ello from smallz

okay im originally from colorado...I was at work one day. in a busy part of denver. (in a warehouse off of two highways) and a barred tiger walked up to me while I was taking inventory, and litterally made me jump in the air...lol. So I took him home on the way stopped at the local reptile store. they said to get a tank (ten gallon) give him a bowl of water and some cocnut shavings so I did. he lived that way for about a year. then I got a new tank that had more water...but not enough...then I moved to idaho( i know just stick with me!) Now he is in a 40 gallon tank, with at least 20 gals of water and a nice peice of land above the water. Since then , frogs have beeen added (firebellied toads, and now fiddler crabs) all in all the salamander has grown indefinately....his diet consists of mainly goldfish and algea wafers...whereas it used to be crickets and earth worms..Anyways my maingoal is to keep him healthy and happy....if anyone has any advice pleaselet me know. I know these animals can live along time and thats my goal. after alll "I took him from the wild, and now I want him to feel at home"..pics will be posted soon!!! He is a barred tiger salamander, I know he is mature I am not sure if it is a female oe male. but there is a swollen bump under his hindlegs...???? So if someone can give me advice please do...

sMallz

I've only been here for a week but welcome!

As for the set-up, I'm sure most of the people here would agree move the toads to their own tank. The fact that the other creatures living in there aern't dead yet is pretty amazing. Fire-belly toads secrete toxins that over time can build up and kill anything (including the toads themselves!)

If you really want to keep him healthy, he should be in a terrestrial tank (they do not need water area save for maybe a small dish) with NO other critters, especially toads and crabs. These are tropical animals, and cannot tolerate the temperate needs of a tiger salamander (as a tiger salamander cannot tolerate temperatures needed for your tropical animals). In addition to that, if the salamander decides to eat one of the toads one day, they'll probably both die. A good diet consists of earthworms, crickets, with the occasional waxworm or pinky mouse.

Welcome to the forum. I was enjoying your story until "with at least 20 gals of water and a nice peice of land above the water" and then things just went south...

I'm glad you're here and I have to give credit to your tiger for living so long in those conditions without getting sick. I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information about him and how to care for him. I say him because if the bump is quite large it's a him. I think we would all like to see a photo of him.

sal the mander

Here are pictures of my salamander. thanks for the advice on the toads...i will be removing them soon...but the salamnder loves the water...I dont think that giving him just a bowl of water is enough. it has been five months since we put him in this setup and he loves the water. Anymore advice would be great thank you...


smallz

If you had two bad choices you would pick the lesser of two evils too. We know what we're talking about here - soil all the way.

By the way, someone's trying to kill your tiger in that third photo - there's a sniper's laser dot on him tell him to get down!

By the lesser of two evils, John means that the salamander will gladly pick water over an improperly set up land area. Once you give him soil to burrow in, he will be much healthier than when in the water.

soil

I might not have explained it very well. i put actuall soil and mud down first about an inch for land base, then on top of that is an inch of coconut shavings. as we speak he is burrowed down into the the actual soil, which he does frequently. and here ina hour or so the firewbellied toads are being returned to the local pet store.....

I keep my tigers in a terrarium with about 4-5 inches of loose soil/coco fiber. 2 inches doesn't really make an adequate burrow.

hmmm

well he has been burrowed for more than ten days now seems good to me..

topsoiil

now that I look at it there is at least four inches of both and he has successfully burrowed down there.