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I found a salamander/newt on my walk today... can you help me identify it?

butteryinferno Sep 07, 2003 06:42 PM

While i was walking today i found a bright orange salamander on the path. It doesnt look like something from where i live, and i was wondering if you could help me figure out what type it is.

I live on the northeast boarder in massachusettes. Hardest state to spell...
He/she was fairly bright orange when i picked it up, and seemed to change to more of a brown orange. It has bright orange spots with black rings around them. Its tail is about 2 inches long, and its body is about 1 1/2 inch. I'm only guessing right now as i do not have a ruler about. Hos body seems about 1/4 inch wide. He isnt a climber. His skin texture is smooth, not mucusy or extremly rough. Thats about all i can come up with right now.

Thanks for helping me identify it, i'm not sure wether or not its someones pet or just a salamander that didnt like its grass being cut.

Replies (4)

Rouen Sep 07, 2003 09:10 PM

sounds like a red eft, they start out as green salamanders, then turn orange into newts then turn green again once they reach sexual maturity
while in the eft(land) stage they eat small insects like ants, small sow bugs.
the link below has a pic of a red eft and some info, hope that helped!
Red Eft

birdznfrogs Sep 11, 2003 06:17 AM

I agree with Rouen, sounds like a redeft! Pretty much the juvy stage of an eastern newt. He will turn into a green newt, with a paddlelike tail.

I also once found a redeft before. I had him for a few weeks, BOY ARE THEY CUTE!!!

Be careful though, red is a color of WARNING! REd-Efts are known to be more toxic than most newts.

Steven

Babamba Sep 11, 2003 10:53 AM

I agree that it is a red eft, but it does not start out as a green salamander(aneides aeneus). It is a completely different species(notophthalmus viridescens) and is merely the juvenile stage. They retain that color for 1-3 years before returning to the water as adults.

~Aaron

cheshireycat Sep 09, 2003 07:21 PM

I don't know what kind of sals or newts they have in Massachusetts but now you know how to spell it

Hope you find what you were looking for, though.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

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