How to Take Care of a Slimy Salamander

Slimy salamanders make interesting pets.

The slimy salamander can make for an interesting and educational pet. Their range stretches from New York to central Florida and into parts of Oklahoma and Texas. Slimy salamanders inhabit cool, damp forests and are typically found under rocks and fallen logs. They need to keep moist because they have no lungs and breath through their skin. True to their name, slimy salamanders can produce a large quantity of sticky mucous if handled.

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium or plastic storage container with a lid
• Peat moss
• Sphagnum moss
• Dried leaves
• Flat pieces of cork or wood

Instructions

1. Mix equal parts peat moss, sphagnum moss and leaf litter. Add water until the material is moist but not soggy. Cover the bottom of an aquarium or plastic storage container with at least two inches of the mix.

2. Add pieces of wood or cork for the salamander to hide under. They are shy animals that sometimes hide for days at a time.

3. Cover the enclosure with a tight-fitting lid so the salamander does not climb out and escape. They quickly dry out when exposed to the low humidity of most houses.

4. Feed the salamander two or three times a week. They eat a wide variety of insects, including small crickets, fruit flies, moths and grasshoppers. They also eat small earthworms, spiders and wood lice.

Tips & Warnings

• Newly acquired or sick specimens should be kept on damp paper towels instead of a substrate. This allows for easy cleaning and observation.

• Supplemental heat is not required. Slimy salamanders should be kept at approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Don't add too much food to the enclosure. The salamander will become stressed if bugs are crawling all over it.

References

• Crystal Palace Reptiles: Slimy Salamander ... Plethodon Glutinosus Care Sheet
• Caudata Culture: Plethodon Glutinosus Complex
• University of Illinois: Caudata --- Plethodon Glutinosus --- Northern Slimy Salamander