kyukidojen
06-16-2009, 12:10 AM
So... Late fall of 2007, we helped some people move into their new house. We found two small (four inches nose to tail) tiger salamanders huddled by the basement door. It was about 40 degrees out, and I have NO idea why they weren't burrowed in hibernating somewhere. They were gray and wrinkled and very dry.
We brought them home (of course) and set them up. That first winter, we didn't hibernate them - they were so skinny and just unwell that I don't think they would have survived.
This past winter, we hibernated them. Started warming the tank up about a month ago, and they TOTALLY trashed it. Didn't want to redo it until they were completely "up" again - it takes them a while to settle into their warm-weather routine. Last weekend, I was too sick to do it. But yesterday was a beautiful day and I got it done. I am thinking about redoing it again in a few weeks - got some great ideas last night as I was contemplating the finished product. I know it's a bit small, but we're saving for a larger one for next year. As you can see, they're a still little "dull" right now from hibernation, but they are definitely healthy. Their spots get brighter every day - it's so much fun to watch.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQ384IBI/AAAAAAAAApU/vnUNt1jpbO8/s400/4395small.jpg
Here's the slightly larger one.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQlrLy6I/AAAAAAAAApM/yiYyECPw9B8/s400/4387small.jpg
And the smaller one.
And their new setup - it's got a "garden" and a pond with a nice slopey path down into the pond. I also built a little rock house for them to hide in and a little stone table in the water to hide under or sit on top of, but they weren't done yet when I took the pictures.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQYXKhvI/AAAAAAAAApE/fwg1-A7aDw0/s400/4386small.jpg
We brought them home (of course) and set them up. That first winter, we didn't hibernate them - they were so skinny and just unwell that I don't think they would have survived.
This past winter, we hibernated them. Started warming the tank up about a month ago, and they TOTALLY trashed it. Didn't want to redo it until they were completely "up" again - it takes them a while to settle into their warm-weather routine. Last weekend, I was too sick to do it. But yesterday was a beautiful day and I got it done. I am thinking about redoing it again in a few weeks - got some great ideas last night as I was contemplating the finished product. I know it's a bit small, but we're saving for a larger one for next year. As you can see, they're a still little "dull" right now from hibernation, but they are definitely healthy. Their spots get brighter every day - it's so much fun to watch.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQ384IBI/AAAAAAAAApU/vnUNt1jpbO8/s400/4395small.jpg
Here's the slightly larger one.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQlrLy6I/AAAAAAAAApM/yiYyECPw9B8/s400/4387small.jpg
And the smaller one.
And their new setup - it's got a "garden" and a pond with a nice slopey path down into the pond. I also built a little rock house for them to hide in and a little stone table in the water to hide under or sit on top of, but they weren't done yet when I took the pictures.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m1CLsKPP4tw/SjcJQYXKhvI/AAAAAAAAApE/fwg1-A7aDw0/s400/4386small.jpg