Reptile & Amphibian Forums

does anyone know the habitat for slender salamanders in urban areas.

Housing
Slender salamanders are quite at home in relatively small housing, ideally 4 - 6 individuals per 3 square feet of terrarium. Males are territorial to an extent, therefore 1 male per 2 or 3 females is preferable. What they do demand is cool, damp and humid conditions with plenty of dark hiding places. Ensure that the terrarium is both well ventilated and also escape-proof. These salamanders are experts at using their moistened bellies as a sucker to scale glass.

Substrate
As with Ensatina, the terrarium should be divided into three parts; In one corner there should be small, shallow water pan, no more than an inch deep and with easy egression points. This pan serves two purposes; one it allows the salamanders to bath should the rest of the terrarium dry out, and two it promotes higher humidity. Surround the water pan with lots of smooth rocks and pebbles then pad out the gaps loosely with sphagnum moss. This provides the salamanders with ideal humid resting places. The remainder of the terrarium should consist of about 2 inches of a chipped forest bark, sphagnum moss and loose leaf mixture. I also like to encourage some mossy plants (such as Mind-Your-Own-Business (Helixine soleirolii) and various ivies (Hedera sp.) to grow (maintaining them in their pots which are concealed by the mixture). Finish off this by placing several pieces of rotting wood, bogwood or swamp wood on top of the mixture, providing these secretive salamanders with more hiding places. Such a setup must be kept moist and also cleaned out every 10 - 14 days to prevent too much fungal and/or bacterial growth.

Lighting
There is certainly no requirement for UVB lighting (unless live plants are maintained in the terrarium) because slender salamanders are primarily nocturnal or crepuscular. Locating the terrarium in a well lit place (but not in direct sunlight) will provide them with the photoperiods necessary to promote breeding.

Temperature/Humidity
Most Batrachoseps are quite tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, exceptions being the more localized species: B.aridus, B.campi, B.simatus and B.stebbinsi. B.attenuatus is perhaps the most adaptable species, being active in temperatures ranging from 48 to 75 degree F.. Island and southern slender salamanders prefer slightly higher temperatures between 55 and 72 degrees F. . The relictual slender is one of the few species to be active throughout the year but it occurs where temperatures rarely rise above 72 degrees F.. The Oregon slender demands constantly cool conditions, no higher than 70 degrees F. . Unless these temperatures can be constantly maintained then there really is no point attempting to keep slender salamanders as they will simply die. Heat stress is a well documented fatality in these and many other plethodontid salamanders. Temperature governs reproductive, feeding and hibernation behaviour. In the wild these salamanders are able to move deep underground to escape heat. In captivity they do not have such opportunities. In some areas it may be necessary to install some sort of air cooling/conditioning device, or I have personally utilized an old refrigerator, converted into a glass fronted cool terrarium for maintaining relictual salamanders. Humidity is also important. Being plethodontid or lungless salamanders, the exchange of oxygen and waste gases through the skin demands a moist environment. Mist the terrarium three or four times daily, using a slightly acidic water (clean rainwater which is free from pesticides/herbicides is ideal). DO NOT close off ventilation points to increase humidity. This will result in stale air and fungal/bacterial explosions which will prove far more harmful. Always ensure there is excellent ventilation.

Feeding/Watering Regimes
The water pan contents must be changed regularly. Misting of the cage should take place just before lights are switched on/near dawn and just before dusk/lights are switched off. Due to the small gape of these salamanders, food consists mainly of small insects, preferably aphids, fruitflies, spiders and small crickets. They will also take hatchling waxworm, freshly sloughed mini-mealworm and caterpillars. Crickets should be gut-loaded with carrots, oranges and other nutritients. Food can be dusted every other sitting with a vitamin supplement such as Rep-Cal. Although regularly making brief daytime forages, slender salamanders hunt chiefly at night so introduce a sufficient number of these food items during dusk.

Dormancy
Dormancy appears to be important where breeding is concerned except in B.relictus. Slender salamanders from the northern Pacific states (ie. B.attenuatus/wrighti require a brief hibernation period from December to February at temperatures of around 44 degrees F.. I hibernate my specimens in a refrigerator but ensure that the container is given air at least twice a day. Only attempt to hibernate sexually mature and well-fed Batrachoseps. Yearlings and two yearlings should be cooled to a minimum of 50 degrees F. Southern species require an estivation period of 6 weeks between July to September. Place the salamanders in an escape-proof plastic shoe box or old aquarium filled with a damp (not moist or sodden) substrate such as a mixture of chipped forest bark, moss peat and sphagnum moss. Place the container somewhere where the temperature is around 70 degrees F. certainly not above 75.

Breeding
Breeding is not easy with slender salamanders, usually a hit or miss affair. Correct hibernation, temperature and humidity regimes are essential in reproduction. Courtship can take place during 9 months of the year. There is no aquatic stage, mating, egg deposition or larvae. Males are distinguished by the two cirri on the upper lip (small pointed projections), are usually more stream-lined and often have a slightly longer tail. Eggs are laid in moist depressions in moss or leaf litter. The importance of damp, rotting wood can not be emphasized too much. Female slender salamanders nearly always seek such a substrate in which to deposit their 8 - 25 rather large (4mm diameter), yellowish eggs which possess a gelatinous shell and swell as they soak surrounding moisture. It may be necessary to regularly soak such wood in water both prior too and following egg deposition. Adult females (and sometimes males) occasionally guard and moisten the eggs. Larval development takes place entirely within the egg shell. Miniature replicas of the parents hatch out after 45 - 60 days. They measure approximately 20mm on hatching and must be separated from the adults who may accidently bite of a leg or even devour them whole. Rearing such small creature requires great patience and care. Maintain them in containers of moist sphagnum moss (NEVER allow this to dry out) and provide a diet of small aphids, sweepings, hatchling mini-waxworm. Given sufficient food they can mature in just 12 months altough 18 - 24 months in more likely.

Other Comments
Longevity is in the 7 - 10 year range. Handling of slender salamanders must be kept to a minimum. The tail can be amputated at the slightest touch, and a regrown tail is rather stumpy, discolored and distictly less attractive. Also the skin is rather delicate and can be easily damaged. Always wet hands before handling these and any other plethodontid salamanders.

thanks for all the info.but i have one more question.do you know were i can find some in southern california.i have a fishing license.

Ranges along the coast from extreme southwest Oregon to San Benito County and in the foothills of the northern Sierra
Nevada mountains and scattered locations in the Sacramento valley and in Shasta county. Found in a variety of habitats: chaparral, woodland, grassland, forests, urban yards, vacant lots, driftwood. Generally found in moist locations, under logs, rocks, bark, leaf litter, stumps, debris. Can be very abundant in an area. (In my urban yard I once found dozens along the edge of the house where grass or vegetation contacted the house.)