Replies

Most folks would never guess just how personable something with no eyebrows can be, do they?

“Sal” was a trip.

She was very interactive and loved it when I dipped a soft Kolinsky sable watercolor brush into warm water and gently stroked her back and head with it.
[for potential salamander keepers, it’s not good to handle them too much because their skin is fragile and its slime coat is easily damaged, plus, they secrete a mild toxin that is not much fun if you get it in your eyes]

The little boys never came out much.

I never pushed the issue...I assumed if they were scared of her they probably knew more than I did.

Gosh.

I haven’t thought of them in a long time.

Yep, they do have their own personalities. Badass had no fear of me but no aggression either. The little one was afraid of the grasshoppers. I only had them a couple of weeks and decided I didn't want them to end up like so many of my childhood pets. I wasn't sure I could keep them alive.

I don't think their teeth could break the skin. Not on mine but even Tiger Salamanders get bigger. Badass must have been about 7"-8"s long. He/she was about 2"s bigger around the belly when I let them go. :-)

Really cool critters. I'd love to see some of the bigger species that live in the mid-west and southern states. AFAIK Tigers are the only species in CO. When I lived in VT I got out of my truck in the woods, walked about fifty feet down a trail and there were two red efts walking away from each other. I left them alone but it was great to see them. I had seen them in books since I was a kid and always thought they were interesting and mysterious. And so they were!

That's cool about stroking them with a sable brush. I never got poisoned by their toxin. My great aunt lived on a farm in Iowa and had a toad in the root cellar that she brought flies regularly. There was a shelf or something it would get up on to be fed by her. It's hard not to like amphibians.