How do i take care of this salamander?

Question

i found a salamander in our front yard i have it in a fish tank w/ some water 3 rocks and grass im afraid if i let him go he will die beacuse it is so hot. so i wanna take care of him until it is a little cooler out. so any help?

to see wat he looks like go to this site

http://www.cortland.edu/herp/keys/images/salamand/amacullg.jpg

Answer 1

Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps)

Care Sheet

Description:

2.5 - 6.5", One of the worlds smallest (in terms of creature size) caudate genera, Batrachoseps are extremely slender, worm-like salamanders with a rather dull dorsa and flanks consisting of 15 to 22 costal grooves. The fact that there are 4 toes on each foot distinguishes this genus from most other western salamanders. In healthy individuals the tail is very long, slightly fleshy and equates to approximately one half to two-thirds of Batrachoseps total length. The tail can be very easily amputated along many constrictions along the entire length which is utilized as one of two main defensive features in this genus. Although the head is extremely small, the eyes are relatively large and frontally positioned. It is thought that this positioning is important where hunting of its relatively agile prey is concerned. Like a chameleon, Batrachoseps entire vision is directed forward so as to focus and judge with extreme accuracy the distance of the prey. This is then snared with a flick of a fairly extensible, sticky tongue and Batrachoseps rarely misses! Colour and patterning in slender salamanders is fairly invariable making species / subspecies identification difficult, sometimes impossible unless location data is known. Indeed some species have only been named recently based on genetic material although such evidence makes the classification of this genus rather confusing to say the least. The general dorsal color varies between light brown to dark grey or sometimes black. The flanks are almost always darker but with light speckles. The belly is perhaps the best pointer to a species as can be seen in the specific descriptions.

Range, Habitats & Habits:

Slender salamanders are distributed along the Pacific Coast of North America, from Baja California, coastal and central mountain California, Oregon to extreme southern Washington. Several species (some of which are recently described) exist as small relict populations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, inland Baja Califonia, Channel Islands, Nevada and Oregon. Their favoured habitats are the cool, humid woodland particularly where there is a good covering of dead leaves, decomposing bark and wood (especially within coniferous woodlands). However some species are extremely abundant, occurring in urban gardens, refuse tips, sewerage systems and roadside verges. Batrachoseps is quite bold in disposition, often found walking around after rainfall, during dawn and dusk. However it is essentially nocturnal and possesses several defensive mechanisms. As previously mentioned, the tail easily detach's and in a recent California research, up to 50 percent of specimens within Big Basin Redwoods National Park have regrown tails. In addition this salamander is very agile and also curls itself before catapulting to safety in a watch spring-like action.

Species Identification:

California Slender Salamander - (B.attenuatus)

7 - 12cm. 17 - 22 costal grooves. The most abundant species, now known to be the common salamander of the west (a title formerly given to Aneides lugubris).. In recent studies it is estimated that there may be as many as 8 specimens per square metre within its range. The dorsum, which is a rusty-red or more usually sandy brown, is very elongate and is flanked by dark brown or black sides and limbs. A series of v-shaped marking often traverses the entire dorsum. The belly is brown-black with small white speckles. Range - from extreme southwest Oregon, along the whole California coast except the Monterey peninsular and extreme south. Also found in the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. A relict population even exists on the infamous island of Alcatraz although this is thought to be in decline due to old age and excessive in-breeding.

Desert Slender Salamander - (B aridus)

5.5 - 9cm. 16 - 20 costal grooves. One of the smallest, most attractive Batrachoseps. The dorsum is black with a beautiful maroon tint, while the snout, flanks and tail sides are flecked with silver. The belly is a black-maroon. The tails is rather more laterally compressed than in other species. Range - A species classified as endangered on account of its very limited distribution - a single canyon in Riverside County, California. I actually found that it was extremely abundant within certain areas of the canyon possibly because there were very few natural predators present.

*Not available in captivity*

Inyo Mountains Slender Salamander -(B.campi)

7 - 13cm. Costal grooves between 16 and 19 or competely absent. This small, rather stream-lined species was only described in 1993. It is unique in being partially aquatic and although similar to, but smaller than , its dorsum is a light grey to sandy brown flecked with tiny black speckles. The flanks, legs and lower jaw are dark. The belly is black or dark brown,often with a scattering of white speckles. Range - It was discovered in some natural underground wells at 6,000 feet in the Mojave Desert, Inyo Mountains on the California/Nevada border. The surrounding habitat is rather dry and scrubby and the salamander rarely appears on the surface except following exceptionally heavy rainfall.

*Not available in captivity*

Garden Slender Salamander - (B.major)

9 - 16½cm. 18 or 19 costal grooves. The largest slender salamander, with a pale grey dorsal and flank coloration which exhibit a reddish tinge. The skin tends to be much smoother and shinier than B.attenuatus. The belly tends to be pale, either white or silvery grey with many minute black speckles. The tail is exceptionally long and the body is rather plump and rounded. Range - Mainly the island of Santa Catalina off the California coast, but also occurs in small pockets along the southern California coast (I found them in the garden (its main habitat in arid areas hence the common name) of a friend in San Diego), into Baja and even inland Baja in a few small oasis. Often occurs in quite dry habitats (where is is almost totally nocturnal) and can be very numerous after rainfall.

Black-bellied Slender Salamander - (B.nigriventris)

7 - 12cm. 18 - 20 costal grooves. Very similar to B.attenuatus in appearance except differentiated on account of slightly darker dorsum and its jet black belly devoid of any markings. It was formely described as a subspecies of B.attenuatus. Range - Takes over from B.attenuatus in the south of California - from San Diego to the Baja border. It inhabits both dryish scrubland, woodland, gardens and increasingly irrigated arable lands. Actual population densities are thought to be quite high where it occurs, however it is rarely seen except following heavy rainfall.

Channel Islands or Pacific Slender Salamander - (B.pacificus)

6½ - 13cm. 17 - 21 costal grooves. An attractive species with a grey or light brown dorsum with a pink and red mottled hue. The fleshy tail is longer than in other species and the belly ranges from a dirty grey to white rarely with black flecks. Range - Confined to the Channel Islands of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel off the Californian coast. It is not common anywhere in its range.

Relictual Slender Salamander - (B.relictus)

7 - 14cm. 20 or more costal grooves. This species was described as recently as 1967 (which is amazing on account of its relatively large distribution) and is thought to be the species from which all other slender salamanders evolved. Although its range is directly adjacent to and even overlaps that of B.attenuatus, coloration-wise it is distinct. Overall the dorsum tends to be grey with many silvery flecks and a black band running along the flanks. There is sometimes a nblack vertebral stripe. It is overall larger and more bulky than B.attenuatus. The belly is black with a sparse scattering of white speckles. Range - Monterey peninsular, mid-lowlands of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Santa Cruz island and a large relict population in central-east Baja.

Kern Canyon Slender Salamander - (B.simuatus)

8½ - 12cm. Up to 22 costal grooves. Discovered in 1960 by Arden Brame, B.simatus is a very slim (even by slender salamander proportions) species with a dark brown dorsum exhibiting a broken bronze-colored vertebral stripe. The flanks and belly are black, sometimes with white dots. Range - Restricted to the coniferous north-facing slopes of Kern River Canyon up to an altitude of 2,400 feet. I only found two small specimens when I visited the area in 1993.

*Not available in captivity*

Tehachapi or Stebbins Slender Salamander - (B.stebbinsi)

9 - 12cm. 18 or 19 costal grooves. Discovered by Stebbins in 1957 this is a slim species with rather larger feet than other species thought to aid it in its rock-climbing habits. The feet also possess indistinctive webbing. The dorsum is dark grey with a scattering of black or dark red flecks sometimes merging to form a vertebral band. The belly is usually grey (occasionally black) often exhibiting large white blotches. The tail is relatively short. Range - Found in very rocky areas, pine forest and high meadows often near steams in the Paiute and Tehachapi Mountains up to an elevation of 8,500 feet (usually around 3,000 feet). Also found in small pockets in Kern County and Sequoia National Forest in montane regions.

*Not available in captivity*

Oregon Slender Salamander - (B.wrighti)

9 - 11cm. 16 - 18 costal grooves. A small species with a distinct dorsal coloration of red-brown with yellowish or red flecks. which form a narrow band from the snout to the tail tip. Belly is always black with large white or grey spots which often extend up the flanks to give a silvery color. Range - Confined to maple, red cedar and especially Douglas fir forests of North central Oregon and extreme south central Washington around the Columbia and Hood Rivers and the slopes of the Cascades. Tends to be rather rare in many of its habitats and populations are widel

Answer 2

You have a spotted salamander. It is one of the mole salamanders and it is a land animal. They live buried in leaves and loose soil usually in forests. They only return to water early in the spring to mate and lay eggs. The larva take 3 to 5 months to develop, then they loose their gills and leave the water. They eat small invertebrates, worms, snails, and insects. They need to stay cool, below 75F and below 70F would be better. Give it substrate like Eco Earth or peat moss so it can bury it self. If you let it go do it at night. It is nocturnal and will likely over heat and dry out if you release it during the day. I have hatched and raised their babies from vernal ponds that dry up when we don't get enough rain.

Answer 3

I have 2 fire salamanders at home and I can't imagine that their care would be much different from yours.

Firstly, take the water out of the tank.  They only need a lot of water if they are in their larval stage ie. gills.  They only require a small wading pool if you are unable to mist them with a water mister every day.

Next, get 4-5 inches of soil for him to burrow in.  Place some leaves on top of that.

Now get some bark from a fallen tree with some moss and put it on top of the leaves so the salamander has somewhere to hide.

Go to a bait shop and buy some fishing worms for the salamander.  If the worms are too big, cut them into bite size pieces.

Also they like it cool.  Keep the temperature around 65-70 f. A basement is ideal for the salamander tank.

Answer 4

treat him like you would any salamander, look up caresheets on google, and iof your gonna keep him for alot longer, get him a proper tank with..water

he is a fire salamander NOT A NEWT!

http://images.google.com/images?q=fire%2...

Answer 5

ok heres a link

http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/114...

Answer 6

This is a newt.http://www.anapsid.org/sallies.html