What Do Salamanders Eat? The Ultimate Guide

Eastern red-backed salamander eating a worm

Most salamanders are carnivores, which means they eat only animal protein. Their exact diet will depend on their size, age, their habitat, and the part of the world they live in. Generally, salamanders eat worms, slugs, and a wide variety of insects in the wild. In addition, large salamanders are capable of eating mice, baby … Read more

Can Salamanders Breathe Underwater? [Answered]

Fire salamander in the water

We all know that salamanders and newts love to spend a great deal of their time in the water. You may have seen a salamander in a pond or stream and wondered, can salamanders breathe underwater? Different salamander species have different ways of breathing. Some salamanders, such as axolotls and sirens have gills and can … Read more

How Long Can Salamanders Stay Underwater? [4 Factors]

Fire salamander in the water

We all know that salamanders love to spend a lot of their time in or around streams, ponds, or other water bodies. During the breeding season, it is common to see hundreds of salamanders migrating to ponds where they can swim freely and lay their eggs. But how long can salamanders stay underwater? Salamander larvae … Read more

Do Salamanders Hibernate? [Wild and Captive Hibernation]  

Salamander on ice

Salamanders are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, which means they can’t generate their own internal body heat. Instead, their body temperature changes with that of their surroundings. Due to this, salamanders become less active in the winter when the temperatures drop. Terrestrial salamanders hibernate in logs or underground burrows when their environment gets too cold. Many aquatic … Read more

Are Marbled Salamanders Poisonous?

Marbled salamander on moss

Marbled salamanders are common throughout much of the eastern United States. These secretive amphibians are easy to identify by the silvery cross bands along their bodies.  Marbled Salamanders have poison glands on their tails that produce a foul-tasting secretion as a defense against predators. This secretion is only mildly poisonous and is of no serious … Read more

Can Salamanders Survive or Withstand a Fire?

Salamanders are not fireproof

Salamanders are very secretive creatures. Due to this, several myths and legends have arisen about them over the centuries. Many ancient people believed that salamanders were fireproof and so cold-blooded that their bodies could extinguish the flames themselves. However, most of these legends are untrue. Salamanders are not fireproof and can not withstand fire. Being … Read more