The Diet for a Blue-Spotted Salamander
If you're interested in keeping a blue-spotted salamander as a pet, it's important to know what these reptiles eat in order to care for your pet properly. Blue-spotted salamanders can naturally be found in forests, especially where the soil is moist; a salamander's diet may change slightly as these animals grow from larvae to adults, but if this reptile is nourished properly, a salamander can live for up to 20 years.
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Larvae
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Larvae, or baby blue-spotted salamanders, live in the water for two to four months, until they grow into adults. During this time, the larvae will feed on water fleas and other small insects. Young salamanders will also eat the larvae of other insects, and if there is a shortage of food in the area, they will sometimes eat one another.
Adult Salamanders
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Once a salamander is fully grown, it will eat insects such as flies and beetles, as well as earthworms. Depending on the availability in the area, the salamander will also eat snails and slugs. Even though salamanders no longer live in the water once they are adults, they will still live in close proximity to water, and will often feed on isopods, or small crustaceans.
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Where Salamanders Find Food
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After a salamander leaves the water, it will live under logs or stones in order to keep its skin hydrated--this is also where the majority of the salamander's food is found. Spiders will often lodge themselves in logs, which is convenient food for the reptile. Other varieties of worms and slugs also make up the salamander's diet, as they can be found in and around logs and rocks.
Salamander Predators
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Even though salamanders eat a number of small insects and animals, these reptiles still have a number of predators. Most of the animals that eat salamanders are not very large, and include small rodents such as squirrels and chipmunks. Other reptiles, such as turtles and snakes, will also eat salamanders if the animals are in close proximity.
Salamander Larvae Predators
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When salamanders are in the egg or larvae state, predators can include fish and aquatic insects. Turtles will eat salamander larvae as well as adult salamanders, and frogs are predators of the larvae as well. Larvae and salamander eggs are also eaten by birds that live near the water.
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References
- Photo Credit salamander image by Wojciech Gajda from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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kregier1
Sep 08, 2010
I live in Bristol, IN and have captured a blue-spotted salamander. I would like to know if we can put it in a cage with my son's leapord gecko. And if so, can we feed it worms from a bait shop over the winter? Will his gecko try to eat it? Will it give his gecko bacteria? My son would love to keep both if possible.
