Fire Salamander ( Salamandra salamandra )

Fire Salamander ( Salamandra salamandra )

Care in Captivity by Chris Jorden



Introduction

Fire salamanders are one of the most colourful of all salamanders and newts - they are black and bright yellow, and their skin feels quite damp and rubbery. They got their name from when they came running out of a log that they were hibernating in, when it was thrown in to a fire. This made people think they were born in the fire.

They normally grow between 20 and 25 cm (8 - 10 inches), and can become very tame in captivity. Although they are quite popular in Europe, imports in to America are somewhat limited - perhaps due to there low temperature requirements.

They usually live for twelve to twenty years, although some live longer. Fire salamanders are nocturnal, which means they hunt for food at night.

They hibernate during winter. In the USA people who have salamanders tend to hibernate them during them summer, by placing them in a small tank with moss on the bottom, then putting them in an air-conditioned room, or in the refrigerator! In the UK hibernation can be accomplished by placing the salamanders in separate containers containing just damp sphagnum moss and a waterfowl. Before placing the salamanders in the container, you should fast them for about 8 days. After the fasting period the temperature in the terrarium should be cooled to just 5 degrees centigrade. Then place them in the container, which should be put in a cool, but sheltered place such as a garage, or a garden shed.

Selecting A Salamander

The salamander you select should be plump but not obese (it should be impossible to see bones in the rib or hip areas, as this is a sign of malnutrition). The skin should be clear with no scratches or cuts. Eyes should be clear as well.

Try to see the specimen you are interested in feed, to see if it is eating well. Make sure it is not overcrowded in the tank, and make sure the tank is the correct temperature. The tank should not be dirty or smelly and it should give the fire salamanders the proper environment that they require. It should not be kept in a tank with any other species of animals, as this may result in you choosing an ill salamander, that does not like the other species' toxins.

The salamander should be transported in a well ventilated plastic container, with a substrate on the bottom. When getting a new salamander to add to a group it should be kept in a different tank on its own for a few weeks to make sure it is healthy. If you put a sick salamander in with a healthy group, it may also kill the whole group, as well as dying itself.

Setting Up A Terrarium

A tank measuring 90 x 40 x 30 cm is ideal for a pair or trio (one male, two females) of fire salamanders, although 60 x 40 x 30 cm will do for a pair or single adult. Two males should not be kept together, as they will probably fight.

The substrate should be 4 - 12 cm of bark or potting soil (which can be mixed with playground sand to make an even better floor to the cage), covered with 2 - 3 cm of damp moss (preferably sphagnum). Fire salamanders like to burrow. You should have at least one hiding place per salamander, and the tank should contain some plants, fake (plastic) or real. Real plants should be replaced when they die. The water bowl should not be very deep, as Fire Salamanders are bad swimmers. 2 - 3 cm is fine. It should have a ramp in it, allowing the salamanders to climb out easily. The water should be changed regularly as the salamanders also use it as their toilet. It should be cleaned at least every other day, preferably every day. Tap water should not be used in the water bowl, as it contains chlorine, which is toxic to salamanders. Spring water or rain water is best. If tap water must be used, it has to be left to stand for three days so it can dechlorinate. Mist spray the tank every day or two, using aged tap water, rain water or spring water.

The temperature in the tank should be 15 - 20 degrees centigrade (60 - 68 degrees Fahrenheit). When it gets to hot in the tank the salamander starts climbing the walls of the tank. They also circle the tank when they are suffering from heat stress.

When cleaning out the tank - this should be done every three or four months - make sure you replace the objects in their original spots, otherwise the salamander will get confused.

Feeding

Salamanders should be fed a variety of insects, as well as some earthworms, wax-worms and spiders. They will eat any insect caught in your garden, but I do not recommend feeding salamanders wild-caught insects as they may contain insecticides. Feed your salamander at least twice a week as much as they will eat. Leave some insects loose in the tank to be eaten later. Be careful when feeding a group of salamanders as they may fight over food.

Handling

Although handling is not recommended, fire salamanders can be held if great care is taken and they are held in damp hands. On Fire Salamanders you can see pores running down the salamander's back and tail, and on the sides of its head. Out of these pores the salamander can release a noxious fluid if disturbed, which is especially bad if it goes in an eye. Salamanders very rarely use the fluid, and nearly all captive bred salamanders are fine to hold. When you first hold your salamander it is a good idea to wear disposable latex gloves and goggles. If the salamander does not try to squirt you, it is probably okay to hold. Wear gloves and goggles a few more times after that when handling and if it still does not release the milky fluid, it should be safe to hold without gloves or goggles. If the salamander squirts your gloves or goggles, the goggles should be thrown away, and it should not be held again, without protection.

Breeding

Breeding is supposedly fairly easy. All you need is a male a female or two. Sexing fire salamanders is quite easy, males have a swollen cloaca and females do not. Males are also normally slightly smaller. Fire salamanders are usually sexually mature at the age of three or four.

In the wild mating takes place in autumn or spring. In captivity breeding occurs after a drop or rise in temperature. Mating takes places on land. The male slips underneath the female and the carries her around on his back for ages, whilst rubbing his head on her chin. Then the female will move her hind-quarters from side to side. The male releases his spermatophore (sperm packet). The female lowers her hind-quarters and picks up the spermatophore with her cloaca. The female can store the spermatophore for months. Once it is used for fertilisation, gestation itself takes two to five months. You will be able to tell when a female is ready to give birth because she will be very obese. At this point move the female to a separate tank, that has a large are of shallow water. Make sure the female can get out easily. You can include a sponge filter and a few live plants. Continue feeding her whilst she is in this tank. She will give birth to twenty to seventy live larvae, each with four legs and measuring about 2.5 cm in length, in groups over a few days. They are a mottled greenish tan, with gold specks. When she has finished giving birth, put her back to the original terrarium.

Looking After The Larvae

The larvae should be removed when they are born and put in a third tank, full of spring water, or old tap water. It should have a sponge filter in it and lots of live plants, for the larvae to hide in and to make the water cleaner and to improve the oxygen level in the tank. The water should be changed once a month. Feed the larvae brine shrimp, daphnia, mosquito larvae, tubifex worms and other live fish foods. When they get older they will eat small insects. They should be fed about twice a day.

In two to four months the larvae will metamorphose into baby salamanders. Just before they leave the water the larvae acquire adult colouring, at this time you should give them areas where they can get out of the water, or they will drown. The babies should be moved to small tanks set up the same as the adults' tank, but with a water bowl half as deep. Four juveniles can be kept in a tank 60 x 30 x 30 cm. The babies should be fed the same things as the adults, except they should be given smaller food.

Copyright © Chris Jorden. 1999.