How to Make a Habitat for Tiger Salamanders

Video Transcript

"In the enclosure, you want to keep it fairly wet, fairly humid. The best stuff I've found is sphagnum moss, which will stay nice and damp. Every now and then you need to spray or mist your salamanders to get it back up to humidity. Some people use coconut fiber mulch, which is good too. Again, you want to make sure you keep it damp. If it dries out, it sticks to the salamander's skin. It can get into the salamander's eyes. It's not good for the salamander. Also, for decor you can use live plants. I like using live plants. It just keeps it nice and wild looking in there. Some cages come with backgrounds. Again, it just makes it more visually appealing. A water dish is essential for these tiger salamanders. They spend a majority of the time in the water, but again, you don't need a huge water dish. Just something big enough both your salamanders can fit in comfortably. Change the water every single day. Salamanders do defecate in the water; they go to the bathroom in the water, which creates a lot of urea. If these guys soak that up through their skin it could hurt your salamander. Just make sure you change their water every single day. Keep a nice fresh water bowl in there. Cork bark is excellent for creating little tiny places for your salamanders to hide. These guys are a member of the ambystoma family. The mole salamander, so they are burrowers, they like to tunnel. They'll burrow into the sphagnum moss. They'll go underneath the cork bark. Again, they just like to feel safe and secure, so create a natural habitat for them. When they're smaller you don't need a lot of sub straight. Like these baby newts, I've just used a moistened paper towel for the bottom. This makes it easier for these little guys to find their food. "