beetles, as these may eat salamander larvae. Salamanders prefer live food and may not eat dead meat.