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Anonymous
I found a batch of eggs in a pond last spring with a few larva still unhatched and kept them in a 10gallon tank with pond water. after a few months 4 salamanders (and about 20 peeper frogs) emerged, and i gradually drained the water as they got legs and started climbing onto the logs and debris i had inside. when i finally drained the tank and filled it with dirt/damp leaves/water, they were fine for about two days before they just disappeared. after it had been long enough that they clearly weren't just hiding, i started systematically disassembling the environment to find them. nothing. they couldn't have climbed out, they weren't in the dirt or under anything, it was so strange.
the tank is fairly easy to keep, as described by the guy above. moisture and a dark, damp place to hide are key. room temperature is fine, high 60s, low 70s.
whether you're getting them wild or buying them, where you live will have alot of bearing on what's available. the one you posted is a tiger salamander, the biggest and awesomest of all. most wild salamanders are substantially smaller. if you live near any bodies of water, especially creeks/streams, go out when spring starts warming up and check under dead logs and big rocks (put them back when you're done) and you're bound one to find some. if you want to get them as eggs, find stiller water, the kind of places mosquitos gather, and look for the bubbly, jelly like egg masses. make sure they've been fertilized, they should have little black masses in the center of most of the eggs. keep them in a tank of their water (or at least some dechlorinated water) and give them something to climb on once they hatch.
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