Yellow spotted salamander

[FrankTheTank]

Found a yellow spotted salamander today. I almost killed him with a hoe while digging up a rock. He is very cool looking. Does anyone have experience with salamanders like this. I read that they eat insects and I know they like living in dirt. Is there any way I could keep him successfully or should I let him loose?

 

[fluxlizard]

I'm not sure about spotteds- we have them here to, but I've only ever seen them once. When I was a kid I used to keep slimys which are similarly built and sized. Most salamanders need cool conditions- slimys seemed not as much as some others (we have gorgeous big red ones about the same size, but they need really cool conditions- 50s or below).
That would be the biggest concern I would think- if they need truly cool conditions- probably would do well in a basement or something...

 

[FrankTheTank]

I'm not sure about spotteds- we have them here to, but I've only ever seen them once. When I was a kid I used to keep slimys which are similarly built and sized. Most salamanders need cool conditions- slimys seemed not as much as some others (we have gorgeous big red ones about the same size, but they need really cool conditions- 50s or below).
That would be the biggest concern I would think- if they need truly cool conditions- probably would do well in a basement or something...

I guess I'll just let the little guy go. He is really cool looking but I will hardly ever see him anyway bc he just buries himself in dirt. Probably for the best anyway. I have never seen one before. We have a crapload of skinks around here but I may have seen one other wild salamander my entire life

 

[fluxlizard]

The slimys I had as a kid hid in the dirt. But they did come up and out when I fed them.

 

[FrankTheTank]

I ended up letting him go friday after work. I couldnt justify keeping him. He was a beautiful specimen though

 

[FrankTheTank]

Go free little guy!!!!!!!!!

 

[fluxlizard]

Hey is neat looking.

Your yellow spotteds are different from the ones I saw that time here. Ours have smaller and brighter spots. Salamanders are really interesting.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Yeah he wasn't as brightly colored as some of the pictures on the internet. Maybe female??? Dunno if females are different or if it is just the locale. Cool looking species though

 

[Carlton]

I guess I'll just let the little guy go. He is really cool looking but I will hardly ever see him anyway bc he just buries himself in dirt. Probably for the best anyway. I have never seen one before. We have a crapload of skinks around here but I may have seen one other wild salamander my entire life

If you are intrigued with sallies you might feel less "guilty" about keeping a cb or captive hatched. Check Fauna Classifieds or kingsnake.com amphibian ads for similar species.

I keep hoping to find a ch or cbb Pacific Giant (Dicamptodon) somewhere but don't hold my breath!

 

[fluxlizard]

I've been thinking of trying fire salamanders and axolotls.

 

[ChameleonRepublic]

Actually this was a small Tiger Salamander. When they are young, they get spots, and as they age, the spots grow larger and turn into blotches. I have kept tigers before, such a great species of salamander.

 

[ChameleonRepublic]

You can tell spotteds from tigers because spotteds have a row of spots, tigers have a random pattern of spots.