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Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma tigrinum
The tiger salamander is one of the largest terrestrial salamanders, boasting yellow blotches on a dark body. Extremely hardy, it requires a 150L terrarium with deep soil for burrowing and a hearty carnivorous diet.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Caudata
Family:Ambystomatidae
Genus:Ambystoma
Species:Ambystoma tigrinum
Formerly known as:Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 80 %
Day temperature
18 - 22 °C
Night temperature
12 - 16 °C
Ambient temperature
18 - 22 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 40 L
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: The Tiger Salamander is widely distributed across North America, ranging from southern Canada down to Mexico. It inhabits a variety of environments including deciduous forests, coniferous woodlands, grasslands, and marshy areas, typically remaining close to vernal pools or slow-moving bodies of water necessary for breeding.
Taxonomy and Genetics: It is an amphibian belonging to the family Ambystomatidae. There are several recognized subspecies across its vast range, exhibiting variations in size and pattern.
Behavior and Habits: This species is primarily nocturnal and highly fossorial. It spends the majority of its adult life underground in burrows, emerging mainly at night or during heavy rains to hunt and migrate to breeding pools.
Morphology: It is one of the largest terrestrial salamanders in North America, reaching up to 35 cm (14 inches) in length. It features a robust, stout body, a broad head, and a striking pattern of yellow, olive, or brownish blotches against a dark black or dark brown background.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A spacious terrestrial terrarium is required (minimum 20-40 gallons for an adult). The most critical element is a deep, moisture-retaining substrate (such as topsoil mixed with coco coir) at least 15 cm (6 inches) deep to allow for natural burrowing behaviors. Provide a shallow water dish large enough for soaking.
Lighting and Heating: They prefer cooler temperatures. Ambient room temperature between 18-24°C (65-75°F) is ideal. Temperatures above 26°C (80°F) can cause severe stress. Low-level UVB (Ferguson Zone 1) is beneficial but not strictly mandatory.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high substrate moisture without making it swampy or waterlogged. Relative humidity should be kept between 60-80%. The water dish must be cleaned frequently, and dechlorinated water is essential as their skin is highly permeable.
Feeding and Supplementation: Carnivorous and highly opportunistic. The core diet should consist of earthworms, nightcrawlers, crickets, and dubia roaches. Occasional treats like hornworms or pinky mice can be offered to large adults. Dust insects with calcium and a multivitamin supplement weekly.
Compatibility: They can be kept solitary or in small groups of similar-sized individuals. Mixing different sizes will almost certainly result in cannibalism, as they have a strong feeding response.
Health and Common Diseases: Generally hardy, but susceptible to skin infections and bacterial issues if the substrate is excessively wet or unsanitary. They are also vulnerable to amphibian pathogens like chytrid fungus and ranavirus.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Tiger Salamander is widely distributed across North America, ranging from southern Canada down to Mexico. It inhabits a variety of environments including deciduous forests, coniferous woodlands, grasslands, and marshy areas, typically remaining close to vernal pools or slow-moving bodies of water necessary for breeding.
Origin
Central America and CaribbeanNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 33 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 33 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 33 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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