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Introduction: Tiger Salamanders can live past 15 years in captivity and are fairly simple to care for even compared to other species of salamanders. They can grow as large as 13 inches long but tend to stay within 9-10 inches in length and come in a variety of colors and patterns including an olive color with dark splotches and black with yellow bars and swirls.

Housing: Tiger Salamanders can be housed in a 10 or 15 gallon aquarium with a screen lid for proper ventilation. To reduce stress in these animals, dark paper or a background can be added to three sides of the tank so they feel more secure and not as exposed. These salamanders tend to burrow so they should have several inches of substrate such as coconut husk fiber, leaf litter, or top soil. It is crucial to use a substrate that does not have any chemicals or additives that could harm your animal. Several hiding spots should also be provided and can be created using cork bark, half logs, fake plants, and drift wood.

Temps & Lighting: This species does not require any special UVB lighting and enjoy temperatures between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. They can handle temps as high as 78 degrees and as low as 50 degrees but these should not be the constant figures.

Diet: Tiger Salamanders can become obese easily so it's crucial to not overfeed them. They enjoy a wide variety of live food including crickets, roaches, earth worms, super worms, silk worms, and the occasional pinkie. Adults should be fed twice a week and younger animals should be fed more often with smaller quantities of prey. For adults, every third or fourth feeding should be dusted with a multi-vitamin powder and younger animals should have every meal dusted.

Water: Non-chlorinated water should be available at all times. The bowl should be large enough for the tiger salamander to soak in but not too deep as they are poor swimmers.The water should be replaced daily.

Humidity: Humidity levels should be around 70% which can be achieved by misting the tank once to several times a day depending on the ambient humidity in your home. One side of the enclosure should be kept damp (not soaked) and the other dry so concentrating the misting on one side can help achieve this balance.

how to feed tiger salamanders


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how to handle a tiger salamander