Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i got another question, you guys. is it possible for me to keep a juvenile eastern tiger salamander with a baby eastern painted turtle? could they cohabitate, or would they kill each other?
thanks! -will

this is a bad idea.
both will eat any thing they can catch even if it is "too big" for them
Plus the sharp claws of the turtle could easily tear the delicate skin of the salamander. (this leads to serious problemd with sallies). Also the turtle may nip at the gills of the salamander. Plus the salamander will lead a nocturnal/fossorial existence once it matures and will not spend much time near water.
Plus the juvenile tiger will need cooler water than the turtle
Then there is the issue of water cleaniliness. A larval ambystomid salamander is going to be in trouble quickly even slightly polluted water and we know turtles make a lot of waste.
So if you have avery large enclosure and cn keep the water cold and still provide warm basking spots and lots of hiding places and a soft substrate (or none for the bottom and you are very lucky, it might work.
I have been keeping salamanders and turtles for a long time and i have always been afraid to put them together (except for feeding redbacks to wood/box turtles). though, i am sure it has been done , but i would definitely NOT advise it.

Aquatic turtles are usually best just kept with their own species or close to it, id actually be more worried about the salamander killing your hatchling turtle when it is full grown. Tigers are aggresive and can even lay down a painful bite on humans if they catch you right. Ive seen salamanders of all sizes kill things 2-3 times bigger than them.