Description: A brightly colored, stout-bodied salamander found in cool, damp forest floors of southern and central Europe and southeast Asia. The maximum size is 12" but most get to be 8-10". If well cared for, they can live for 15 to 30 years in captivity. The body color is a deep, shiny black with variable amounts or combinations of yellow, orange or even red, in the shape of spots, blotches or stripes. Many different subspecies exist, each has their own size and appearance. The bright colors are a warning that they are poisonous. This is a common salamander but being nocturnal and secretive, it is not often seen. Males are slightly territorial and may fight during breeding season.

Temperature: 60° to 68°F (16° to 20°C), about 5°F lower at night. If kept over 70°F for very long they will be stressed, leave their hiding places and stay awake during the day.

Humidity: High humidity should be provided, approximately 80%. Providing a moisture gradient throughout the tank will allow them to choose their comfort level.

Lighting: Grow lights are needed for live plants. Use a timer to simulate seasonal day length fluctuations. A dim night light is required for viewing nocturnal activities.

Feeding: Earthworms and crickets are a good staple diet but a variety of other prey items should be provided. They may learn to leave their hiding place to be hand-fed during the day, which helps keep earthworms from escaping into the substrate. Feed adults every other day or so and juveniles every day, dusting food items with a supplement twice a week for adults and more often for juveniles. A shallow bowl of water should be provided to soak in. They may defecate in it so it will be necessary to change it often.

Habitat: A ten-gallon tank will work for 1 salamander or a pair but a larger tank would be more suitable. A forest should be created with plants, moss, logs, rocks and hiding places. Be sure to provide underground places to hide. Activity should be seen at dusk and during the night and sometimes after a daytime misting. At breeding time, females may be active during the day. Adults will usually return to their favorite hiding place.

Sexing: Sexual maturity is reached in 2 to 4 years, sexing is possible at 5 to 5 ½" long. Males have a more prominent cloaca and are normally slightly smaller and slimmer than females. If you turn a male over, just before the base of the tail a "V" may be present.

Breeding: In the wild, the various population groups and sup-species breed at different times of the year, depending on the climate. Most have larva but some give live-birth, usually those from the very cold areas. In captivity, mating usually occurs in early fall and deposition takes place after a winter cooling period of 3 months or so. This can be manipulated through temperature cycling. The male courts the female, touching and rubbing her with his chin. If she responds favorably, mating behavior continues and he deposits a sticky spermatophore (sperm packet) that she picks up with her cloaca. She may store the spermatophore for a time before fertilization occurs. 3 to 6 months later, the plump female backs into slow moving, shallow water and releases 10 to 75, 1" larvae. The water should not be deep as these salamanders drown easily. Feed the larvae live or frozen daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp, white worms, blood worms, tubifex worms, tiny insects, chopped earthworms, etc. They have a good sense of smell and if properly fed, may metamorphose in as little as 4 weeks at between 1 ½ to 2 ½". Metamorphs also drown easily, be sure to make it easy for them to leave the water. The juveniles won't eat for a few days after metamorphosis and can then be fed pinhead crickets, fruitflies, and other appropriately sized insects.

ENJOY YOUR PET LIFE FORMS, Dave & Donna