Want a Quiet, Clean Pet? How About a Tiger Salamander?
By Teresa Ambord
A popular pet for homes that cannot have dogs and cats is the tiger salamander. They are strikingly beautiful and, though they are shy at first, they become very responsive over time. You’ll notice that when you enter the room, they’ll scurry to the side of their tank to remind you that they want food.
Salamander Meal Time
Speaking of food, like most of us, salamanders will pack on the weight if allowed to eat as much as they want, so you have to keep an eye on their diet. After all, there’s nothing worse than a fat reptile! They have healthy appetites and, like us, do not know when to stop munching. But while we snack on potato chips, salamanders like a nice dish of earthworms, wax worms, crickets, and some wild insects (that have not been sprayed with pesticides). Salamanders enjoy variety, so mix up the munchies when you can.
You can teach a salamander to eat from your hand, though it isn’t easy. They follow their natural instincts in acquiring food, which does not include taking it from a human hand. But you can start by holding some food with tweezers or forceps. Once you’ve met with success in feeding your tiger salamander this way, shorten the distance between your fingers and the food, until the tiger is taking it directly from your fingers.
One warning: Reptiles have bacteria in their mouths. Feeding them from your hand increases the likelihood that you’ll be bitten, so be sure to wash your hands after each feeding.
Housing
When tiger salamanders are in the larval stage, they are aquatic. An aquarium with about six inches of water and some rocks for them to hide under is adequate. Keep the temperature at 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit, and be sure to use a good filter, aeration, and an airstone.
It will take at least several months, maybe a year for the salamander to lose its gills and take on an adult form. As this happens, the amount of water in the tank should be gradually reduced and a little real estate provided. Eventually the salamander can be a fully terrestrial being, though a shallow dish of water should still be available for a refreshing soak. Salamanders are burrowers, so be sure to provide some loose earth. Many people use potting soil (though no vermiculite). Peat moss, spaghnum moss, or bark chips are good.
Salamanders do love to burrow in the dirt, but they also appreciate cleanliness. Their homes and their water dishes should be cleaned frequently. Because of their healthy appetites, they produce a lot of waste, which means of course, a lot of cleaning.
Once they’ve achieved adulthood, they should be kept at room temperature.
An Excellent Resource Book
If you decide that a tiger salamander is for you, check out this book as a resource guide:
- Newts and Salamanders, (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
By Frank Indiviglio
