Creating A Healthy Salamander Habitat
A salamander habitat must supply what the animal needs to live and be healthy. To create the correct salamander habitat follow these suggestions:
- Provide a terrarium - this animal is part aquatic and part land animal, so it needs surfaces of both land and water. Place a big water dish in the terrarium. It must be big enough for your pet to get in the dish and soak.
- The home must have a graduated terrain that slopes from water to land, allowing the creature to crawl out of water like it would from a lake or pond.
- Keep the water clean and at the right temperature. There are terrarium water filters for cleaning, and underwater heaters, for this purpose.
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The salamander habitat needs plants. These provide necessary humidity. Be sure plants are not toxic to your pet. - Measuring humidity - there must be 80% (or close) humidity. Use a humidity gage to assure the correct level of humidity.
- Measuring temperature- use a special thermometer for aquariums to check water temperature. It should be about 69 to 75 degrees. Also, use a reptile thermometer for out of water temperature.
- The floor - you will need about 3 inches of gravel for aquariums. This material will create the in and out of water sections: Form it into a slope for this purpose.
- Cleaning - once a week take out all waste material. Once a month or more, clean the gravel and any objects in the tank.
- It is important to provide safe drinking water in your salamander tank. The best type is commercial bottled spring water. Do not use distilled or tap water.
Things to keep in mind as a salamander parent:
- This animal should not be handled very much because of its skin sensitivity
- Provide supervision for children to be sure they don’t over handle the animal; Children and adults should wash their hands before and after contact.
- Discard insects each night. They can only be eaten when they are fresh.
- These animals can scratch and bite people. If this happens wash thoroughly and use an anti-bacterial cream or ointment such as Neosporin. Bandage the affected area. Also wash before and after handling salamander food and other objects in the habitat.
With a healthy and clean salamander habitat, you should have no problem, but these animals can transmit disease to humans.
Salamanders should not be handled by infants or very young children, people who are sick or have compromised immune systems or diseases, the elderly, and pregnant women.
Look for signs that your salamander habitat is healthy:
Your pet should have gentle breathing, clear eyes and an alert demeanor. I
If you notice any of the following in your salamander, you should seek advice from a reptile specialist:
Reduced appetite
Swelling in limbs or joints
Red color in excrement for more than a day or two
Skin appearing red or puffed up
Loss of weight
A discharge from the salamander’s eyes, mouth or anywhere else on the body.
Follow this advice and you will have a healthy pet and a healthy family to enjoy it.