My Ensatinas

[Greatballzofire]

I found dozens of these little animals all spring, and generally just relocated them to a safer place( under the firewood was not a safe place!) But these three kept showing up under the garbage can, and other odd and unfavorable places, so I decided to see if I could keep them alive and healthy over the summer.

Their habitat. This is a cement mixing tub that I had my toads in for awhile, until I gave the toads a kiddies' wading pool for more room. The salamander tub is tucked away in deep shade behind an ivy curtain. This is the coolest place I could think of to put the tub. The soil is moist and deep. They have a shallow water pan and places to hide. The salamanders have a little plastic plate they like to lay under. On top of the plate is a dish of meal for the slugs and crickets and other small bugs the salamanders eat. Late at night they come out and walk around.

So far so good; I think they are doing quite well. They have grown some and their tails have plumped up a lot. I think I have three females.

[Kurt]

You're lucky I don't know where you live, otherwise I would come over and steal some. I would love to have these, if I could only get my hands on them.

[tyjare]

Those are beautiful salamanders. I am jealous. The tub looks good to I bet they are happy.

[Greatballzofire]

My main concern with trying to keep any of these in captivity was the very hot summers we get here in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Normally these animals go underground to stay cool. Since they are lungless and must breathe through their skin it is imperative they have moisture. The set up they are in now is working, so maybe next season I will collect a few more.

[tyjare]

And then you can start shipping them to New Hampshire

[KennyDB]

Just be sure to keep the enclosure moist but not continiously damp because Ensatina's (and Aneides) are known to have skin necrosis when substrate stays to wet. I have 7 outdoor enclosures with tunnel systems going down to 1 meter down for hot summers or harsh winters.

[Kurt]

And then you can start shipping them to New Hampshire

And Massachusetts.

[Greatballzofire]

Just be sure to keep the enclosure moist but not continiously damp because Ensatina's (and Aneides) are known to have skin necrosis when substrate stays to wet. I have 7 outdoor enclosures with tunnel systems going down to 1 meter down for hot summers or harsh winters.

Thanks for the great info!
They have the option in their tub of moving to dryer areas. But I do believe I will build a deeper habitat for them so they can tunnel down to lower temps.
If it is not too much trouble could you post pictures of your setups?

[Greatballzofire]

And Massachusetts.

Well, unfortunately California has very strict laws about selling native species. Otherwise I would ship a few out. They truly are the prettiest salamander of all the assorted kinds, in my opinion!

[Kurt]

Don't sell any, just ship them out or trade for something.

[Greatballzofire]

Don't sell any, just ship them out or trade for something.

§40. General Provisions Relating to Native Reptiles and Amphibians.
(a) General Prohibition It is unlawful to capture,collect,intentionally kill or injure, possess,purchase, propagate, sell,transport, import or export any native reptile or amphibian, or part thereof, except as provided in this chapter, Chapter2 of this subdivision relating to sportfishing and frogging, sections 650, 670.7, or 783 of these regulations, or as otherwise provided in the Fish and Game Code or these regulations.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/pdffiles/fg1502.pdf
http://californiaherps.com/info/herpinglaws.html
http://www.humboldtherps.com/ensatina.html

[KennyDB]

Thanks for the great info!
They have the option in their tub of moving to dryer areas. But I do believe I will build a deeper habitat for them so they can tunnel down to lower temps.
If it is not too much trouble could you post pictures of your setups?

No trouble at all:

A.opacum tank:


A.gracile tank:


All setups are +- the same, with or without watertank depending on the species. I have a "streamtype" outdoor enclosure to housing Gyrinophilus porphyriticus

[Greatballzofire]

Thanks! That gives me some fresh ideas!
I changed the topsoil for fresh moist but not soggy in my concrete mixing tub today and put big pieces of pine bark and a slab of rotting pine in the tub, to mimic the places I find them under in the spring. I left their little green plastic dish in with the little dish of meal on top, as they seem to favor that as a hide and the meal attracts slugs and sow bugs, which the salamanders like to eat.

When I took this photo one was under the dish and the other two were under the big slab of rotting pine.

Their box tucked behind the ivy on the east side of the cabin. They seem to favor just being under one of the hides, not burrowing any deeper into the 4 inches of soil even though it is not too dry or too wet, so I think they are happy.
I don't expect them to get out of this tub as the lid is heavy, but I do have the occasional skunk or raccoon come on the property and don't want anything getting into the tubs, hence the bungee cord.