Tiger Salamander

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

In general, adult tiger salamanders are large, reaching lengths of 35 cm, and are perhaps the longest terrestrial salamander. The dorsum of the Eastern tiger salamander is dark with irregular yellow,olive or brownish spots that expand at the tip of tail. Adult tiger salamanders are terrestrial and fossorial (bury themselves in the ground). In the wild, they are rarely seen above ground during the day, they mainly move about the surface at night. The breeding season is prompted by the first steady rains of the season. Mating takes place in slow moving or still, usually fish-less ponds. Eggs adhere to submerged debris, including rocks, vegetation, logs, etc. Hatchlings are approximately 15 mm in length. Larval Tiger Salamanders can therefore be found in cool, fis-hless ponds or temporary water bodies in their particular region. The young hatch after about 4 weeks and after another 17 weeks they metamorphose to the adult form.

Did you know?
Tiger salamanders are quick, squirmy, and have the tendency to bite when disturbed or if threatened.They have often been noted as 'begging' for food upon recognition of their owners voice, or other cue.If the temperature goes below 5 to 10°C Tiger salamanders tend to hibernate. They stop eating and moving. But it seems that this hibernation is important for the reproduction.

Factsheet
Class	AMPHIBIA
Order	URODELA
Suborder	AMBYSTOIDEA
Family	AMBYSTOMATIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Ambystoma tigrinum
Name (English)	Tiger Salamander
Name (French)	Salamandre tigre
Name (German)	Tigersalamander
Name (Spanish)	Salamandra Tigre de América del Norte
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Canada, Mexico, United States of America (Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota south-east area, Nebraska eastern part, Iowa, Kansas northeast, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas north, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida north, Mississippi, the Atlantic coast of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey).
Habitat	Tiger Salamanders inhabit areas near bodies of water, including damp forest areas, woodlands, pastures, orchards, pine barrens, and arid plains, where the soil is easily burrowed. They are fossorial, meaning they burrow into the substrate (soft, moist soil) or inhabit abandoned burrows made by other animals.
Wild population	One of the most abundant Ambystoma species. The total adult population size is unknown but surely exceeds 1,000,000.
Zoo population	211 specimens belonging to six different subspecies reported to ISIS (2007).

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 45 or 51 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

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OpenCage

Why do zoos keep this animal

This is not a threatened species. Zoos and aquariums keep tiger salamanders primarily for educational reasons (there are other amphibians than frogs!), and because it they are very colourful, they are also a good ambassador species for amphibian conservation.

How this animal should be kept

A semi-aquatic vivarium (land/water) setup is ideal for housing larval tiger salamanders. Although larvae are aquatic, they will need a land area to emerge onto when they metamorphose and usually for a period after. The land area can consist of mossy rocks, large driftwood pieces, or elaborate earthen shores. The water level should be 25 to 75 cm deep and be able to support a filter that should not create a strong current or disturbance. Tiger salamanders are sensitive to water chemistry so regularly check the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Live aquatic plants should be included in the water area to serve as hiding places. Adults: The terrarium of transformed tiger salamanders of app. 100 x 40 cm should consist of a few centimeters of moist, biologically active, lightly-packed soil (not soaking wet or muddy). Small caves and shelters made of rock, wood, terra cotta, or other non-toxic materials, should also be provided. Tiger salamanders will eagerly accept a wealth of different foods like earthworms (chopped), fly larvae (maggots), grubs, waxworms (small), beetles, centipedes, slugs, crickets. Since they tend to escape, the terrarium should have a well closing lid (wire mesh). For reproduction, they need clean water (app. 1/3 of the terrariums surface.