Salamanders
Salamanders are not insects but really are cold-blooded amphibians. They are not lizard family as they do not have scales. They are another beneficial in nature.
Cave Salamander-NCSA, Long Tail Salamander-Ken Felsom
Description
They range in size and length (at least 10-20cm) since there are hundreds of species and range thoughout the world except in South America, south Africa, Austrailia and the Antarctic. There is one species in Japan that grows up to 180cm! They have a wide range of colours and markings depending on where they are found. Salamanders are unique in that they will grow back a body part if they lose it. Most salamanders are moist and slimy and they are nocturnal. Their tail is usually longer than their body. Salamanders hibernate in the winter like most amphibians.
Mountain Salamander-NSCA, Northern Salamander-Ken Felsom
Lifecycle & Habitat
They live where it is moist & dark, caves, streams, ponds, under rocks, moss and rotting logs. Mostly they are found in forests and caves but they can be quite a gardeners friend given conditions that are friendly to them. Females lay their eggs in the early spring in the habitat that they prefer….streams, ponds and any moist dark place.
Red Back Salamander-NCSA, Slimy Salamander-Ken Felsom
Diet
They eat slugs, snails, bugs and most insects. Some of the bugs and insects include: millipedes, aphids, small moths, mealworms, crickets, small cockroaches, grasshoppers, locusts, flies, fruitflies, pillbugs, waxworms, mosquitoes, blackflies & white flies. Some salamanders are blind but they can easily find their food.
Lifecycle-ZoomSchool.com
August 16th, 2005 at 5:58 pm
It sounds like a slamander so just keep his area moist and warm and feed him bugs. You can buy wingless fruitflies or small worms at your local pet store. They will keep him happy and healthy. Rotting wood is also a good source of moisture.
Regards
Cahri
August 16th, 2005 at 3:51 pm
I have found what I think is a salamander which came with a bunch of bananas from Belize (I live in england). It is brown with black spots and a red stripe down its belly. It is very small (about the length of index finger) and its tail it very long and thin. It has five toes on back feet and four on front. It looks very like a salamander but for the fact it has skin similar to a frog, ie, soft and quite dry looking, certainly not shiny like those in most of the pictures I have seen.
Have placed it in vivarium with a heat mat on one side and am feeding it tiny crickets. Have provided water and a cave like shelter which it likes to stay in.
Really want to make sure it’s OK. Do you think it could be a salamander and am I doing the right things?
Thank you!!