# Newt/Salamander ID please



## Cyris69 (May 5, 2008)

I found this guy in Zionsville, Indiana.
We were building a deck there and barely missed it with post hole diggers. My co-worker was like what the hell is that. For a second it looked like a giant night crawler 

Got it into water and took it on it's long journey to my house.
It's in a 10gal with about 4.5" of water, with a gravel pad for it to get out of the water. I think it may have been injured though. When it gets in the water it tries to get out by swimming but pretty much barrel rolls and is unable to swim properly, I had to get it out lucky I was watching it. It does go to the bottom and crawl and swim around slightly. I also have no idea what to feed it, newt/salamander food or small crickets...

Well, here it is.


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## Jer (May 5, 2008)

Mole Salamander, _Ambystoma talpoideum_.


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## Cyris69 (May 5, 2008)

So is that why is was under the ground and I guess turned up...?
Still, there are no records of that in Indiana so maybe something closely related?
This guy seems to have a much fatter stubbier tail.
I was thinking Smallmouth Salamander, _Ambystoma texanum_

Maybe some husbandry info, and still feeding info for those who own or know


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## Galapoheros (May 6, 2008)

It does look like a Smallmouth salamander, I've kept a lot of them but I've never had a Mole sal.  Smallmouth sals are a lot more speckled around here in TX than that, ..if that's what it is.  I don't know though, hard for me to tell since I've never picked up a Mole sal.  Smallmouth sals eyes are real close to the front of their mouth, kind of funny looking.  The head on that one seems bigger to a Smallmouth's body ratio than the ones I've found in e tx so, man, don't know, could be a mole sal.  I like salamanders, nice find whatever it is.  I saw that moles are not known to be found in Indiana too.  If it's not a mole sal, almost for sure a Smallmouth.  I fed mine crickets.  Also moths I caught by the porch light, cut off a wing.  I'd stay away from feeding it night crawlers.  Something about night crawlers that salamanders I've had didn't like.  They usually regergitated them.  My hunch is that the rough ridges night crawlers have on the edges of the body are irritating to their stomach as they are still alive and crawling around in there.


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## jshadowstalker (May 6, 2008)

i think its a small mouth salamander. keep it in a tank with a sustrate that it can dig into, give it a water bowl. feed it worms, crickets and mist the tank every couple days only getting 1 area damp but make shure you have a dry side for it


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## Cyris69 (May 6, 2008)

Great! Thanks guys. Completely wrong setup then.
I assumed it to be water loving by its skin texture  It must be hating that 4.5" of water. Has been staying on the rocks.

How much do I feed it and how often? I have lots of dubia roaches of all sizes and a large 18gal tank full of crix. Will it eat roaches, or can I tong feed it?

I will fix it's tank tomorrow. Well, I'll drain the water now. Leave maybe 1/2" for the peat moss to get moist.
Will it be a pet hole?

EDIT:
Will it eat rollie pollies aka isopods? I have a HUGE colony.


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## Galapoheros (May 6, 2008)

Yeah it should eat roach nymphs and crix, smaller worms are good but I've had trouble with the big night crawlers, maybe they are OK but I stay away from them now.  They would not always regurgitate them but there was something about them that didn't settle with them.  If night crawlers were all I had, I'd end up cutting them up into smaller pieces.  They are a lot quicker with a mouth lunge than they look and will eventually catch and eat the roaches and even crix with back legs intact.  They move slow except when they strike at food.  When I kept it too wet they would tend to get some kind of skin infection.


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## kingfarvito (May 6, 2008)

mix the peat moss with some thing (dirt, potting soil, coir) as the peat is acidic keep the humidity up he'll prolly eat anything that will fit in his mouth get him a water dish thats nice big and shallow I'm not sure about him being a pet hole


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## Cyris69 (May 6, 2008)

Ok, I have 1/4 of the tank rock and moss. The rest is peat. He just burrowed into the moss.

Can I just let the worms go in the substrate and he will find and catch them, digging if needed?

The tank is pretty jank, housed my 5 giant african millipedes for several months. Click to enlarge the photos








Food:
What sizes?
Small crickets only, equivalent sized roaches or other bugs/worms.
How to I feed him worms?
I apologize for being so nubish but I've never seen one of these before. Considering the randomness I had zero time to do all my usual loads of research and greatly appreciate all you guys and the continuing assistance.


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## Galapoheros (May 6, 2008)

Cool.  I've always found them under logs in the forest close to water and on the road during a rain.  They like abandoned holes and like to crawl under things.  I didn't see them out in a terrarium but if I'd want to watch them eat, I'd just lift up what they were under and drop in crix, not shy about eating if they are hungry.  Adults can handle adult crix.  I've seen them kind of thrash them around like an alligator does.  How big is that one?


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## kingfarvito (May 6, 2008)

dampen that peat and cover ~1/2 of the screen lid


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## Cjacques (May 6, 2008)

I have kept many sallies over the years and honestly the best method is just a tank of dirt. Get some potting soil(unfertalized of course) and keeo moist (not soaking wet). There is no real need for a water bowl as they will acquire moisture through their skin. As far as food goes I would stick with crickets, though most sallies are pretty voracious eaters. Stay away from the nightcralwers, however panfish worms are alright.  
Enjoy


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## Cyris69 (May 6, 2008)

This one is ~3.5-4" not sure if it could take adult crix.
It's under the moss somewhere, should i attempt a feeding? Can I just dangle it in front of it's mouth?

How can I sex it?


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## Jer (May 6, 2008)

Cyris69 said:


> Still, there are no records of that in Indiana so maybe something closely related?


http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/fnr/wildlife/molesally.html

I live in western Canada, and the only salamanders here are tiger salamanders, so my identification as a mole salamander may be incorrect. I Googled some more pictures, and I think these 2 may help you identify your salamander. I still think it is a mole salamander, but I could be wrong.

MOLE SALAMANDER:
http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/salamanders/ambtal.htm

SMALLMOUTH SALAMANDER:
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=26


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## Bigboy (May 8, 2008)

I certainly hope you don't plan to keep that indefinitely.


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