Blue spotted salamander care?

[Aron W]

Hello. I found a blue spotted salamander outside today and was wondering what would be the best way to care for it. I watched the video on Clints Reptiles of the yellow spotted salamander and was wondering if it was the same salamander but a different color morph or whatever.
Any info helps.

Thanks, Aron.

 

[schmiggle]

Not the same species, but it is in the same genus--yellow spotted salamander is Ambystoma maculatum, blue spotted is A. laterale. Care for ambystoma is pretty similar across the board. I disagree with Clint on several points, though they're sort of minor:

• You don't really need to mist every day, but you do need to make sure that you have a deep-ish, damp substrate. They spend most of their time underground, and when they're not underground they'll be right on the surface of the substrate, so a damp substrate will supply the humidity they need.
• You don't need a water bowl either; again, a deep, damp substrate supplies all the water they'll need. Having the bowl just presents a risk of drowning.

This caresheet is good and very thorough, though a bit intimidating: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_opacum.shtml

Here's how I would set them up:

1. Get a 15 or so gallon fishtank with a good lid and put about 1-2" of coconut fiber on the bottom. You could probably get away with peat moss, but it's quite acidic, so I avoided it for my fire salamanders.
2. Pour a bunch of water into the substrate--not so much that it's flooded, but enough that it's noticeably damp.
3. Put a few slabs of bark or flat rocks (preferably the former) on the bottom.

As Clint mentions, you can use a tub, but then it's likely you'll never see them. And as the caresheet mentions, you could use paper towels, but I wouldn't for a few reasons:

• They're ugly
• They need to be changed more often than a dirt-like substrate
• You don't know what kinds of chemicals are in them (coconut fiber should be thoroughly washed with clean water before use, but you can't do that to a paper towel)
• They don't hold moisture, and thus provide humidity, very well

Finally, a good forum for salamanders is caudata.org, though I sometimes found it fairly unresponsive.

These are very cool animals, and I'd love if you could post some pictures!

 

[Aron W]

Not the same species, but it is in the same genus--yellow spotted salamander is Ambystoma maculatum, blue spotted is A. laterale. Care for ambystoma is pretty similar across the board. I disagree with Clint on several points, though they're sort of minor:

• You don't really need to mist every day, but you do need to make sure that you have a deep-ish, damp substrate. They spend most of their time underground, and when they're not underground they'll be right on the surface of the substrate, so a damp substrate will supply the humidity they need.
• You don't need a water bowl either; again, a deep, damp substrate supplies all the water they'll need. Having the bowl just presents a risk of drowning.

This caresheet is good and very thorough, though a bit intimidating: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_opacum.shtml

Here's how I would set them up:

1. Get a 15 or so gallon fishtank with a good lid and put about 1-2" of coconut fiber on the bottom. You could probably get away with peat moss, but it's quite acidic, so I avoided it for my fire salamanders.
2. Pour a bunch of water into the substrate--not so much that it's flooded, but enough that it's noticeably damp.
3. Put a few slabs of bark or flat rocks (preferably the former) on the bottom.

As Clint mentions, you can use a tub, but then it's likely you'll never see them. And as the caresheet mentions, you could use paper towels, but I wouldn't for a few reasons:

• They're ugly
• They need to be changed more often than a dirt-like substrate
• You don't know what kinds of chemicals are in them (coconut fiber should be thoroughly washed with clean water before use, but you can't do that to a paper towel)
• They don't hold moisture, and thus provide humidity, very well

Finally, a good forum for salamanders is caudata.org, though I sometimes found it fairly unresponsive.

These are very cool animals, and I'd love if you could post some pictures!

I’ll post a pic when I can, I’ll need to completely redo the tank I set up (temporary until I could find out for sure what works) I’ve got most if not all the things you mentioned for the setup, other than a 15 gallon aquarium. Would a 10 gallon work just as well?

 

[Aron W]

Not the same species, but it is in the same genus--yellow spotted salamander is Ambystoma maculatum, blue spotted is A. laterale. Care for ambystoma is pretty similar across the board. I disagree with Clint on several points, though they're sort of minor:

• You don't really need to mist every day, but you do need to make sure that you have a deep-ish, damp substrate. They spend most of their time underground, and when they're not underground they'll be right on the surface of the substrate, so a damp substrate will supply the humidity they need.
• You don't need a water bowl either; again, a deep, damp substrate supplies all the water they'll need. Having the bowl just presents a risk of drowning.

This caresheet is good and very thorough, though a bit intimidating: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_opacum.shtml

Here's how I would set them up:

1. Get a 15 or so gallon fishtank with a good lid and put about 1-2" of coconut fiber on the bottom. You could probably get away with peat moss, but it's quite acidic, so I avoided it for my fire salamanders.
2. Pour a bunch of water into the substrate--not so much that it's flooded, but enough that it's noticeably damp.
3. Put a few slabs of bark or flat rocks (preferably the former) on the bottom.

As Clint mentions, you can use a tub, but then it's likely you'll never see them. And as the caresheet mentions, you could use paper towels, but I wouldn't for a few reasons:

• They're ugly
• They need to be changed more often than a dirt-like substrate
• You don't know what kinds of chemicals are in them (coconut fiber should be thoroughly washed with clean water before use, but you can't do that to a paper towel)
• They don't hold moisture, and thus provide humidity, very well

Finally, a good forum for salamanders is caudata.org, though I sometimes found it fairly unresponsive.

These are very cool animals, and I'd love if you could post some pictures!

Here’s a picture of when I first found him

 

[Aron W]

Not the same species, but it is in the same genus--yellow spotted salamander is Ambystoma maculatum, blue spotted is A. laterale. Care for ambystoma is pretty similar across the board. I disagree with Clint on several points, though they're sort of minor:

• You don't really need to mist every day, but you do need to make sure that you have a deep-ish, damp substrate. They spend most of their time underground, and when they're not underground they'll be right on the surface of the substrate, so a damp substrate will supply the humidity they need.
• You don't need a water bowl either; again, a deep, damp substrate supplies all the water they'll need. Having the bowl just presents a risk of drowning.

This caresheet is good and very thorough, though a bit intimidating: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_opacum.shtml

Here's how I would set them up:

1. Get a 15 or so gallon fishtank with a good lid and put about 1-2" of coconut fiber on the bottom. You could probably get away with peat moss, but it's quite acidic, so I avoided it for my fire salamanders.
2. Pour a bunch of water into the substrate--not so much that it's flooded, but enough that it's noticeably damp.
3. Put a few slabs of bark or flat rocks (preferably the former) on the bottom.

As Clint mentions, you can use a tub, but then it's likely you'll never see them. And as the caresheet mentions, you could use paper towels, but I wouldn't for a few reasons:

• They're ugly
• They need to be changed more often than a dirt-like substrate
• You don't know what kinds of chemicals are in them (coconut fiber should be thoroughly washed with clean water before use, but you can't do that to a paper towel)
• They don't hold moisture, and thus provide humidity, very well

Finally, a good forum for salamanders is caudata.org, though I sometimes found it fairly unresponsive.

These are very cool animals, and I'd love if you could post some pictures!

(Idk why it sent 2 pics)

 

[schmiggle]

I’ll post a pic when I can, I’ll need to completely redo the tank I set up (temporary until I could find out for sure what works) I’ve got most if not all the things you mentioned for the setup, other than a 15 gallon aquarium. Would a 10 gallon work just as well?

10 gallon should be fine IMO, these guys aren't that big and salamanders don't move around too much.

 

[schmiggle]

Oh, and--beautiful animal. Did you find it after rain or similar?

 

[Aron W]

Oh, and--beautiful animal. Did you find it after rain or similar?

Today is the first time it has rained in my town for several days, strangely enough I found him far from the water. There is this flat piece of plywood laying in our backyard that we occasionally use for target practice, and I just happened to look underneath it to see what was there, and sure enough there was a salamander. I’ve only ever seen 4 on our whole property and this is the biggest.

 

[viper69]

Hello. I found a blue spotted salamander outside today and was wondering what would be the best way to care for it. I watched the video on Clints Reptiles of the yellow spotted salamander and was wondering if it was the same salamander but a different color morph or whatever.
Any info helps.

Thanks, Aron.

Different species, I’ve only ever found its cousin. The blue is nocturnal and often pretty rare to come by. Some specimens are incredibly gorgeous. GREAT FIND

 

[schmiggle]

Different species, I’ve only ever found its cousin. The blue is nocturnal and often pretty rare to come by. Some specimens are incredibly gorgeous. GREAT FIND

Yeah, I've found several maculatum at vernal pools but never seen laterale. My impression was that laterale is rare as far south and east as I am (not sure where you're located) and that they're more common in colder places, but I also know they were involved in a discussion of radio towers in my hometown, so *shrug*

 

[viper69]

Yeah, I've found several maculatum at vernal pools but never seen laterale. My impression was that laterale is rare as far south and east as I am (not sure where you're located) and that they're more common in colder places, but I also know they were involved in a discussion of radio towers in my hometown, so *shrug*

A friend of mine lives on East coast, said they are rare too

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Lovely, I wish we could keep ambystoma here in CA

 

[paumotu]

Lovely, I wish we could keep ambystoma here in CA

Wait, you can't? Fill me in on this please!

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Wait, you can't? Fill me in on this please!

yes i am 99.9 percent sure all ambytoma are illegal to posses in CA. Not sure why, but it’s like how axolotls are illegal. if u look up california illegal species, you should find a page from the official people with a pdf on the illegal species to posses

 

[paumotu]

yes i am 99.9 percent sure all ambytoma are illegal to posses in CA. Not sure why, but it’s like how axolotls are illegal. if u look up california illegal species, you should find a page from the official people with a pdf on the illegal species to posses

Strange, it seems I saw them everywhere in reptile expos here a while back.. is this recent?

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Strange, it seems I saw them everywhere in reptile expos here a while back.. is this recent?

pretty certain it is, i think they ban tiger salamanders and axololts (which make up ambystoma)
maybe they changed the laws, idk

 

[paumotu]

pretty certain it is, i think they ban tiger salamanders and axololts (which make up ambystoma)
maybe they changed the laws, idk

Just found the document you were referencing, thanks for letting me know. I had no clue axolotls were illegal until now either.