|
|
|
Answer
|
lori
asked
on
6/6/2007,
|
| |
Dear Jim, My daughter found a blue spotted salamander and wants to keep it. We've created an enviroment of mud, moss, sticks, rocks, water & grass. We've tried to feed it baby crickets & baby worms. I have never seen a salamander like this one before. We live in Orillia, Ontario. I saw on the internet that they may be found in nova scotia. I am worried that this little thing could die. "Sally" the salamander is about 3 inches long. My daughter absolutly loves her more than anything and we are trying to persuade her to let her go so she has a better chance of survival & can breed. I'm also thinking that as soon as she loses interest in it we will let her go. Sally's very lethargic and still - doesn't look that happy - although I doubt I'd recognize a happy salamander anyways. Any info on weither these salamanders can survive in captivity, and how would be great. thanks Lori |
| |
|
|
Jim's answer: |
| |
Lori, sounds like your daughter's pet "Sally" is a blue-spotted or Jefferson's salamander. These tiny amphibians are mostly blue-black in color with turquoise flecks or spots on its sides. Blue-spotted salamanders are pretty common many parts of North America, especially in forested areas with steams, ponds or wetlands nearby. Because they're most active at night or during rainy days in spring and summer they're rarely seen. Blue-spotted salamanders are usually found just beneath leaf litter or under rotten logs and stumps in the forest. They do come out to more open areas at times however. I've them on the lawn and in the flower beds around my house on occasion. Most likely they're searching for prey to eat such as snails, slugs, tiny spiders, earthworms, sow bugs, and other small insects. I've kept salamanders in aquariums filled with dirt, moss, and water just like you've done so that should be fine. Be sure to give your salamander a mist of water from time to time. Like all amphibians, they must keep their fragile skin moist at all times. It sounds like you're feeding "Sally" the right kinds of food. You might have to actually hold a small worm right in front of its mouth to get it to eat, however, since salamanders have very poor eyesight and are nearly deaf as well. If you just drop the worm in the cage it will quickly tunnel its way under the moss and into the ground beneath without being eaten. You might also want to try "mealy worms" which are actually a kind of tiny white grubs. Most bait stores carry them for fishermen. Don't expect your salamander to grow much even if it does start to eat. Blue-spotted salamanders only grow to four or five inches in length even as adults. It's OK to keep "Sally" for a few weeks if you want but you must let her go by late summer for sure and hopefully close to the same spot where you got her. She will need some time to adapt to her surroundings and find a save place to hibernate for the winter ahead by then. |
| |
|
Return to previous
Questions Page
|
|
