Three Tips For Keeping A Tiger Salamander As A Pet
If you are interested in keeping a salamander as a pet, the tiger salamander is one of the best you can choose from. Salamanders are not typically chosen among people who want an amphibian as a pet, but the tiger salamander is tame and not as frightened of humans. Here are some important care instructions to keep in mind if you want to keep a tiger salamander as a pet.
House in a Tank With Water
The tiger salamander is a type of land salamander, but it still needs some water in its tank. When setting up the tank, provide the salamander with plenty of places to hide as they like to burrow. You want to have water in the tank, so be sure you have chosen a tank with a good filtering system. However, the water should just barely cover the salamander, and there should be rocks that are considerably higher than the water level for when the salamander wants a dry area. They don't like when water flows too rapidly, so keep this in mind as well. Try not to keep too many salamanders in one tank and avoid keeping fish in the same tank.
Keep a Close Eye on Its Diet
Tiger salamanders are smart and they love to eat; this can be a bad combination when you don't keep record of how much and how often you feed it. When a tiger salamander recognizes its human, it will begin begging for food. Make sure you only feed the recommended amount or they become obese and possibly ill. Some good feed to give to your salamander include earthworms, wax worms, night crawlers, roaches, and crickets. You can also give the salamander any insects you catch yourself, but be sure no insecticide was sprayed in the vicinity. A treat of a pinkie mouse is okay on occasion, but not on a regular basis. Feed the salamander a few times a week.
Clean the Tank Regularly
The tank where you are housing the salamander needs to be cleaned multiple times a week. Tiger salamanders do best when they are in a clean environment. Place the salamander somewhere safe and remove feces and shed skin from the tank. Also remove any uneaten food so the salamander doesn't eat spoiled food that will make it ill. If you see small brown pellets, those are feces and need to be removed. After the feces and skin are removed, replace the water. When you clean the tank, it is also a good time to socialize with the salamander and mist its substrate if it looks dry. Be very careful when handling the salamander.
Visit a store near you to learn more about amphibians for sale.
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