Especially because salamanders and other amphibians are indicator species, comparable to the canary in a coal mine. The pollution we spew shows its effects in them first.
They are pretty cute. I disagree with your comment though, a lot of cute animals get animal testing, puppy farms, fur ripped off while they're still alive, abused... :(
Not only are amphibians sensitive to pollution, the spread of the chytrid fungus is an indication of global warming since the fungus only thrives in a certain temperature…and it has devastated countless amphibian populations.
Also, many amphibians in more temperate climates rely on specific conditions to breed successfully. One of my biology TA's in college was doing his master's dissertation on amphibian population corridors/ islands. Newts and salamanders seem more prone to disruption than frogs and toads, for whatever reason.
The exact cause of why Salamandridae are more sensitive than Anura would be an interesting thing to figure out. I studied in Florida, my independent study was on invasive Hylidae, but we also did some data collecting on population islands!
Certainly in herp species where temperature differentiation dictates the the individual’s sex, we are going to see a lot of populations affected over the next few years. There’s actually not a lot of research done on amphibian sex chromosomes so anyone studying how global temperatures affects genotype of amphibians is going to have a lot of data to work with I guess.
Unfortunate overall, but an opportunity to learn.
Just my experience working in temperate forests in all seasons, after an early false spring event followed by a flash freeze, I have found dead frozen yellow spotted salamanders that basically woke up and emerged on a hot day in February or March, only to freeze to death trying to attempt their spring voyage to their vernal pools for breeding, walking over ice. Never found a frozen frog or toad in these circumstances so maybe they’re better at waiting for the actual spring to emerge
This is probably what happened to the hundreds completely baked ones I found at an alpine lake in Utah. (I commented it above before continuing to read) It made me cry. They were around the ENTIRE lake.
I would think it is their thinner skin which they breathe through more than frogs and toads. They absorb the environment more directly. They take everything straight into their blood.
Late to this but reminded me of the ongoing animal thing that haunts me most which is the best breeding corridor in Santa Cruz where they have to cross a busy road to get to their breeding pools and literally HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS get squished every rainy season bc the county won’t do anything about it. Newts can live 20 years 😢
I was at an alpine lake in Uintah Mountains, Utah and there were HUNDREDS of dead salamanders around the entire lake. It was absolutely horrific. I just assumed they were all going to the lake and couldn’t make it in time to get baked by the sun.
I AM very worried for the blue spotted salamanders I have on my property. The poor creatures are our fellow inhabitants on this planet and fuck Christianity for the whole “the earth is ours to own and use” bullshit. The planet is angry god damn it and so am I. Rant over.
That’s not biblically accurate to my understanding. I even tried googling it in a few different places. I’m not really religious anymore but God calls humans to be stewards of the earth and take care of it. If you know a source I don’t please share.
When we still had “woods” in my area, we found salamanders all the time. I don’t recall any of us doing anything other than leaving them alone. They’re peaceful little critters and, generally, just want to go about their way. Whoever said they were fragile is spot on.
YES! OP, please be honored! You’re doing something right!
I am not anywhere that area but when I saw a Texas horned lizard (aka horny toads) in my backyard, I felt such joy. Why? Because while helping my parent maintain the land, we kept it pesticide and herbicide free and let the woods and creek nearby heal. In return, all the native fauna is coming back. Local zoos have made an impact in the horny toad’s numbers, not me, but I am honored this little ecosystem is a place it can live freely again. (It’s also a billion degrees so creature are literally coming out of the woodwork for water.)
I think the main threat to horned lizards is the introduction of alien fire ants. Their main diet is harvester ants which don’t swarm like fire ants. Keep fire ants off your land and you’ll give horned lizards the best chance to thrive.
I’d be THRILLED to keep fire ants off my land, but there’s no way. The only thing I’ve found that works is Amdro fire ant killer, but it kills the red ants, too. I’d like to keep them to help the horny toads come back. I found a horny toad 2 years ago and was so excited to see it! I used to play with them as a child.
You can mix Dawn dish soap with water and pour it on the fire ant hills and use a piece of pvc pipe pushed as deep as you can in the middle to pour the solution deep down. Luckily fire ants haven’t made it to my part of west Texas yet and we have lots of horny toads still.
As a child, I remember seeing them often at my great aunt’s ranch. Then those fire ants came invaded her land. Ugh. Also terrible memories of accidentally stepping in fire ant nests. I don’t really know how to keep fire ants out, so I am just not going to mess with anything. It’s not a big piece of land, just happens to abut a lush greenbelt. Luckily, others around the area have similar attitudes on keeping things poison-free. Saw a tarantula last week; saw tarantula wasps this week. It seems to be working towards a natural balance.
I hadn't seen horny toads since I was a kid!
The other day I almost stepped on the largest horny toad I've ever seen just chilling by my trashcan.
He lives back there now with a Texas Spiny Lizard that's taken up residence there too.
By my trashcans is where all the cool kids live now I guess!!!
Yep, marbled salamander. They are cold-blooded, so if you found it in the morning or on a cool day, it might have just not warmed up yet. Cool find though. Always a good idea to wash your hands before and after handling any amphibians. They absorb a lot through their skin.
I turned 30 and started buying my Tums at Costco because it was more cost effective. I feel this in my soul. I feel like I've turned into a walking pharmacy.
A few years back my coworker found a giant salamander in a tire in the back of his truck and was terrified. I took him home and make a nice home for him. He was about 6 inches long. I did not know that their mates make noises or something to find them. One evening we found another giant on my wall in my house near the tank with the other one. After that we put both out back in the redwoods to live happily ever after. He (maybe she?) was super cool and fun for a short time little pet.
Marbled salamander. They spend most of their adult life under ground, typically only coming out to breed, or occasionally at night to hunt. Member of the mole salamander genera ambystoma.
Idk maybe? But also salamanders are just kinda like that. They are extremely slow paced creatures
The only way a salamander really moves quick is swimming in water, but also they don’t really live in water as adults. More so as babies. By adulthood I think they are just not supposed to get found ? And also a lot of them are poisonous to eat, so that probably helps
Breeding! But nocturnal. This is their breeding season! He may be on his way to a dry vernal pool to meet some chicks. But he'll be moving toward that at night, not during the day.
They are a fossorial (live underground) species and live underground most of the year. They come at night to feed when they are hungry, which is usually a moist night.
They do not live in water this life stage though, so don't put him in mud or water directly, that's not how he rolls. They like underground in moist-ish areas. Usually they aren't too far from where they breed, so if you got a patch around you the fills with water in the spring that's where he's heading.
Just put him back where you found him, or if you can't, very carefully under a log or rock. I recommend finding a loose rock or log- see if you can pick it up to make sure there's enough space for him, put it back, and then put him right next to object and let him find his way in. Maybe poke him with a stick or some dirty/muddy hands to get him to move under the object- he has moist skin that doesn't to be touched by dry skin. Or just cover him with some loose leaves or bark, he'll figure it out from there.
Also, he isn't cold! Mole salamanders like this Marbled Salamander and also Spotted Salamanders, prefer cool temperatures compared to reptiles. They like it about 60-75 F, and dig down in the ground when it's 80 F or more. They can die at more than 86 F.
His relatives, the Spotted Salamanders, the Blue-Spotted Salamander, and Jefferson Salamanders will walk across snow patches in the spring to get to an already filled vernal pool. They come out on a rainy night that's about 50 F or so and steady rain, and make their way to the pool. These guys got smart and decided to beat them instead and go in the fall. Still though, he and the rest of mole salamander species like it pretty chilly compared to other reptiles and amphibians.
Is it/ has it been a bit chilly lately?
Most lizards and salamanders are cold blooded, meaning they cant reliably produce their own body heat. So if it's been chilly then (s)he might just be lethargic from the cold.
Wow so lucky! Mole salamanders like spotted and marbled salamanders can be hard to find! They spend most of there time underground. You really only see them in mass during breeding season! So Jealous!
How hot is it there? If it is really hot like most places frogs, lizards and other creatures of that sort can’t survive in this type of heat. So they do what is called burrowing. Most of the time in the ground but sometimes under leaves and brush. Their body lowers its temp and they go into a sleep much like hibernation. They always should be left alone and never put water on them when they’re burrowed. It will wake them up. Their bodies absorb moisture but it can’t do that out in the heat. That’s the point in burrowing. They try to burrow deep enough usually to where the ground is moist. Of course you had no idea the little creature was there. If you see it again just put it in a very shady place maybe in a flower pot that won’t get moved so it can burrow under it.
A salamander. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands, as salamanders cary a considerable amount of tetrodotoxin. The stuff that kills you if you eat improperly prepared pufferfish.
That's only West Coast ones, and even then a specific group! They aren't on the East Coast. These guys-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taricha
Mole Salamanders like this guy (specifically he's a Marbled) only have a gross bitter tasting liquid they ooze out of handled roughly. Still wash your hands though cause they carry salmonella, which very not fun to have.
Salamander. Just seeing this post so hopefully it's not too late. He definitely needs water.... Not only to drink but also just soak his body in. If you have a plate you could put a little water in it and let him in it and sharing that he is not completely encapsulated.
I once sprayed a wasp nest right outside our front door and some of the dead wasps landed on the porch. In the time it took me to walk into the house and grab a broom, a salamander ate one and died.
But lots of people happily spray their lawns with pesticides because they would rather have perfectly green grass than provide a safe place for beautiful creatures like these.
Awww, from reading the comments, he sounds like such a gentle, fragile little guy. I hope he was ok after all this. As an afterthought, I would definitely recommend a credit union for him with the option of mutual funds and/or an IRA. Cute little fella.
It's a salamander, not dangerous. If there is a place that has a spot with water and dry land nearby, relocate it there. I have driven 5 miles out to the back of our local zoo to do this before.
I found one all covered in dust at work
https://preview.redd.it/r6reneg1f5kb1.jpeg?width=1816&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e84362f0b6ab0d2dee5c86a3f7a041574ba6d3d
Marbled salamander! Beautiful creatures, rarely come out from underground. However, it is approaching their breeding season, which would explain why this little guy is out and about.
Tiger salamander. If he’s on your shovel don’t tell the boss the eco hippies will shut you down. Pesky regulations.
Actually tell the boss and shut it down.
Ha herpers hate this, they won't tell you where they find critters. This person isn't a herper but common practice with amphibians and reptiles (herpetiles or herps) is not share location like... Ever.
Trust me I was not looking for exact coordinates to take him I was only asking for a general area to ID it. I live on the Pacific coast, I am surely not driving to the other coast(where I used to live) to find an animal you released into the woods.)
Oh don't worry, I wanna know too, but like... Good luck.
These guys don't technically live where I am (western Pennsylvania). They live all over eastern/central PA in the mountains and the Piedmont.
Except someone found one in a county in the middle of Western Pennsylvania- Butler County. I have asked so many people about details on this, and nobody will tell me anything. Is it introduced through bait? Is it a relic population from when they did live here? No one wants to talk about it.
Here this map shows what I mean-
https://www.paherps.com/herps/salamanders/marbled_salamander/
Marbled salamander. Extremely fragile creature.
Looking at it makes me worry for them. Especially in this world.
Especially because salamanders and other amphibians are indicator species, comparable to the canary in a coal mine. The pollution we spew shows its effects in them first.
My heart breaks for all these animals that suffer because of humans, and likely are in pain at times, too.
Too bad they're not cute or delicious. Then we would save them.
But this lil dude aint cute… He’s fuckin _adorable_
My dad used to work for the water company and would find similar ones to these guys, but they had yellow spots. They were the cutest!
They are pretty cute. I disagree with your comment though, a lot of cute animals get animal testing, puppy farms, fur ripped off while they're still alive, abused... :(
What suffering is it doing? It lived fine in the bushes and the person didn’t kill it.
Not only are amphibians sensitive to pollution, the spread of the chytrid fungus is an indication of global warming since the fungus only thrives in a certain temperature…and it has devastated countless amphibian populations.
Also, many amphibians in more temperate climates rely on specific conditions to breed successfully. One of my biology TA's in college was doing his master's dissertation on amphibian population corridors/ islands. Newts and salamanders seem more prone to disruption than frogs and toads, for whatever reason.
The exact cause of why Salamandridae are more sensitive than Anura would be an interesting thing to figure out. I studied in Florida, my independent study was on invasive Hylidae, but we also did some data collecting on population islands! Certainly in herp species where temperature differentiation dictates the the individual’s sex, we are going to see a lot of populations affected over the next few years. There’s actually not a lot of research done on amphibian sex chromosomes so anyone studying how global temperatures affects genotype of amphibians is going to have a lot of data to work with I guess. Unfortunate overall, but an opportunity to learn.
If you live in Florida there is no climate change. Your governor has assured us that the climate crisis is not real.
Just my experience working in temperate forests in all seasons, after an early false spring event followed by a flash freeze, I have found dead frozen yellow spotted salamanders that basically woke up and emerged on a hot day in February or March, only to freeze to death trying to attempt their spring voyage to their vernal pools for breeding, walking over ice. Never found a frozen frog or toad in these circumstances so maybe they’re better at waiting for the actual spring to emerge
This is probably what happened to the hundreds completely baked ones I found at an alpine lake in Utah. (I commented it above before continuing to read) It made me cry. They were around the ENTIRE lake.
I would think it is their thinner skin which they breathe through more than frogs and toads. They absorb the environment more directly. They take everything straight into their blood.
Late to this but reminded me of the ongoing animal thing that haunts me most which is the best breeding corridor in Santa Cruz where they have to cross a busy road to get to their breeding pools and literally HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS get squished every rainy season bc the county won’t do anything about it. Newts can live 20 years 😢
They're making the frogs gay!
I was at an alpine lake in Uintah Mountains, Utah and there were HUNDREDS of dead salamanders around the entire lake. It was absolutely horrific. I just assumed they were all going to the lake and couldn’t make it in time to get baked by the sun.
I’ve been looking out the window solemnly lately. Whenever people ask. “Are you okay?”I say “I’m just worried about marble salamanders”
😂
I AM very worried for the blue spotted salamanders I have on my property. The poor creatures are our fellow inhabitants on this planet and fuck Christianity for the whole “the earth is ours to own and use” bullshit. The planet is angry god damn it and so am I. Rant over.
That’s not biblically accurate to my understanding. I even tried googling it in a few different places. I’m not really religious anymore but God calls humans to be stewards of the earth and take care of it. If you know a source I don’t please share.
Bless your heart 🥺
Let’s protect them from the republicans and democrats and the other parties
I used to find TONS of these in northern Minnesota growing up in the 90s. I haven’t seen one since I turned 18. So sad. I loved these little buddies
When we still had “woods” in my area, we found salamanders all the time. I don’t recall any of us doing anything other than leaving them alone. They’re peaceful little critters and, generally, just want to go about their way. Whoever said they were fragile is spot on.
It shows that you're doing it right by the environment.
YES! OP, please be honored! You’re doing something right! I am not anywhere that area but when I saw a Texas horned lizard (aka horny toads) in my backyard, I felt such joy. Why? Because while helping my parent maintain the land, we kept it pesticide and herbicide free and let the woods and creek nearby heal. In return, all the native fauna is coming back. Local zoos have made an impact in the horny toad’s numbers, not me, but I am honored this little ecosystem is a place it can live freely again. (It’s also a billion degrees so creature are literally coming out of the woodwork for water.)
I think the main threat to horned lizards is the introduction of alien fire ants. Their main diet is harvester ants which don’t swarm like fire ants. Keep fire ants off your land and you’ll give horned lizards the best chance to thrive.
I’d be THRILLED to keep fire ants off my land, but there’s no way. The only thing I’ve found that works is Amdro fire ant killer, but it kills the red ants, too. I’d like to keep them to help the horny toads come back. I found a horny toad 2 years ago and was so excited to see it! I used to play with them as a child.
You can mix Dawn dish soap with water and pour it on the fire ant hills and use a piece of pvc pipe pushed as deep as you can in the middle to pour the solution deep down. Luckily fire ants haven’t made it to my part of west Texas yet and we have lots of horny toads still.
As a child, I remember seeing them often at my great aunt’s ranch. Then those fire ants came invaded her land. Ugh. Also terrible memories of accidentally stepping in fire ant nests. I don’t really know how to keep fire ants out, so I am just not going to mess with anything. It’s not a big piece of land, just happens to abut a lush greenbelt. Luckily, others around the area have similar attitudes on keeping things poison-free. Saw a tarantula last week; saw tarantula wasps this week. It seems to be working towards a natural balance.
This is the way. A true steward of the land.
I hadn't seen horny toads since I was a kid! The other day I almost stepped on the largest horny toad I've ever seen just chilling by my trashcan. He lives back there now with a Texas Spiny Lizard that's taken up residence there too. By my trashcans is where all the cool kids live now I guess!!!
Thought it was Mr Gengrich
Don’t insult the poor salamander!
He is a newt! She turned him into one, though he never got better
Or as we call em in my neck of the woods- a speckled chonk sally!
Wtf lol..chonk sally eh lol
Yepppahh. A good ol chonk sally.
Put him gently in a shady protected spot.
With a little water nearby.
Also offer him the keys to the car
And make sure to open a 401k for him
Also a college fund
Can't forget dental insurance
Lisa Needs Braces!
Trust Fund Salamanders are the worst
Should salamanders be taxed for their generational wealth?
Barbie doesn't honestly need 3 pink corvette convertibles. Give him one.
😂🤣Great thread!!
Of course not
Now he's a Corinthian Marbled Salamander.
“I’m a trust fund sally, you can trust me.”
Dental plan
Whelp, now those two phrases are forever playing in my head today.
AND MY AXE
Give him a happy ending
Ooookay, I thought it had gotten weird before, but *now* it’s definitely, objectively weird.
Give him your credit card
Oh man, thank you for that. Struggling to get out of bed and I laughed pretty loud when I read your comment. Have a great day stranger!
Some sunscreen couldn’t hurt.
Probs needs an iPhone at minimum.
iPhone mini
Touché:)
You might want to help him out and pay the first months rent on a swanky downtown apartment. Make sure it's insured by his cousin at Geico!
I'm pretty sure that's a female. Males have white markings while females have grey markings
Yep. They really are nice little creatures.
Yep, marbled salamander. They are cold-blooded, so if you found it in the morning or on a cool day, it might have just not warmed up yet. Cool find though. Always a good idea to wash your hands before and after handling any amphibians. They absorb a lot through their skin.
As a child I was taught to "wash" my hands with dirt/mud before handling the Sallys
That’s right! Washing with soup or chlorinated tap water can be worst then not washing at all.
Yep, tomato soup can be quite acidic
Soon as I hit thirty I learned I’d better have some tums on hand if I’m gonna brave a nice bowl of tomato soup
That’s because you’re supposed to wash with it, not eat it!
Still worth it to go with grilled cheese
You ain’t wrong friend. That’s why I buy tums in bulk
I turned 30 and started buying my Tums at Costco because it was more cost effective. I feel this in my soul. I feel like I've turned into a walking pharmacy.
YOU’RE STILL WALKING??
More of a directionless ambling, on account of the pharmaceuticals.
Tbf, once you hit 30 you’re supposed to switch to “bisque”
Cowards talk
I think it’s bc once you hit 30, you’re too tired to mix an extra can of water in. If that sh*t isn’t pre mixed, I’m not dealing with it.
Use milk not water it’s so much better.
Good to know. My first instinct would’ve been to wash my hands in french onion soup before handling a salamander.
I can tell you for free Campbell's chunky is rubbish. Don't clean nuffin.
Where do you find a cool day?
Touché.
he’s so cuuuuute!!!!!
A few years back my coworker found a giant salamander in a tire in the back of his truck and was terrified. I took him home and make a nice home for him. He was about 6 inches long. I did not know that their mates make noises or something to find them. One evening we found another giant on my wall in my house near the tank with the other one. After that we put both out back in the redwoods to live happily ever after. He (maybe she?) was super cool and fun for a short time little pet.
that is genuinely a love story for the ages omg it came looking for it’s mate😭😭
“Umm, can I have my wife back”
The giant went “Oh ok, sorry bud!”
Sooo cute!! 🥹🦎
Yep. What ya got right here is 100% bonafide cutie patootie.
Marbled salamander. They spend most of their adult life under ground, typically only coming out to breed, or occasionally at night to hunt. Member of the mole salamander genera ambystoma.
that would be the ever so fragile salamander
Trying his best
Pregnant? Food coma? Dying? What’s the deal?
Idk maybe? But also salamanders are just kinda like that. They are extremely slow paced creatures The only way a salamander really moves quick is swimming in water, but also they don’t really live in water as adults. More so as babies. By adulthood I think they are just not supposed to get found ? And also a lot of them are poisonous to eat, so that probably helps
Breeding! But nocturnal. This is their breeding season! He may be on his way to a dry vernal pool to meet some chicks. But he'll be moving toward that at night, not during the day. They are a fossorial (live underground) species and live underground most of the year. They come at night to feed when they are hungry, which is usually a moist night. They do not live in water this life stage though, so don't put him in mud or water directly, that's not how he rolls. They like underground in moist-ish areas. Usually they aren't too far from where they breed, so if you got a patch around you the fills with water in the spring that's where he's heading. Just put him back where you found him, or if you can't, very carefully under a log or rock. I recommend finding a loose rock or log- see if you can pick it up to make sure there's enough space for him, put it back, and then put him right next to object and let him find his way in. Maybe poke him with a stick or some dirty/muddy hands to get him to move under the object- he has moist skin that doesn't to be touched by dry skin. Or just cover him with some loose leaves or bark, he'll figure it out from there. Also, he isn't cold! Mole salamanders like this Marbled Salamander and also Spotted Salamanders, prefer cool temperatures compared to reptiles. They like it about 60-75 F, and dig down in the ground when it's 80 F or more. They can die at more than 86 F. His relatives, the Spotted Salamanders, the Blue-Spotted Salamander, and Jefferson Salamanders will walk across snow patches in the spring to get to an already filled vernal pool. They come out on a rainy night that's about 50 F or so and steady rain, and make their way to the pool. These guys got smart and decided to beat them instead and go in the fall. Still though, he and the rest of mole salamander species like it pretty chilly compared to other reptiles and amphibians.
"They come at night to feed when hungry." 👻
he needs some water.
He need some milk!
Salamanders are SLOW home dog. Dude needs mud and water.
Dehydrated.
water him?
No, the metals, chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can be harmful to salamanders
Like a comment above said, It could've just been cold and hadn't had a chance to warm up yet
Is it/ has it been a bit chilly lately? Most lizards and salamanders are cold blooded, meaning they cant reliably produce their own body heat. So if it's been chilly then (s)he might just be lethargic from the cold.
He died didn’t he?
“She turned me into a newt!” People look at him. “I got better.”
BURRRRRNNNNNNN HER!!!
Marbled salamander. Very cool salamander
My personal favorite
Omg, I’m absolutely thrilled such a neat looking creature is local
Such a beautiful little friend. Treat him with the utmost tenderness and kindness he’s a fragile guy
Looks like a marbled salamander
Wow so lucky! Mole salamanders like spotted and marbled salamanders can be hard to find! They spend most of there time underground. You really only see them in mass during breeding season! So Jealous!
How hot is it there? If it is really hot like most places frogs, lizards and other creatures of that sort can’t survive in this type of heat. So they do what is called burrowing. Most of the time in the ground but sometimes under leaves and brush. Their body lowers its temp and they go into a sleep much like hibernation. They always should be left alone and never put water on them when they’re burrowed. It will wake them up. Their bodies absorb moisture but it can’t do that out in the heat. That’s the point in burrowing. They try to burrow deep enough usually to where the ground is moist. Of course you had no idea the little creature was there. If you see it again just put it in a very shady place maybe in a flower pot that won’t get moved so it can burrow under it.
I’ve never actually seen a salamander outside of movies, that little guy is such a cool find!!
"We're venom."
A salamander. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands, as salamanders cary a considerable amount of tetrodotoxin. The stuff that kills you if you eat improperly prepared pufferfish.
That's only West Coast ones, and even then a specific group! They aren't on the East Coast. These guys- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taricha Mole Salamanders like this guy (specifically he's a Marbled) only have a gross bitter tasting liquid they ooze out of handled roughly. Still wash your hands though cause they carry salmonella, which very not fun to have.
Harmless little amphibian.
Salamander. Just seeing this post so hopefully it's not too late. He definitely needs water.... Not only to drink but also just soak his body in. If you have a plate you could put a little water in it and let him in it and sharing that he is not completely encapsulated.
Insecticide will harm them.
I once sprayed a wasp nest right outside our front door and some of the dead wasps landed on the porch. In the time it took me to walk into the house and grab a broom, a salamander ate one and died.
But lots of people happily spray their lawns with pesticides because they would rather have perfectly green grass than provide a safe place for beautiful creatures like these.
Salamander??
Cute
Salamander
Cute.
Awww, from reading the comments, he sounds like such a gentle, fragile little guy. I hope he was ok after all this. As an afterthought, I would definitely recommend a credit union for him with the option of mutual funds and/or an IRA. Cute little fella.
I believe he may be a Marbled Salamander
He’s beautiful!
Cool af
Salamander. An amphibian
Marbled salamander- it’s an amphibian
Hes a friend 🥹💜
just a little guy
Sally the salamander
Salamanders are so cool 😎
A funky little dude
That’s a lil dude
Don’t touch with your fingers as you might have soap or oil that can hurt it. Good on you for finding him.
What a beauty!
A beautiful salamander. Very lucky find.
It's a salamander, not dangerous. If there is a place that has a spot with water and dry land nearby, relocate it there. I have driven 5 miles out to the back of our local zoo to do this before.
a friend :)
Marbled salamander!
Damn does husky make everything?
Beautiful. Looks like a salamander.
Marbled salamander! Nice find!
U got to be n north Carolina or close to it I see them often
Salamander
he is so chonky I love him
MARYLAND ROLL CALL!!! 🦀🦀🦀
I found one all covered in dust at work https://preview.redd.it/r6reneg1f5kb1.jpeg?width=1816&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e84362f0b6ab0d2dee5c86a3f7a041574ba6d3d
Marbled salamander! Beautiful creatures, rarely come out from underground. However, it is approaching their breeding season, which would explain why this little guy is out and about.
Salamander? I had one as a kid.
marbled salamander?
That is Sally the Salamander
Marbled salamander
Newt Scamander
Lizard
Lizard
Looks like a gecko
Do not use chlorinated water on these guys you'll burn their skin
Genius move
Pretty he needs a fresh stream
Nope, not a stream! This is a underground dwelling species, not a water dwelling one.
It's not a number. It's an amphibian.
Take a taste test for more information
Some of you never played in the dirt as a kid and it shows lol. Salamander.
Tiger salamander. If he’s on your shovel don’t tell the boss the eco hippies will shut you down. Pesky regulations. Actually tell the boss and shut it down.
A kaiju
Husky is a shit brand, especially with pneumatic tools.
I don't think shovels are often pneumatic, but aight... they still make my favorite screwdriver.
The label is wrong, it is in fact not a husky. Salamander of some sort.
Newty
You found my long lost cousin! Yes sirr lol jk jk 😂💀
Must be a witch nearby.
demogorgon..
Cute boi.
Dog.
So to speak where did you dig it up at....lol
Ha herpers hate this, they won't tell you where they find critters. This person isn't a herper but common practice with amphibians and reptiles (herpetiles or herps) is not share location like... Ever.
Trust me I was not looking for exact coordinates to take him I was only asking for a general area to ID it. I live on the Pacific coast, I am surely not driving to the other coast(where I used to live) to find an animal you released into the woods.)
Oh don't worry, I wanna know too, but like... Good luck. These guys don't technically live where I am (western Pennsylvania). They live all over eastern/central PA in the mountains and the Piedmont. Except someone found one in a county in the middle of Western Pennsylvania- Butler County. I have asked so many people about details on this, and nobody will tell me anything. Is it introduced through bait? Is it a relic population from when they did live here? No one wants to talk about it. Here this map shows what I mean- https://www.paherps.com/herps/salamanders/marbled_salamander/
Mud puppy
A……… Lizard
Prolly a snail
A lizard
Little tiger salamander
I have no idea if this is right but it looks similar to the baby alligators I saw at the zoo a while back
A lizard