wild baby salamander

hey, wats up all. mom was doin some gardening and dug up this baby salamander and thought she might have hurt it. i have it in an enclosure to keep it from bein easy bird food. i looked it up and i think its a jefferson.



i havent gotten to the pet store to get forest moss and other things. any advice on how i can make sure it will eat? and what it will and wont eat. i gather dirt from the spot it was dug up from and there isopods (babys small enought to fit in its mouth) to small spiders and tiny worms as well. im sure it will like the worms, but i dont know about the spiders and im skeptical about the isopods as they usually keep to themselves and the pet normally does the same when in an enclosure together. once i get the moss i wont reintroduce the "roommates" it has now, but since i got the dirt from where it chose to hide and the fact its wild i dont think it will be too bothered for the time being. so to sum it up, ive never owned a salamander and any constructive advice would be appreciated. thx

This isn't a Jefferson's salamander (Ambystomatidae), it's actually a slimy salamander (Plethodontidae). This slimy salamander is already fully grown.

I'm also going to agree and say slimy.

Sallies eat quite a bit at night. You might be surprised! Wood lice (isos) it will readily consume. I'm not sure about the worms you're talking about because you didn't describe them. Spiders, no. I've never had a sallie that ate spiders.

As long as you provide a gradient damp home with plenty of hides, you should be great. I don't think it's necessary to completely remove all the dirt and replace with moss. A ten gallon with moist dark hides like a chunk of bark to hide under, and upturned mini flower pot, even a pre made cave would all be great furniture for the tank.

Salamanders don't climb, so floor space is pretty important.

o, ok cool. well at least it wont require a larger enclosure than i have. i am a little dissapointed. was hoping to watch it grow. the worms are either red or earth i guess. thats good if it will eat the isopods, they are very easy to breed, but dont have as respectable numbers as crickets. i could just use them to clean up the substrate and it can just snack on them when it feels like it. i have it in like a 5 gallon tub right now, but i do have an empty 10 gallon tank i could use. i have a couple pieces of egg carton in there and it seems content with that for hides. i have read that terrestrial species need a water dish, but is that necessary? considering its size and i mist the dirt every day so it stays about the same as u see in the picture.

Rule of thumb, always offer a water source. Everything benefits from a water source.

A shallow dish or pool would work great for you. You should spray as well, and keep the substrate a nice gradient between moist (where it sticks to your finger when you poke it) and a little drier. The substrate should never be completely dry nor do you want it sopping or prone to mold/mustiness.

I don't think I'd keep the egg carton. Look for something not made of paper. If nothing else, use a washed out saucer plate on top of two little flat rocks. Get creative!

yea, ur right. i thought about the egg carton being prone to growing mold, especially with daily misting. i will find another option. ill make sure to keep the substrate moist and not soaked as well. thx for the help, i appreciate it.

You're very welcome! Hope you stick around, fauna is a good group here. If you need anything, feel free to PM me.