sounds like you are on the right track with your choice of substrates, though i would go with the bed a beast, just because you know it is for animals, topsoil runs the risk of carrying insect larva, espically if it has not been steralized. i would go with the bed a beast and the moss. as for the salamander cruising around the tank, it doesn't sound as though heat is the issue, i keep my room at about 68-72 in the winter and have four tiger sallys and a yellow spot that seem to be quite happy and as long as you don't have a heat light directly on the tank, which you should never need with salamanders, then the tank will be cooler. i would bet you that the salamander is just getting a feel for its surroundings. everytime i change my sallys tanks around, they spend a good part of that day and sometimes the next wandering around the tank, but are back to thier usual behavior within 36 hrs. of the change.
hope this helps

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