Salamander ID & Enclosure

[P. Novak]

Can anyone guess the ID? Found in Cupertino, California.

Pictures

 

[JohnEDove]

It is a Rough Skinned Newt and the best advice I can give you for the sake of the newt is to put it back where you caught it.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Taricha/T_granulosa.shtml

BTW, great pics.

 

[davidbarber1]

Paul, could you get a better picture of the side of the head towards the bottom? Actually, you can look yourself since you are there. If John is right and it is a Rough Skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), the lower eyelids and subocular areas are dark and the eyes fail to reach the outline of the head when viewed from above. If it is a California Newt (Taricha torosa), the lower eyelids and subocular areas are pale and the eyes usually reach the outline of the head when viewed from above. Both species are very similar. I would agree with John, though. By the way, the Cal Newt is in rapid decline in Southern Cal. Hope that helps. Nice pics and the enclosure is adequate for the animal.

David