How to Care for a Tiger Salamander

Hi!

If you are like me and like to keep anything creepy, crawly, and furry, or slimy, (as long as it doesn't have 8 legs!!), you might sometime want to keep a salamander. Here is a really good guide to figure out what type of salamander you have. This post is about keeping tiger salamanders, because those are the ones most common and what I always keep. Suitable cages for them would be either 5, 10, or 20 gallon tanks, glass or plastic, depending on their size. Also a kiddie pool with drain holes works. The bottom of the cage needs to have 1-2 inches of gravel or rocks for drainage. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!! Otherwise the cage could flood. Then put 2-4 inches of dirt in the cage. It should be soft, but not very muddy. Either a log or a big rock or two will need to be placed in the cage for the salamander to burrow under. You will need to put in a wide, shallow, water dish in, but clean often and change water at least twice daily because it gets muddy very quickly. They like to eat really anything that moves, but worms, slugs, and things like that are high on their list. Earlier today I took a big, fat, earthworm we had just caught to replenish our worm supply, and held it in the air in front of the salamander, who was sitting on a rock. All of a sudden, the salamander jerked and snapped at the worm and ate it! It took it a while to finish eating, but it was neat seeing it eat it. It kept shaking it like a mini crocodile. Another food easy to find is field crickets, although they would much prefer something slower. They can be kept outside if they have shade and almost no sun. Once you have had fun keeping them, let them go so you can catch some more in the future.

NOTE: Don't catch creatures in the winter, as they have to hibernate, and make sure that they are released in fall, to find their hide away for the winter.