Tiger Salamander Care Sheet
By Maria Zayas, DVM
Published Dec. 20/2023
Tiger Salamander Species Overview
Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians. Despite their appearance, salamanders are amphibians, not reptiles. However, like reptiles, amphibians are ectothermic (or “cold-blooded”) animals that rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature.
The largest land-dwelling salamander in the world is the tiger salamander. These salamanders build burrows in marshes, woodlands, & meadows throughout North America.
Tiger salamanders are not a single species; rather, they are a collection of closely related subspecies with varying patterns & colors. Usually, young salamanders begin life with a spotted pattern, which changes as they grow into adulthood.
Tiger salamanders’ bodies are adapted to living underground—they’re stout with small eyes & strong legs for digging & burrowing.
Newly homed tiger salamanders may bury themselves in their substrate. Once they realize food is at the surface, they will relax & will eventually become more docile.
When bred in captivity, tiger salamanders are robust, social amphibians that make excellent pets.
Compared to females, male salamanders are thinner, have flatter tails, & a more prominent vent.
Tiger Salamander Characteristics
Difficulty of Care Beginner
Average Lifespan Up to 15–25 years with proper care, depending on species
Average Adult Size 11+ inches long
Diet Carnivore
Minimum Habitat Size 15-gallon tank for one adult
Tiger Salamander Supply Checklist
To keep a tiger salamander happy & healthy, pet parents should have these basic supplies on hand:
- Appropriately sized habitat
- Salamander or newt food
- Substrate
- Sphagnum moss
- Water & food dishes
- Hideaway place
- Climbing decor
- Plants
- Water filter
- UVB lighting & fixture
- Multivitamin supplement
- Calcium supplement with vitamin D
- Cricket keeper
- Cricket food
- Cricket quencher
- Live insects
- Thermometers
- Thermostat
- Humidity gauge
- Mister
Tiger Salamander Habitat
Choosing the Right Enclosure
The minimum recommended habitat size for a salamander varies, depending on species & the number of animals in the enclosure:
A salamander needs at least a 15-gallon glass, acrylic, or plastic tank for their habitat.
If choosing to house 2 salamanders, you’ll need at least a 20-gallon tank.
All habitats should be well-ventilated & secured with a screened lid to prevent the animal from escaping. They should also be longer than they are tall to give amphibians enough room to explore.
With proper care, salamanders reach their adult size within a year. Always provide the largest habitat possible. Be sure to increase the enclosure’s size as the animal grows.
Habitat Mates
Several tiger salamanders can be housed together in the same habitat if the enclosure is large enough & the animals are not territorial.
Salamanders must be monitored for aggressive behavior. If 2 animals fight, separate them. Never keep different species of amphibians in the same habitat (i.e., do not keep tiger salamanders in the same habitat as fire bellied newts).
Temperature & Heat
Tiger salamanders need a tank temperature from 60 F to 75 F. Do not allow the enclosure’s temperature to go above 78 F—higher temperatures can lead to stress & illness.
Most pet salamanders will not need a supplemental heat source if the habitat’s temperature is kept above 60 F. Keep the habitat out of direct sunlight, which can cause temperature fluctuations & encourage algae growth. Use a thermometer to monitor the habitat’s temperature.
Lighting
Salamanders should get 10–12 hours of light exposure daily with the help of a low-watt incandescent bulb. This will imitate natural sunlight & help the animal establish a day/night cycle. Make sure that the bulb does not produce a lot of heat & raise the habitat’s temperature outside of the ideal range (60–75 F).
Some light bulbs provide not only light to the tank but also heat &/or ultraviolet (UV) light. Pet parents should check the light sources to be clear of their function in the tank.
Remember: Salamanders must have access to lots of hiding places so they can escape the light or heat when needed.
White lights should not be left on continuously, as they will disrupt the salamanders sleep cycle & negatively affect its overall health. At night, turn off lights inside the enclosure.
UV Light
Salamanders need exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light to produce vitamin D in their skin so they can absorb dietary calcium, which is essential to bone health. Without adequate UV exposure, they can develop metabolic bone disease.
Use a low-level (2.0 or 5.0) UVB bulb to provide the salamander with 10–12 hours of UVB light daily.
Avoid bulbs that emit higher levels of UVB light; they can damage amphibians' eyes & skin.
Replace bulbs every 6 months (even if they still emit light) as their potency wanes over time.
A day/night timer can make it easier to maintain a consistent day & night cycle.
Humidity
Humidity levels should be maintained at 70% & monitored with a hygrometer (humidity gauge). To maintain humidity levels, pet parents should mist the habitat’s substrate with dechlorinated water every day. The substrate should be moist but not soggy. If the substrate becomes too wet, increase ventilation in the habitat.
At all times, salamanders should have a shallow bowl of dechlorinated water in their habitat that’s wide enough for them to soak in. Water bowls should be cleaned, disinfected, & refilled daily.
Substrate & Tank Setup
Adult salamanders can be housed in a terrestrial terrarium.
The bottom of a salamander’s tank should be lined with at least 3–4 inches of substrate to allow for burrowing. Salamanders prefer dampened sphagnum moss or a mulch-like substrate, like coconut husk fiber or cypress mulch.
Pet parents should create a moisture gradient by keeping the substrate on one side of the enclosure moist while the substrate on the other side is drier. That way, the salamander can choose the side it prefers. The substrate should be moist but not soggy. If the substrate becomes too wet, increase ventilation in the habitat.
Do not use gravel or small pieces of bark that are small enough to be swallowed by a salamander; they can cause a life-threatening gastrointestinal tract obstruction if ingested.
Avoid reptile carpet & other artificial turf, as they’re too rough & will damage a salamander’s sensitive skin.
Decor & Accessories
Salamanders like to burrow under driftwood, cork, or moss, & hide under plants or moss. However, they may also dig under & uproot live plants.
Pet Salamander Cleaning & Maintenance
The habitat needs to be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week.
Using powder-free latex gloves moistened with dechlorinated water, move the amphibian to a secure habitat. Be sure to handle the animal gently to avoid harming its sensitive skin.
Remove any old substrate, decor, & accessories from the habitat.
Scrub the empty tank & any furnishings with an amphibian-safe habitat cleaner or 3% bleach solution. The bleach solution should stay on the habitat for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the surfaces are properly disinfected. If using a commercial habitat cleaner, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Rinse the habitat & accessories thoroughly with dechlorinated water, making sure to remove any trace amounts or residual smells left by the cleaning agent or bleach solution.
Allow the habitat & its contents to dry completely before placing new substrate clean accessories into the habitat.
Return the amphibian to the clean habitat. Always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handing an amphibian or its habitat’s contents.
Salamander Diet & Nutrition
Salamanders should be offered a variety of gut-loaded insects & worms as a base diet. These amphibians can also be fed live or frozen/thawed bloodworms, brine shrimp, & tubifex worms, plus supplemental amounts of dry food formulated for salamanders/newts.
Large salamanders can also be occasionally fed frozen/thawed pinkie or fuzzy mice as a treat.
Feeding Guidelines
- Juvenile salamanders need to be fed every one to 2 days & adult salamanders need to be fed 2 to 3 times a week at nighttime.
- Tiger salamanders are prone to obesity, so they should only be fed high-fat foods (like waxworms) in limited amounts. A well-balanced & nutritious diet for a salamander consists of a base diet of gut-loaded (recently fed) insects & worms, including:
Crickets
Earthworms
Beetles
Roaches
Superworms
Waxworms
Silkworms
Hornworms
Phoenix worms
White worms
Feed a variety of insects rather than the same ones every day. As with humans, feeding amphibians the same food every day can cause malnutrition.
Avoid feeding mealworms, as they have a hard exoskeleton that’s difficult to digest.
Bloodworms, brine shrimp, & tubifex worms (frozen/thawed or live) may be offered in the water.
Some large salamander species, including tiger salamanders, can also eat a frozen/thawed “pinkie” or “fuzzy” mouse as an occasional treat.
Live rodents should not be fed to salamanders. While still alive, rodents can become aggressive & leave severe wounds that lead to life-threatening infections.
Frozen rodents should never be microwaved, as this can leave “hot spots” that can burn a salamander's mouth & tongue.
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