Salamander ID?

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Conner

Conner

Piranha
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2008
4,461
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Kentucky
One of my coworkers found this salamander sitting out on the sidewalk at work today. I think the warm weather over the weekend might have lured him out, and then the colder weather today was really making him lethargic.

I brought it home in a tupperware container, just to be safe. I figure if you guys tell me I can release it safely, I'll take it back to work and let it go on the property. Otherwise I'll keep it at home until the weather warms back up.

Here he is, about 5" long, black on back, silver/grey on bottom, with yellow spots.

What is he and is it safe to let it go back outside when its 40F now and dropping rapidly?

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looks like a yellow spotted salamander

Ambystoma maculatum

from what I read the warm weather probably jump started him, thinking it was spring he was on the move to his breeding pond. This time of the year they are usually burrower deep in some mud or hibernating under a rock. He seems to be a big one because they are usually 2.5-4". They can live for up to 30 years.

Imo you should put him back near where you found him before he thinks its really spring.
 
+1 I just did a google search and that's what I came up with too. I'm not 100% though! Best of luck!
 
Ok, so its a spotted salamander, thanks!

Does anyone know if it would survive if I were to release it tomorrow in temps around 40F? There is a farm with lots of bay hales right behind work, where I think it may have come from. I could let it go right under a hay bale.

Or should I hold on to it for a few days until the temps warm up some more?
 
Probably put him back somewhere where you think he can burrow easily into somewhere he can keep warm. Hay bales may be a good place!
 
She is a spotted, and 40 F will be fine. This is breeding season for them, and she looks to be full of eggs. Release her where she was caught so she can continue her migration to the breeding pond!
 
Noto;3914986; said:
She is a spotted, and 40 F will be fine. This is breeding season for them, and she looks to be full of eggs. Release her where she was caught so she can continue her migration to the breeding pond!
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Cool, I'll set her back out at work tomorrow morning. I figured she woke up because of the warm weekend, but with the temps falling again, I was worried she'd freeze to death tonight out on the sidewalk.

When my coworker found her, she had a white milky substance on her hindquarters and tail. I found out that was probably the poison they produce, so it seems like maybe she had been attacked by something? I cleaned her off with water.
 
It's a definite possibility that she was attacked, but they'll secrete mucus in response to almost any stressor. She may have just been responding to the unpleasant concrete substrate.

If you can hold off releasing her until the evening she'll probably have a better chance of making it to the pond. She'll be exposed to predators during the day.
 
I'll let her go when I leave work (around 5pm). That way darkness will only be an hour to an hour and a half away. I'll stick her between two bales of hay so she's not likely to be seen right away...

Thanks everyone! She's a really cool little creature, and I feel a slight urge to keep her, but I think its best if I return her to nature :).
 
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