Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted salamander)

Age: 10 to 15 years
Origin: Eastern side of the United States and southeastern Canada
Length: Up to 20 centimeters
The spotted salamander is entirely black with a spot above each eye, as well as two rows on the back and alternating spots on the left and right tail; the color of these spots is usually yellow and sometimes orange. Just like many salamander species, they have a thick head and tail and short, broad legs.

Care
Experience: Beginner amphibian keeper
Food: Insects
Feeding adults: Every 2 to 3 days
Feeding young: Daily
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: Daily

Diet
The spotted salamander's menu includes insects such as crickets, flies, moths, small grasshoppers, and fruit flies. It is best to feed these insects live to encourage hunting, which is beneficial for the animals' health. Remove uneaten prey to prevent the resting frogs from being disturbed or harmed. To compensate for a calcium and vitamin D3 deficiency in captivity, the prey animals can be dusted with vitamins and minerals; these can be purchased at a pet store.

Water
Spotted salamanders are poor swimmers, so it is wise not to place a large water area in the terrarium. Naturally, however, a water bowl must be present for them to drink from.

Cleaning
Keeping the terrarium clean is very important. The water in the water bath must be changed weekly, as salamanders often use the water as a toilet. Inspect the terrarium daily, remove dirty furnishings, clean them, and put them back. The entire terrarium and interior must be cleaned several times a year. If disinfectants are needed for cleaning (use only mild variants), rinse everything thoroughly and dry. This prevents the frog's sensitive skin from coming into contact with chemicals.

Handling
Handling salamanders is discouraged due to their thin and sensitive skin, which absorbs substances. Holding the animals is therefore bad for their health. If handling the animals is unavoidable, it is important to first wash your hands thoroughly, without soap, and to handle the animal with wet hands. You can also pick them up using vinyl gloves. Given that salamanders are venomous, though not dangerous to humans, it is important that you always wash your hands after handling them.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 salamander: 60x40x40
Daytime temperature: 15-22 degrees Celsius
Nighttime temperature: 15-22 degrees Celsius
Hours of light: 14 hours in summer and 10 hours in winter
Humidity: 50-80%
Substrate: gravel, slate, or aquarium sand.

Setup
Ensure there is a thick layer of substrate in the terrarium where the animals can burrow. This substrate must be moist but not wet. Furthermore, the terrarium can be decorated with wood, stones, or cork; place these so that the salamander can hide behind them. Salamanders have sensitive skin that can be easily damaged; therefore, it is important that any object in the terrarium is free of sharp edges or points.

Behavior
Hunting method: Active hunters, but they can also wait for prey to emerge from dense vegetation.
Lifestyle: Nocturnal
Character
Just like most salamander species, these can often be found near water. They are frequently found underground, except when they cannot find sufficient food there, in which case they come to the surface.

Points of attention
This species can be housed in groups. It is not recommended to house them with other animal species to prevent injuries.

Costs and Purchase
Legislation: -

One-time costs: the cost of the animal and the enclosure.

Fixed costs: food and clean substrate.

Unexpected costs: veterinary costs should the animal become ill.