Amphibian Facts

Water Quality for Amphibian

When one thinks of salts and water, the ocean probably comes to mind.

however, every natural water source contains a certain amount of salts, which are necessary for healthy aquatic life.

These salts are not our common table salt (Sodium Chloride, NaCl), but are varying ions obtained from minerals and rocks.

Such as Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), Bicarbonate (NaHCO3), Sodium Sulfate (Na2SO4), Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), etc.

Plants and animals in various ecosystems have physiology evolved and adapted as per the salinity level of their habitat.

For Further Reading What amphibians can coexist? Can frogs live together?

What is osmosis? How do amphibians drink water?

Freshwater has the tendency to move from low salt concentrations to higher, through a process called osmosis.

This process is synonymous with the tendency of water to spread out and dilute its surroundings.

How do salt concentrations affect cells?

Well, Salt actually Sucks, Cells Swell thereafter;

If you place an animal cell in a solution with a lower salt concentration than inside the cell itself, the cell will gain water by osmosis, and swell up.

This is why de-ionized, or distilled waters cause internal problems when used with amphibians (see more on distilled water below).

Conversely, If we place the same animal cell in a solution of a higher concentration of salts than inside the cell, the cell will start losing water to the outside environment, causing the cells to become flaccid.

Note: Bathing amphibians in solutions with nearly the same salt concentration as that found within their cells, avoid salt concentration disruptions in the cells.

What is Osmoregulation? Why we need it?

Osmoregulation, a homeostatic function performed by the hypothalamus, allows animal kidneys to remove excess salts,

within a moderate degree, allowing a small margin of differentiation between the salt concentration inside and outside the cell.

The whole concept is rather intuitive, for most people know that the majority of plants and animals found in the ocean will die if placed in freshwater, and vice versa.

It is very important to keep correct salinity levels for aquatic and semi-aquatic animals,

otherwise, the salt balance of external water and internal cell construct is disrupted, resulting in poor health and/or the death of the animal.

This is especially true with amphibians, as they possess semi-permeable skin and are very sensitive to their surrounding environment. 

It is also worth noting that salt concentrations affect the pH of a water solution;

another reason why salt concentrations in freshwater environments are important factors when keeping captive animals.

Freshwater vs Saltwater how they differ?

So, if freshwater has salt in it, what is the difference between saltwater, as in the ocean, and freshwater?

Well, terminology, composition, and the amount of salt, really.

Saltwater is a term used to describe highly saline waters broadly to describe the ocean.

Technically, all-natural water sources are saltwater in the sense that they contain salts but differ in possessing varying degrees of salts, and different types of salts.

The term freshwater is typically used to describe water sources with a dissolved salt content of less than 1,000 ppm (parts per million), which equals 100%.

Safe Salinity levels for Amphibians

In contrast, highly saline waters usually referred to as saltwater,

consist of dissolved salt contents from 10,000 ppm or higher, or 1.00% or higher.

The ocean is at a high level, with a 3.50% dissolved salt content.

There are other classifications in between the high and low, namely slightly saline levels

(.100%-.300%), and moderately saline levels (.300%-1.00%).

The term freshwater is being termed for nearly every water source except the oceans.

Is salt water bad for frogs?

The terms saltwater and freshwater are a bit ambiguous, as they are sometimes used strictly to differentiate between the ocean and all other forms of water

but are also used to differentiate between the general salinity of a given water body, whether it be seawater or not. 

Despite the ambiguity of the term’s freshwater and saltwater,

it is important to know that the oceans are different from all other water bodies on the planet.

The oceans formed some 4.6 billion years ago, are unique in being one of the oldest entities on the planet.

The oceans were formed when atmospheric Oxygen and Hydrogen condensed as primordial Earth began to cool,

and they’ve been here ever since. Freshwater systems, on the other hand, come and go throughout the course of life on Earth

Its formation took place from various events, such as melting glaciers during and just after the ice age (“glacial scour”), volcanic activity, tectonic movements, and seepage from layers of soluble rock.

Do You Know? The oldest lakes on the planet today only date back around 10,000 years or so.

“freshwater” and “saltwater” are layman terms that we use to describe different concentrations of salts in water systems.

So, in terms of composition, there is a significant, geological difference between the oceans and our freshwater systems. 

Can Amphibians live in salt water?

Amphibians are generally associated with freshwater systems, while few species tolerate brackish (moderately saline) waters or inhabit the marine biome.

Crab-eating frog is the only amphibian that can survive in 2.8% salinity, while tadpoles can withstand salinity up to 3.9%.

The chemical composition of freshwater systems brings us to the focus of this article, creating suitable water sources for captive amphibians.

Now that we know there are ions (salts) present in freshwaters to varying degrees,

the following sections on de-ionized, spring and conditioned waters should make sense.

Unsafe Water for Captive Amphibians

Distilled, de-ionized, and reverse osmosis water

Distilled, de-ionized, and reverse osmosis water sources at 100% concentration are unsafe for use with amphibians.

As mentioned earlier, amphibians absorb water by means of osmosis, the passage of water from a lower concentration (of salts, in this case) to a higher concentration.

Distilled, de-ionized, and reverse osmosis waters contain a low, or zero concentration of salts and other minerals (hence the name de-ionized).

Distilled water for Amphibians?

The cells of an amphibian, on the other hand, contain positive concentrations of salts.

Low salt concentrate water, such as distilled, de-ionized, or reverse osmosis water, passes through the semi-permeable skin of an amphibians

Thus attempts to equalize the concentration of minerals and enzymes on both sides of the cell wall through dilution.

This results in swelling of the cell, and possibly rupture.

In essence, these types of water disrupt the chemical properties and functions of certain amphibian cells and can cause severe health problems and death over a period of time.

We should always keep Amphibians in solutions with similar salt concentrations as found within the animals’ cells. 

It is worth mentioning that we can mix distilled or deionized water with normal water to manipulate hard water properties.

Is De-ionized water OK for Amphibians?

One might argue that de-ionized water accumulates ions when exposed to the atmosphere, which is correct, however, this is still unsafe for use with amphibians.

After a few minutes of exposure, a liter of de-ionized water accumulates a small number of ions, resulting in soft water acidic pH 5.6).

Acid Tolerance in Amphibians?

Amphibians in the broader group are relatively better in acid toleration.

Many frog and salamander species are successful in surviving acidic solutions of pH ranging in 4-4.5 which most other reptiles and aquatic animals can’t bear.

We should keep Most amphibians around pH 7.0, with a few species preferring pH as low as 6.8 or as high as 7.8.

The accumulation of ions from the atmosphere is not sufficient enough to raise the pH of de-ionized water to a safe level, and thus should not be used alone with aquatic or semi-aquatic amphibians.

Misting and Spraying Amphibians (safe ways to do it)

Misting and Spraying the Terrestrial amphibians with ionized water is helpful, under the pretense water collect ions from the surrounding terrain.

Again, this method is used often, and some would argue the safety of using de-ionized water just for misting purposes, for the fore mentioned reasons.

It is also a fallacy that boiling tap water creates distilled water.

Although the distilling process does include boiling at some point, the entire process is more complex and consists of several additional steps to completely remove all ions from the water.

Boiled water OK for Amphibians?

Boiling water removes some salts and minerals, however, boiling alone does not evaporate all present substances.

Boiling tap water will kill some bacteria, and evaporate some chemicals, but not all of them.

Acceptable Types of Water for Captive Amphibians

An acceptable method for creating suitable water chemistry for amphibians is to treat regular tap water with a water conditioner/primer.

Somarguees about the safety of this method, as the introduction of any form of chemicals, is unnatural to amphibians.

Note: (conditioners/primers are available in the freshwater fish department of most fish or pet stores).

Water conditioners/primers usually neutralize harmful chemicals, such as chloramines and ammonia,

without stripping off other natural substances (Prime or Amquel are recommended primers) from water. 

Recommended Water Conditioners

How do you De-chlorinate tap water for frogs?

1. Boiling and cooling. By boiling water makes chlorine will evaporate and removes other harmful gases.
2. Ultraviolet and Sunlight Exposure. Leave the water outside in the sun for a day to let the chlorine evaporate naturally.
3. Adding Vitamin C.

The majority of water sources in the US and other countries are treated with harmful chemicals to kill bacteria but they meet the standard guidelines for human consumption.

you can get more information about tap water quality in your region by contacting your county or city water district.

Keep in mind, that the water sources may not be the same in different cities and counties;

some may have extremely hard water, and some may have very soft water, both of which will affect the pH of the water.

Many rural cities have well water, which may or may not be treated with bacteria-inhibiting chemicals.

Spring water safe for Amphibians?

After extracting from underground formations in which water flows naturally to the surface of the Earth.

It is suggested to use Spring-water in conjunction with harder water.

In other words, spring water does not possess the added substances present in tap water,

and still contains the minerals and salts that are removed from de-ionized water.

Is Mineral water is safe for Amphibians?

Because spring water retains its original chemical properties, it will not disrupt most amphibian cells.

One drawback of spring water is that it is typically soft, which means it tends to have a pH on the lower side (acidic).

This can be detrimental to certain aquatic species that require neutral,

or even slightly alkaline (hard) water to maintain good skin health.

Springwater is typically not used by itself, but in some ratio with hard water.

Usually, we treat tap normal water with a water conditioner, to create a neutral (pH of 7.0) solution.

Is Bottled water safe for Amphibians?

RO water or simple filtered water in ratio with conditioned tap water helps in obtaining a healthy level of ions.

How about Pond, River & Lake Water for Amphibians?

Pond water contains a wealth of living organisms, which can provide a source of food for larvae and small amphibians,

in addition to supplemental foods such as daphnia, copepods, scuds, and chopped tubifex worms.

Note: pond water can introduce harmful microbes, parasites, bacteria, or other agents, and pose health risks.

You can also opt to create your own water/salt solutions using distilled water and various salt mixtures.

This eliminates the need for water conditioners and allows keepers to control the pH levels,

Simply by adjusting the softness or hardness of the water accordingly.

below is a list of common salt solutions used with Axolotl’s (Ambystoma mexicanum), which require harder water to maintain healthy skin.

Hard water occurs in mineral and salt-rich waters, resulting in a higher pH (alkaline).

Common Salt Solutions for Amphibians.

At what pH do salamanders die?

Other amphibians, such as most newts, requires maintaining at closer to pH 7.0 (neutral pH), depending on the species.

PH below 4.2 may induce slower swimming effects and cause mortality in newts and salamanders.

The Solutions in BLACK print with minor dilution, if necessary, to adjust the pH according to any given species.

The solutions in GRAY print are solutions at 100% concentration, and require dilution of 20-50%, depending on species.

Many of these solutions require further modification in the form of dilution for any specific species.

Conclusion

What disease kills frogs? What kind of diseases do frogs carry? can they kill humans? Is it safe to own a frog?

If your mind is boggling with all these unanswered questions, then you have come to the right place, in this post we will discuss various types of diseases frogs carry and which ones kills them.

Unlike any other Amphibian or reptile, frogs also carry bacteria and viruses that can cause abdominal cramps, vomiting, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, intestinal infection, and other illness in humans.

It generally spreads when a person comes in direct or indirect contact with frogs poop, droppings or feaces.

Besides infecting humans and other species, some pathogens can attack them as well, these infections can either severely hurt or even kill frogs and amphibians in many cases.

15 Frog Diseases List (Infectious Diseases of Amphibians)

Here, we will discuss about 15 lethal frogs Diseases that can kill frogs,toads and other Amphibian species.

Bloat and Dropsy (African Dwarf Frog Disease)

Sometimes frogs appear like a balloon but beware they are not filled with air,

it may be a severe case of bloating, Also known as Dropsy, edema, hydropsy, and ascites.

When excessive fluid built inside the frog’s body they became bloated.

The reason behind this severe condition might be a bacterial infection or poor diet and it can happen overnight.

If your frog bloats up then it’s time to take it to the vet.

Is dropsy and bloat the same thing? No, they are different, Bloating is a symptom of dropsy, but dropsy is a collection of symptoms that includes, body lesions, swelling of internal organs, popeye, pinecone of scales, loss of appetite and energy.

Red-Leg Disease(What is red leg disease?)

“Red-Leg” syndrome is a severe infectious disease found in amphibians such as frogs, toads and salamanders.

As the name suggests, this disease redness on the frog’s legs and abdomen.It also affects the internal organs of the frog.

The infection occurs due to pathogens such as Aeromonas hydrophila.

Although, Gram-Negative organisms such as Pseudomonas, Proteus, and Citrobacter can also lead to similar diseases.

How do you treat red legs?

1. Administring a bacteriocidal antibiotic orally or intramuscularly to frogs.
2. Dissolving enrofloxacin in the prescribed limit to the water tank of affected frogs.

Ranavirus: What causes Ranavirus?

Ranavirus infections occur when a frog gets in direct contact with an infected frog

or the virus transmission takes place due to ingestion of infected animals, exposed to infected water or soil.

This virus most severely attacks the larva and is a seasonal infection.

What is Ranavirus turtle? It is a double strande of DNA virus that causes various infections in cold-blooded animals, including amphibians, reptiles, and fish and turtles

Is there a cure for Ranavirus? currently, there is no definite line of treatment or vaccine for ranavirus. quarantine and sterilization is the only management and precation availbe to prevent it from spreading.

Salmonellosis

When amphibians (such as frogs, salamanders) or reptiles (e.g. turtles, snakes, and lizards) come in to direct or indirect contact with salmonella infected amphibian or reptile, they also get infected.

Ichthyophoaniasis

Ichthyophoaniasis is a fungus that causes spores on the tissue of amphibians and fish.

Oedema or Edema

Oedema syndrome is a highly infectious disease among amphibian species and is mostly found in frogs under captivity.

The causes of this syndrome are bacterial septicaemia, viral infection, fungal infection, metabolic disorders and poor diet.

Due to this infection frogs bloats and appears like it is blown up with air. This syndrome badly affects the internal organs of frog.

What is Oedema a sign of?

Signs of edema include swelling or puffiness in skin tissue, especially in legs and arms areas. other symptoms include Stretchy or unusual shine in skin color.

Spinal Deformity

It is a congenital abnormality in the spine of the frog; it can be the same as ‘kyphoscoliosis’ in humans.

Chytrid Fungus – Chytridiomycosis

Chytrid Fungus is Chytridiomycosis is a highly infectious and deadly disease in amphibians.

It has the potential to sharply decline a particular amphibian species and make them extinct too.

It is highly contagious with a mortality rate of 100 percent.There are 2 stages of Chytridiomycosis

Chytridiomycosis- Early Stage:

In this stage frog behaves normally, is has no visible signs

however, the Litoria Caerulea gets affected by Chytrid Fungus and the frog may get feet hyperemia.

Chytridiomycosis- Later Stage:

Within 1-2 days frog becomes extremely weak, abduction of limbs and rigidness of frog’s body is visible.

The skin of the frog is not sloughy due to the effect of fungus whereas when the frog falls ill due to other diseases they get sloughing skin.

Discolouration (Litoria caerulea)

Frogs have vibrant colors but when are not able to access light for a long time, their skin colour turns dark;

however, when on exposure to indirect sunlight they regain their nice bright colour.

On the contrary, when a frog is sick or hyperaemic despite exposing to the light it will not recover its normal colour.

It might get symptoms such as lethargy, hyperemia, and abducted limbs (these are also symptoms of chytridiomycosis). 

Emaciation

This disease is hard to assess as the body of the frog don’t show any symptoms

Hyperaemia   

The term ‘Hyperaemia’ means ‘increased blood flow’; this is condition is responsible for increased redness on the skin as the blood flow increases the skin gets a reddish tint.

Its is also termed as ‘red leg’; this is also the sign of septicemia or end-stage shock.

Lumps

Lumps usually forms due to tumors, parasite infection such as tapeworm, sparganosis, and skeletal deformities.

This can also be the case of head injury in the frog, later on, the eye and nose also get ulceration due to nerve damage.

Skeletal Deformity

Skeletal Deformity in frogs has numerous causes and various factors affect it such as natural light exposure, Vitamin D, Calcium: Phosphorous ratios, Growth hormone, melatonin, and thyroid hormone. 

Major deformities include long bone curvature, spinal abnormalities (such as hunchback), mandibular abnormalities etc.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy

This syndrome is a rare disease that affects the mouth of amphibians and badly influences oral health; major symptoms include weakness of the tongue.

White Discharge

White Discharge is quite common in frogs, this is a natural fluid frogs secrete in the glands under their skin.

Frogs produce fluids such lipids and granular glands are potent producers of antibacterial substances, it mimics neurochemical substances that help in developing a better immunity response system.

Researches shows while giving mild electric shock to frogs, their glands produce different hormones and fluids.

This can also be related to human beings, as the stress hormone such as adrenaline releases on stimulation.

How do you treat bacteria infected frogs?

When a frog gets a bacterial infection it can be treated using antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin.

Drugs like Enrofloxacin (Baytril) that is available as oral or injectable can help in treating a range of bacterial infections, it can be effective if given 5 mg per kg regularly for a week.

Studies suggests the effectiveness of drug combinations such as metronidazole to target anaerobic and aerobic bacteria.

How do you know if a frog is dying?

The dying frog may or may not show any obvious symptoms such as skin discoloration, bleeding, ulcers etc.

Although the frog might seem lethargic and disorientated and found in or around the edges of the ponds.

Do frogs play dead? Why they do so?

Many animals play dead to trick the predators and save their lives.

The frog can also play dead to escape its predator who watches for movement in its potential prey;

this behavior of the frog is called ‘thanatosis’.

More Uncommon Diseases of Amphibians

• Renal Tumor 
• Herpes Virus 
• Oncogenic herpesvirus – DNA absence in kidney cell lines
• Renal Carcinoma – Lucke renal carcinoma of frogs
• The Lucke Frog Kidney Tumor
• Ranidherpesvirus 1 (RaHV-1) or Luckétumorherpesvirus (LTHV)
• Ranid herpesvirus 3 (RHV3)
• Proliferative Dermatitis in Free-Ranging Wild Common Frogs (Rana Temporaria)
• West Nile virus Red-leg disease (bacterial septicemia)

How much do salamanders cost? What is the price of newts? How much does it cost to buy a salamander?

If your head is swarming with all these questions and you are a beginner enthusiast, then you are in the right place.

So, how much do salamanders cost? Normally a common salamander will cost about 10 dollars. The more rare and imported salamanders can cost up to 125 dollars upfront (without, food, terrarium, substrate, and lights). The total price of buying will usually be around 300-500 dollars.

300 dollars seems like a big investment, but breaking it down seems affordable and worth it.

Are there any long-term costs involved as well? The simple answer is Yes, there are a lot of incurring and future costs involved in caring for Salamanders and newts. Captive salamanders live for quite a long, so it important to know the future expenses involved.

A lot of people want to tame amphibians, But they are unaware about overall cost for tank setup inclusive of substrate, lighting, heater, filter, and food.

Salamander Setup Cost from Buying to Caring

1. Cost of Salamander (Common or Rare) Its a personal preference
2. Basic Tank Setup Cost (Tank type and size)
3. Tank Equipment & Essentials Cost (Feeder, Heater, filter, substrate, hydrometers, light)
4. Post Setup Cost (Tankmates, Food, and health care)

You may also like to read How much do frogs cost? (And how much for their tank?)

To simplify things for you we have break down the prices of some popular salamanders, newts and axolotl species.

Price Chart of some popular Salamander Species

Price Chart of some popular newt species

How Much Does a Salamander Cost? In 2021

Well prices are not static for exotic pets and amphibians but for some common species they do not vary much, but for rare and imported species they can go exceptionally higher.

Coming back to the topic the average price of salamander alone varies from 10 to 275 USD.

Similarly, rare and imported species are far more expensive, Such as Black Salamanders of Europe costs about 260 USD.

and Ensatina Salamander which is Extremely rare species can cost around 125 USD.

Salamander and its Domestication

Can you domesticate a salamander? Yes we can keep a salamander as a pet but some species are toxic so we should ignore them as they have special needs and also pose risk for kids and pets;

Usually they make great pets and can easily live for 4-10 years in proper captive Environments.

Some are poisonous and toxic and even have teeth and tongues that are longer than their bodies.

Depending on the species, they can lay as much as 400+ eggs at once and wrap them in leaf for protection.

Some salamanders have the ability to stay young forever. Well, this doesn’t mean they are immortal but their juvenile features remain even when they are adults.

Start-up & Other Expenses

The average price of common and easily available newts ranges from $6 to $160.

You can buy adult newts for  $8 to $50 in offline and online pet stores like petco.com,

but rarer species from overseas tends to be costly ranging from $50 to $150.

Then, there’s the average cost of salamanders which ranges from $10 to $260.

Similarly, rare imported species are expensive such as European Black Salamanders cost about $260.

Costs for Shipping and logistics

On the other hand, there are a few expenses you should also expect to pay if you buy them online:

Verified pet stores and logistic companies make sure about the safe and live delivery for pets.

For that purpose they have special containers and basic equipment that keep the amphibians safe;

An overnight or same day shipping and delivery can some up cost somewhere around 30 to 100 USD.

Setup Costs for Tank

To house common salamanders A 10 gallon tank is sufficient and it can cost anywhere from $25 to $200.

You can also buy terrariums costing around $30 to $250, depending on the size and material

Acrylic tanks costs higher and glass tanks are cheaper as they are hard and scratch resistant.

There are different terrariums available for either aquatic (water) salamanders or terrestrial (land) pets;

Costs of Gloves and Disposables

Salamanders skin is sensitive and some even secrete toxins, so wearing latex disposable gloves is necessary,

it is for the safety of both the pet you are handling and yourself.

The surgical latex gloves costs 5-10$ for a 100 piece box and is easily available at nearby pharmacy

Costs of Lighting Equipment’s

For newts, you need a lighting source that provides full spectrum UVB rays for 8-12 hours a day.

You can buy them locally or online at Petco, petsmart, ebay or amazon for around $10 to $40.

On the contrary, salamanders require incandescent day bulbs light for 10-12-hour daily,

And they are also available in online stores at great prices varying from $5 to $20.

Costs of Decorations and Rocks

Rocks, wooden logs, and artificial decorations provide resting and hiding places for newts & salamanders they cost 5-40$.

Costs of Substrate

Newts prefer a large smooth gravel or water substrate of slate with décor plants.

Whereas, Salamanders requires wet bark, sphagnum moss, coconut fiber or mulchsoil.

Substrate costs anywhere between $2 to $15, decorative plants around $1 to $40.

Cost of Online Purchase

What Do You Get When Buying Online? Is it safe to buy salamanders online?

If you are planning to purchase salamanders online, some stores and seller guarantees about live arrival of their pets.

Meaning, if the pet dies during transit and is received dead on arrival (DOA), you can have both options to choose from

 I.e. you can either ask for replacement of that pet or a refund which ever you prefer

However, even if you opt for latter, you’d still end up paying the shipping fee which is non refundable.

Recurring Costs of Owning a Salamander

Costs of Supplement 

In order to keep your newts and salamanders attractive plus healthy,

Consider mixing a multivitamin supplement once or twice a week and calcium supplements on a daily basis in their food.

Calcium and multivitamin Supplements are readily available online for $8 to $14 respectively.

Costs of Health Care and Veterinarian

Amphibians are susceptible to diseases so periodically visit a veterinarian or an exotic animal expert;  

Through Online Veterinary Practitioners or similar sites you can get expert help.  

Costs of  Feeders 

Newts and salamanders both requires timely feeding two to three times weekly during night.

Their diet of aquatic species mainly consists of brine shrimp, bloodworms, and live or frozen nightcrawlers.

For terrestrial or the ones that reside on land , you can feed them a variety of insects such as crickets and worms.

Typical feeders for amphibians at stores cost about 0.1$ or a few cents and online stores like ebay, amazon etc

some stores like BackwaterReptiles even offer them for 2-5 cents and with local free shipping on bulk orders.

What Affects the Cost of a Salamander?

Salamanders are amphibians with long and slender bodies are a cross between a lizard and a frog.

There are a wide variety of salamander species. In fact, there are currently more than 600+ species of salamanders in the world and America is home to most of them.

Some have two legs, and others have four. Some have lungs, other with gills, and a few have neither; breathe only through their skin.

Then, There are newts. Most people confuse newts and salamanders. They are two distinct amphibians.

Newts are a type of salamander. In essence, all newts are actually salamanders; however, all salamanders are not newts.

Newts can be fully aquatic or semi-aquatic animals and most salamanders spend their entire adult life on solid ground.

Now, why is this important? Well, knowing their difference makes it easier for you with price ranges, their habitat, and an idea of what kind of environment you should have to let them survive.

For example, because adult salamanders are terrestrial species, you have to opt for bigger rocks in aquariums. Thus, increasing money you need to spend on decors.

Another important factor that affects the cost of salamanders is their origin, time, and money spent to bring them in america.

For example, the Kaiser’s Spotted Newts from Iran are critically endangered, making them the most expensive among newts with their price surging from $120 to $150.

The Different Varieties of Salamanders

Here’s a breakdown of the most common species of salamanders you can buy along with their respective prices:

Axolotls

They are hardy, fun to watch amphibians. They measure about 7-9 inches in length, lifespan upto 20 years in captivity.

Axolotls are found in many colors and can live without metamorphosis, means they keep looking young throughout their lifesoan.

In addition, they can regenerate their body parts and heal themselves when injured thereby making them popular in the pet market

They cost around $10 to $75. In petco, petsmart and online stores.

Tiger Salamanders

These are the biggest commonly available salamanders pets. They’re not shy when it comes to food and grows with higher feeding.

Tiger salamanders measures 6-8 inches in size. They are available for $25 to $60.

Slimy Salamanders

Also termed as “sticky salamanders”, their skin secretes, glutinous and clingy substance.

They release this non harmful substance when feeling annoyed or while off-putting.

They requires minimal care and maintenance. and costs only $10 to $25 which make them great pets amphibians.

Fire Salamanders

These salamanders have stunning looks with their dark black skin and bold, yellow stripes.They are docile pets which are not known to bite or being aggressive.

Also, rough handling stresses them and release skin toxins causing fever, soreness, muscle spasms, and nausea to the owner.

They common fire salamander costs around $25, while rarer ones such as Italian Fire Salamanders can go as high as $150.

Marbled Salamanders

With short limbs and chunky bodies, marbled salamanders are avid burrowers and once provided with apt burrowing surfaces, hides them forever.

Because of this behavior, they are names as “mole salamanders”. They cost somewhere from $15 to $30.

Spotted Salamanders

These types of salamanders have bright yellow or orange spots even though they are pretty hard to Find being experts at hiding.

They are long lives around 20 years and can measure as much as 7 inches long.

They costs less anywhere between $18 to $40.

Fire Belly Newts

These pretty newts are among the larger species of newts, measuring up to about 5 inches long. commonly availabe in pet stores as they are hardy and easy to care for.

With proper care, they can live over 15-20 years. They are not hard on pocket costs $12 to $15.

Eastern Newts

Also termed as red-spotted newts by some,They are relatively small, vivid in color and measures only 3 inches as an adult with few exceptions.

Because of their fascinating life cycle between land and water, They are pretty popular pets and are available for 20 Bucks.

Some FAQS

 Is It legal to own a salamander?

All non native ambystoma are illegal to trade or transport. You can still buy native ambystoma species. If you like caudates go for a non toxic pet newt, someone holding an exotic pet species license is good to deal with.

Are salamanders good for beginners?

Yes , they are good for beginners. Salamanders can be both entertaining and rewarding pets. They are hardy amphibians that can live long lives in captivity.

How much is a Newt cost?

Average price of newts ranges from $8 to $150. Adult newts costs lower around $8 to $50, but rarer and overseas imported species are precier costing $125 to $250 upfront.

Can I buy newts? is it legal to sell or buy them?

Buying any wild, native amphibians is illegal, and instead of buying you must report to authorities.

It is legal to buy Captive bred newts and salamaders from pet shops, exotic breeders and licenced dealers.

The nitrogen cycle is the process by which toxic ammonia (NH₃) is converted into nitrites (NO₂^–), and then into nitrates (NO₃^–) by the production of beneficial bacteria. In aquatic systems, especially captive environments, the nitrogen cycle must be allowed to complete before inhabitants are introduced; this is referred to as cycling the tank.

Once the nitrogen cycle has been established in a new tank, it is a continuous conversion process (hence the word cycle in nitrogen cycle).

Because captive environments are typically very tiny compared to natural habitats, this biological cycle will at some point require some assistance in the form of tank maintenance (i.e. gravel vacuuming, water changes, filter changes etc.), which will be discussed later in the article.

When an aquatic tank is first setup, the water is clean and void of the necessary bacteria to enact the nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen cycle begins when organic matter begins to decay, usually in the form of fish waste and uneaten food items.

Decaying organic matter creates toxic ammonia in a new tank and semi-toxic ammonium ions (NH₃ and NH₄⁺, respectively), which are converted into potentially toxic nitrites by the nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrococcus.

Nitrites are then converted into nitrates by another nitrifying bacteria, Nitrobacter. Nitrates are the end result of the nitrogen cycle, and are only harmful in excessive amounts.

These bacteria are often dubbed ‘beneficial bacteria’, and will reside in the substrate of the tank, and in the biological filter (if one is provided).

When organic matter initially decays, i.e. when an aquatic system is first established, the ammonia levels increase to potentially lethal levels (they spike), until Nitrosomonas and Nitrococcus bacteria are established and convert the ammonia into nitrites.

At this point, the nitrite levels will spike to potentially lethal levels, until Nitrobacter baceria are established and convert the nitrites into nitrates.

During the initial cycling of a new tank, the water is highly toxic as ammonia and nitrite levels spike, which is potentially fatal to most fish and amphibian species.

For this reason, tanks are usually cycled with very hardy fish, such as Zebra Danios (Brachydanio rerio), Guppies (Poecilia reticulata), or feeder gold fish. Still, it is common to incur fatalities even with the hardiest of fish.

An alternative to using fish to cycle an aquarium is to add small amounts of frozen or freeze dried foods. This creates decaying organic matter, which will initiate the nitrogen cycle.

This approach has the same end result as using fish, but with no fatalities, and may also be safer for amphibian tanks, as fish can carry diseases and such.

pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate

pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. pH stands for potential of Hydrogen, and is the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration in grams, atoms, or moles per liter of a solution.

The pH scale ranges from 1 – 14, where 7.0 is neutral, below 7.0 is acidic, and higher than 7.0 is alkaline (or basic).

The base-10 property of the logarithmic function indicates that each unit of change of pH is equivalent to a tenfold change in acidity or alkalinity (ion concentration). As the hydrogen ion content in solution increases, the pH decreases, or becomes more acidic, and vice versa.

It is worth noting that in acid-base relationships, sometimes the pOH, potential of hydroxide ion, is relevant also. The relationship between pH and pOH is as follows: pH + pOH = 14.

It is also important to know that acids and bases are found in equilibrium in solution, such that as one increases, the other decreases, and vice versa.

Speaking in terms of water solution, such as in an aquarium, H⁺ acts as an acid, while OH^– acts as a base.

Ammonia in an aquarium results from decaying organic matter. Two forms are present in equilibrium, NH₃ and NH₄⁺, the former of which is the toxic, and potentially lethal form.

Typical ammonia tests measure both forms combined, however, individual tests are available.

The amount of NH₃ present is proportional to temperature and pH, but is more dependent on pH. The percentage of NH₃ increases with increased carbonate hardness, which equates to increased pH, as NH₄⁺ ions are converted to toxic NH₃ molecules.

At lower pH levels, NH₃ converts to NH₄⁺ (in aqueous solution, ammonia acts as a weak base, and ammonium ion as a weak acid). If the pH increases, the released H+ (hydrogen ion) rapidly forms NH₃ ions with the present NH₄⁺ ions, resulting in high levels of toxic NH₃ molecules.

In summary, it can be said that at low pH levels NH₄⁺ ions predominate, while at higher pH levels, the more toxic NH₃ molecules predominate.

It should be clear that higher ammonia test results at lower pH levels are less lethal to fish and other animals than the same ammonia test results at higher pH levels, assuming a combined test kit is used.

It should also be understood that although ammonia test results are less lethal at lower pH levels, toxic nitrite levels are higher at such pH levels.

A similar acid/base equilibrium occurs between nitrite (NO₂^–) and nitrous acid (HNO₂), where the acidic form is predominate in acidic water, and vice versa.

However, in the case of nitrites, the opposite is true in terms of toxicity, that is, the acidic form is more toxic than the basic form. 

Introducing New Inhabitants – The Bio Load

The bio-load is the amount of organic matter present in an aquarium, in regards to the nitrogen cycle, and is measured by its proportionality to the volume of water for which it is contained.

For example, a 55 gallon aquarium housing 5 Cynops pyrrhogaster will have a larger bio-load than a 100 gallon aquarium with the same inhabitants because the amount of organic matter present at any time is more concentrated in the 55 gallon, and more diluted in the 100 gallon.

Also, the bio-load is increased or decreased when life forms are added or subtracted, and the bacteria present in the tank must compensate when the bio-load changes.

Each time a new member is introduced, the bio-load increases, and the nitrogen cycle attempts to compensate by increased bacterial growth.

Similarly, when a member is removed, there is a slight excess in bacteria for which the nitrogen cycle will attempt to compensate.

In turn, this disruption of the nitrogen cycle can cause spikes in ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, and reduced pH levels. To avoid shocking the system, it is necessary to introduce new inhabitants moderation (i.e. few at a time).

Cycling and Maintenance of Aquatic Tanks

Beneficial bacteria will reside in two key places in an aquarium: the substrate, and biological filter.

Once the bacteria is established, it should never be completely removed by thorough cleaning of the gravel or removal of the biological filter.

If the bacteria is completely removed from the tank, the nitrogen cycle will restart, which is potentially fatal to fish and amphibians.

However, bacteria can grow in excess in small aquarium environments, and will require some maintenance to ensure stable levels.

Excess food and waste should be removed from the gravel by a 1/3 gravel vacuum every month or so, depending on the size of the tank, the number of inhabitants, and the type of inhabitants.

This will keep ammonia levels at 0 ppm (parts per million), which will in turn help regulate nitrite and nitrate levels, as well as influence the stability of pH levels.

The biological filter should be lightly cleaned of clogging debris and algae every month, or so, depending on the size of the tank, the number of inhabitants, and the type of inhabitants.

General Hardness (GH), Carbonate Hardness (KH), Alkalinity, CO₂, and pH

Aquarium water contains dissolved ions in varying amounts, which determine the hardness of the water. Water hardness is a general term that refers to water hardness as a whole, however, in the aquarium world, there are two measurements of water hardness: Carbonate hardness (KH), and general hardness (GH).

In a freshwater system, such as an aquarium, cations (ions with a positive charge) of magnesium and calcium are present in varying amounts, and form salts with anions (ions with a negative charge) present in the water.

General hardness (GH) is a measurement of the amount of dissolved magnesium, and calcium in the water source. For clarity, iron, aluminum, strontium, and barium may also be present, but provide negligible contributions to water hardness.

Some confusion of terms has resulted from the original translation of the German word, Gesamthaerte, abbreviated GH, which means “Total Hardness”. Somewhere in the translation to English, the definition was obscured to “General Hardness”, still abbreviated GH, which is used in the U.S. In summary, “General Hardness” is synonymous with “Total Hardness”, both abbreviated by GH. Similarly, the abbreviation KH was derived from the German word Karbonathaerte, meaning “carbonate hardness”.

The terms KH, and carbonate hardness are used synonymously with the term alkalinity, which often causes confusion in the aquarium world.

The terms KH and carbonate hardness should be used carefully, as they are not accurate descriptions of what is actually measured by a typical KH test. A KH test is supposed to measure the buffering capacity of only the carbonate/bicarbonate buffering relationship in a given water source.

Although carbonate and bicarbonate are the main contributors to the buffering ability of a water source, there are other contributing ions present, as well.

In actuality, a KH test measures the total alkalinity, or buffering capacity, of the water source because it also takes into account other contributing ions.

Essentially, a KH test measures alkalinity as a whole, and does not discriminate between carbonate/bicarbonate ions and other contributing ions.

This is because alkalinity is measured by acid titration, which does not discriminate between ions; any significant base present in the solution will be titrated.

A true carbonate hardness test would measure only the buffering capabilities of the carbonate and bicarbonate system. Although the alkalinity in an aquarium is usually a reflection mainly of carbonate & bicarbonate, this is not always the case. 

When using pH/KH/CO₂ tables to determine CO₂ concentration, errors can occur as a result of carbonate hardness test results that include other ion measurements, in addition to bicarbonate.

This is because such tables are based on true carbonate hardness measurements, not alkalinity.

In general, KH test results of soft water, where phosphates or other salts are not present or are negligible, bicarbonate is the major buffer component, and so levels of KH are very close to the alkalinity value.

In this case, because KH is equal, or nearly equal to alkalinity, pH/KH/CO₂ tables are virtually accurate.

However, in the case of hard water, where phosphates or other buffers are present, the measurement of alkalinity and carbonate hardness will be significantly different values.

In this case, a KH test will read higher than accurate, and inaccurate values from pH/KH/CO₂ tables will result.

Although there is not a direct method of measuring true carbonate hardness, the value can be calculated indirectly by using a pH/KH/CO₂ tables, in conjunction with accurate CO₂ and pH tests. After determining the pH and CO₂, the tables can be used to determine the true KH measurement.  

Permanent and temporary hardness are terms that also appear ambiguously in the aquarium world. Permanent hardness is essentially GH minus the hardness resultant from salts of magnesium and calcium, other than carbonates and bicarbonates.

Temporary hardness is essentially the GH minus the permanent hardness, that is, the hardness resultant from magnesium and calcium carbonates and bicarbonates.

This is not to say that you should actually subtract units, however, this may give a mental perspective of what is actually meant by the terms permanent and temporary hardness.

To soften hard water, diluted de-ionized or spring waters are sometimes, and are usually more effective than chemical alternatives.

De-ionized water should never be used alone with amphibians because it is void of ions, and can disrupt the chemical composition of amphibian cells (Water Quality and Amphibians).

Instead, de-ionized, distilled, or spring waters are usually mixed in some ratio with hard water to form a softer solution. 

To maintain hardened water, crushed coral can be added to the substrate, or placed in mesh bags and added to the tank or filter.

A few natural additions, such as driftwood or peat, can be used to lower pH values.

With any method, the pH should be incremented very slowly, so as not to shock the inhabitants. A change of no more than .3 units per day is recommended.

• Carbonate Hardness (KH) = measurement of alkalinity, or buffering capacity, resultant only from carbonates and bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium
• Permanent Hardness (PH) = measurement of waters total, or general, hardness minus the carbonate hardness. The permanent hardness is a measurement of salts of calcium and magnesium, other than carbonates and bicarbonates
• General Hardness (GH) = measurement of total water hardness.
• Alkalinity = the ability of a solution to resist changes to pH; buffering capacity.
• pH = negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration present in a solution; potential of Hydrogen. This equates to the measurement of acidity

A lot of exotic pet enthusiasts have a very common question; Can we Mix Species in Vivarium?

can frogs live together? how about salamanders coexistence, can frogs, newts salamanders coexist?

Which Amphibian species can live together in harmony without hurting or consuming each other? What amphibians can coexist? can we house multiple species together? and this query list is big.

if you are looking for answers to similar questions you have come to the right place

Well it is pretty straightforward and A Big ‘NO’ for keeping Random amphibian species together.

We will be discussing about this in detail to enlighten and remove any misconceptions from your mind.so lets dive in.

What is Species Mixing? New World Syndrome

The title of this article is a reminder of the dangers of introducing foreign pathogens to new species or races.

In early 15th century European’s landed and started to colonize America.

They bring foreign pathogens, including smallpox and common cold, that Native Americans ere never exposed to.

Since, Native Americans had never developed any antibodies or natural resistance to these illnesses,

Major population got the infection and acts as a favorable host to new pathogen resulting in horrible deaths.

Smallpox and other illnesses were the primary cause of Native American declines from the 15th-18th century.

It was solely responsible for wiping out thousands of people in a very short period of time.

History has taught us a painful and devastating lesson about the foreign disease, the immune system, and the devastating result of introducing foreign pathogens to unexposed victims.

In fact, it’s worse as captive environments have restrictions in comparison to wild habitats, which allows microbes to multiply at a phenomenal rate.  

Of course, there are many species that live in close proximity to other amphibian species, and in many cases housing such species together is okay.

What really causes health problems? is housing species from different habitats, environments and geological locations.

Additionally risks of foreign pathogen exposure, housing animals of incompatible size, disposition, acts as a recipe for disaster. 

Some common mixed-species scenarios, why they are fatal to amphibians:

Housing Geologically isolated Species Together

Can different frog species live together?

Mostly, amphibians become ill in a mixed-species environment is due to introduction of foreign pathogens from anti species.

In the wild, species get exposure to local pathogens, such as bacteria, virus strains, fungi, and through evolution have developed natural resistances/immunities to them.

However, because these pathogens vary greatly from one location to another, the natural resistances developed by any particular species also vary greatly and are dependent on that species immediate wild habitat. 

Again, the case of European invasion and the effect of European pathogens on Native Americans can be referenced.

For example, a newt from the United States, such as N. viridescen, develops resistance to different pathogens than a species from another environment, such as the Chinese Fire Belly newt, C. orientalis.

What is New World Syndrome?

A species carries the pathogens for which it has natural resistances, so its introduction with foreign species leads to transfer of harmful agents with new host species

which typically ends up in the illness or death of one or both due to their lack of natural resistances

Pet stores often house several salamanders, newts, and sometimes frog, species in one tank, which gives pet buyers an idea about their coexistence.

Unfortunately, these animals are often ill when purchased and die shortly after due to their mixed-species environment. 

It is true that some have mixed certain species with no ill effects for several years, but it is very risky doing so, and not the behavior of responsible keepers.

It is also a common misconception that captive-bred species are exceptions to the rule, and we can house them with other amphibians species.

The fact is that animals are not sterile creatures, and even captive-bred species carry harmful pathogens.

Granted, captive-bred species are less likely to carry the same diseases and parasites as wild-caught, however, it’s still risky to house even captive-bred foreign species together.

Housing Newts with Fire-Belly Toads.

Can fire belly toads and newts live together?

Many pet stores and pet buyers house their newts with fire belly toads (Bombina spp.).

Aside from foreign pathogens, fire belly toads are aggressive eaters, and often injure small newts while lunging at food.

In fact, they are aggressive and territorial all the way around, and will most likely end up injuring small newts.

I have heard countless accounts of newts with wounds or missing limbs because of aggressive fire belly toads,

The consumption of newts by the toads, as well as cases of starvation as toads, are aggressive feeders that most passive newts never get any food.

Housing Fire Belly Newts with Eastern Newts.

Can Fire Belly Newts with Eastern Newts live together?

Although these newts are roughly the same size, require nearly the same captive habitats, and have the same peaceful disposition,

they are still from opposite sides of the globe and carry different pathogens for which the other has no resistances too.

Housing Newts with Tropical Fish

Can newts be kept with fish?

Without any prior know-how about which species are compatible with each other beginners usually newts purchase and throw them into tropical fish tanks, where they soon die and/or kill other members of the tank.

Their habitats simply are not compatible with each other. Tropical fish require warm water temperatures (72°F-86°F), and caudates require cooler water temperatures (62°F – 68°F).

Also, fishes have the tendency to nip at passive creatures, such as newts, and being poisonous, newts can kill them.

Finally, all newts require a land area of some sort even though they only barely use it around the year.

Housing Newts and Salamanders with Frogs

Can newts and frogs live together? Can frogs and salamanders live together?

Salamanders and most frogs are solitary creatures, and become stressed when forced to live closely with other species.

When salamanders are in stressful situation they often reject food, which leads to malnourished and starvation.

The same scenario is with for frogs. Some species are more aggressive than others, and will harm more passive species.

Many frogs require high temperatures (75°F-85°F), and caudate require cooler temperatures (62°F – 68°F).

And of course, foreign species carry different pathogens for which the other has no resistances too.

Housing Frogs, Salamanders, and Newts with Turtles

Turtles create an enormous amount of waste products for their size. This alone can lead to the illness of any amphibian. Turtles are also very aggressive feeders and could seriously injure a caudate while feeding, or simply consume the newt.

Most turtles will far surpass most amphibian species in size, which will lead to starvation of the amphibian, and injuries. Also, the aggressive behavior of turtles may stress the amphibians, causing them to reject food.

Other consideration when choosing tank mates

Aside from species mixing, there are other considerations when housing sympatric and conspecific species together.

Here sympatric refers to (different species from the same range) and conspecific means (same species).

We should consider each member based on the size, behavior, and disposition. Large individuals will dominate small ones, and sometimes pick on them and prevent them from getting any food.

All members housed together should be of roughly the same size to ensure one is not bullying the others.

Adults, juveniles, and larvae should be housed separately to avoid cannibalism.

Aggressive and territorial species should be given ample territory or should be separated.

Caudates of the genera Pachytriton and Paramesotriton, for example, grow rather large, are very aggressive and territorial, and can easily kill smaller members.

Pachytritons in particular are territorial and are known to fight to the death if not given enough territory.

What can we house with Newts, Salamanders, and Frogs?

Obviously, Amphibians live alongside animals in the wild and some organism species in their captive environment.

Conspecific and even sympatric species are generally kept together in spacious tanks.

Here sympatric means (keeping different species from the same range) and conspecific means (keeping only same species along).

Some species of aquatic and semi-aquatic amphibians will tolerate small guppies, white cloud minnows, ghost shrimp, or apple snails in their water area.

Keep in mind that fish can also introduce foreign pathogens that amphibians may be susceptible to. Also, keep in mind that the tolerance of fish varies from species to species.

Eastern Newts, N. viridescens, for example, are mostly aquatic in adulthood, but prefer fishless waters and will often reject waters will fish in them, even guppies.

More robust species, such as those of the genus Paramesotriton, on the other hand don’t mind a few guppies in their homes, and will even eat them.

Terrestrials can reside with earthworms, which are actually beneficial for soil terrariums, and may also provide food for larger amphibians.

Can frogs and newts coexist?

Yes They can but we don’t suggest it, Newts and Frogs can live along in harmony although both can eat each others’ tadpoles and even each in a wild and captive environment.

Can frogs and salamanders live together?

Separate them immediately.

There is no recommendation to keep any caudates in mixed-species tanks, with frogs, toads, newt or salamander tanks.

What fish can live with newts?

Guppies are best option if you want to keep them together, as newts are non likely to eat them overtime.

Can fish and salamanders live together?

salamanders are voracious animals and prefers to eat insects, brine shrimp and even small fish.

usually its not preferable, but if you want one, then keep smaller salamander species like tiger salamander or spotted salamander along with fish in the aquarium.

Can 2 Pacman frogs live together?

No, We shouldn’t keep Pacman Frogs Together, they are carnivorous ambush predators that eat anything they fit in their mouth; including its own species and other amphibians.

Can you put different frogs together?Can toads and frogs live together?

usually its a no for frogs and toads to get along as they can pass diseases and even prey on each other,

But Some frog species could live happily together in tank with communal harmony: below are some

• Waxy and other Green Tree Frogs.
• Barking-Tree Frogs.
• Grey Tree Frogs.
• White Lipped Tree Frog.
• Red-Eyed Tree Frogs.

What animals can live together vivarium?

Some Species that we can keep together in captive environments are as follows:

• Frilled lizards with Green Iguanas (one male per species)
• Box turtles and Radiated Tortoises in a large enclosure
• Some sub-species of tree frogs can live in harmony
• Firebelly Toad & Firebelly Newt (one male per species)
• Baby turtles and some smaller fish species.
• Terrestrial and Tree lizards having similar temperature requirements.
• Baby Guppies and Small Newts
• Green anoles, small day geckos, Tree frogs can live along with fire-bellied toads
• Tiger salamander or Spotted salamander along with Fish
• Aquatic and semi-aquatic amphibians with guppies, white cloud minnows, ghost shrimp, or apple snails.

For Further Reading

I hope you have learned a lot about which species to keep together and which ones not

it will help in protecting them from horrible death because of our misconceptions of mixing and lack of information.

below are some more relevant topics that are related to this one and you might find them interesting to read!

Here’s an interesting article Do salamanders really bite?
Here’s another interesting article are salamanders poisonous and dangerous for people?

Salamanders and newts are the one of the most popular pets around the world. They are also very attractive and friendly pets,

They usually do best with ambient moist environments and on both land and water enclosures.

We usually like to buy one but have confusion about which salamander or newt to start? What is the best salamander to have as a pet? Can a salamander live in a fish tank? Can 2 salamanders live together?

In this article I am going to discuss about 6 salamander species that are friendly for beginners.

Note: Some Salamanders species are poisonous and have harmful secretions on their skin

Do Tiger Salamanders make good pets?

Choosing the Tiger salamander as a pet is something fairly common, but it is a totally different scenario between larvae and adult animals, as they have different needs.

The larvae demand an aquarium with clean water which ideally should be filtered.

Note: filter with strong flow, disrupts their natural inclination towards ponds that have still water.

Hiding spots within the vivarium ; They are quite secretive and want to be able to hide if they wish to, ,

Once their metamorphosis initiates, in some weeks or months, provide a land area to venture them out of the water.

Do tiger salamanders need water?

Yes Salamanders requires a fully organized aquatic setup with clean moderate or still water flow. strong currents can hurt their skin, and prevents them from breathing properly.

Having only adult Tiger salamanders demands no constant water presence, but there should be constant moisture in the terrarium, as they thrive in damp and relatively cool (65 – 70 F) conditions.

It is also very important to provide several inches deep of good quality and moist soil,

as they love to burrow and spend much of their time underground as noted above.

As pets they have straightforward simple dier both in their larval and adult stages, consisting mainly of worms and insects,

Being voracious eaters they tend to gain weight easily, making it important to regulate their feeding.

Can Tiger salamanders eat fruit?

Salamanders are carnivores in nature. we should avoid feeding them with fruits, vegetables or any herbivorous diet .

Do Axolotls make good pets?

Due to their critically endangered status in the wild, it is virtually impossible to find them free, even if you travel to Mexico City and have a tour in the Xochimilco canals.

Instead, they are fairly common as pets, especially compared to their rare and reclusive nature in wild.

Choosing an axolotl as a pet is a totally different procedure as compared to their counterpart relatives,

Tiger Salamander, as they are strictly aquatic (except if you force-mature them, which can be very harmful and not advised).

Do Axolotls like hard water?

They somewhat prefer hard water, soft water causes temporary Anemia (also spelled anaemia). Axolotls can also live in tap water, but it should be free from chlorine and chloramines.

They demand a large, at least 10+ gallon aquarium with sufficient vegetation and rocks,

They hiding places can act as natural hiding spots, as they want to hide if they feel stressed for any reason.

Maintain clean water, filtered by a mechanism that does not produce a strong flow.

Keep them cool, as they prefer a temperature below 65 Fahrenheit and anything above can be dangerous.

They are also very sensitive to light and prefer dimmer conditions.

Feeding them is quite straightforward, as worms and insects are an easy and excellent choice for their diet.

Do Slimy Salamanders make good pets?

Slimy salamanders, despite not being as beautiful, large or sought-after pets as the Tiger Salamanders or Axolotls, can be a good choice as a pet, due to being comparatively easier to handle.

Since they do not have an aquatic larval stage, the owner doesn’t need to create a more complex aquarium with water filters, etc. and a terrarium will suffice for their entire lifespan.

Where do slimy salamanders live?

Similar to other terrestrial Salamanders, they need a cool environment with elevated moisture and ample moist soil that they can use to dig a burrow.

It is also a good idea to include stones, pieces of wood, and some foliage that can act as hiding places, as they do like to regularly be out of sight.

Being primarily nocturnal animals, it is not a good idea to place them in a well-lit environment, as they will prefer to hide in such conditions and will generally be less active.

Their diet is easy and diverse, just like it happens with most salamanders, including insects, ants, and worms.

Due to their smaller size and lack of aquatic needs, they can be one of the best choices for a beginner in amphibian pets.

Why do salamanders have slimy skin?

Newts skin needs to be moist to perform basic bodily functions. The mucus membrane that they secrete from their skin helps these amphibians to breathe and other organs to work.

Do Fire Salamanders make good pets?

Fire Salamanders is most common pet amphibian, due to easy availability, great looks, and ease of keeping healthy.

The terrarium of a mature Fire salamander is relatively simpler because they do not have the habit of burrowing like most others of their kind, thus demanding significantly lesser quantities of soil.

Just some rocks or pieces of wood can easily suffice for their hiding spot, making it a much easier terrarium to organize and much cheaper to maintain.

Just like the rest, they are mostly nocturnal and are comfortable at a cool temperature with high humidity which is vital for their health.

Another great attribute of this species is that they tend to become more familiar with their keepers.

They can be taught how to eat their meals from a bowl, while most other salamanders forceps need forceps for feeding.

Why is it called a fire salamander? Do they live in fire?

No, they don’t live in fire nor they are born in it. European fire salamanders usually have fiery orange and yellow markings on their shiny black skin.

Ancient people’s erroneous belief was they were born in fire because

Salamanders often hide under logs and when put on fire they ran out of the flames to protect themselves.

Do Spotted Salamanders make good pets?

many owners loves spotted Salamanders due to their beautiful looks and reclusive nature. even though they are not usual pets.

Spotted salamanders are avid burrowers so we should use thick and moist substrate, but not exceedingly wet at any time.

They are also nocturnal and can’t tolerate heat for prolonged periods. we should follow usual lighting and temperature guidelines.

How much do spotted salamanders eat?

The Spotted Salamander is known for its great appetite and it can eat just about everything that it can overpower, including a smaller specimen of its kind, thus it is best to keep alone or within a terrarium with adults of similar size.

Do Japanese Fire-Bellied Newts make good pets?

Due to their striking colour pattern, the Japanese Fire-Bellied Newt is a very popular pet amongst those that choose to start a vivarium with amphibians.

Their toxins might sound like a problem, but as long as you wash thoroughly your hands after handling them it’s ok.

Are Japanese fire belly newts poisonous?

Do not let childern unattended in a room that has a newt vivarium, as they might try to catch them, without realizing their poisonous nature.

Their vivarium should have a mixed space that includes both a body of clean water and a land area with sufficient rocks and debris, as they tend to alternate within the day between the two environments.

Do fire belly newts need a heat lamp?

Feeding them is an easy and straightforward process, they have a characteristic tendency to prefer dimly lit environments.

Conclusion

I hope that you have learned quite a bit about salamanders and newts. this post will surely help you decide which salamander suits your requirements as a pet.

I also hope that the additional information provided was somewhat helpful and that you overall have enjoyed reading this post.

For Further Reading

Below are some more relevant topics that are related to this one and you might find them interesting to read!

Here’s an interesting article Do salamanders really bite?
Here’s another interesting article are salamanders poisonous and dangerous for people?