What Do Salamander Tadpoles Look Like?

Salamanders start their lives as larvae with feathery gills

Salamanders are quiet, secretive animals that often stay hidden in wet forests, cool streams, and muddy soil. They move slowly and carefully, blending in with the world around them. Like frogs, many salamanders begin life in the water. But instead of hatching as small frogs, they hatch as something different. They start their lives as … Read more

What Do Salamanders Use To Breathe?

Spotted Salamander on a leaf

Salamanders are soft-skinned animals that live in very damp places like forests, streams, and below-ground burrows. They move quietly and avoid dry, open areas. One of the most unusual things about salamanders is how they breathe. Salamanders can breathe using gills, lungs, their skin, or the thin lining inside their mouths, depending on their age … Read more

Why Do Salamanders Breathe Through Their Skin?

Red Salamander

Salamanders are different from many other animals because they don’t just breathe with lungs. They also breathe through their skin. This ability helps them survive in places where oxygen is low or where regular lung breathing would be hard. But why do salamanders breathe through their skin? Salamanders breathe through their skin because it lets … Read more

What Do Salamanders Use For Hearing?

Eastern Red-backed Salamander on forest floor

Salamanders are small, quiet animals that live in wet places like forests, ponds, and underground tunnels. They move slowly and stay out of sight, making it hard to know what they see, smell, or hear. One thing that many people notice when they look at a salamander is the lack of ears. They have no … Read more

What Do Salamanders Use Their Tails For?

Long-tailed Salamander Eurycea longicauda on wet rocky ground

Salamanders are small, careful animals that move slowly through damp forests, quiet streams, and cool underground spaces. They avoid dry places and stay close to water and shade. One thing that stands out when looking at a salamander is its long tail. Unlike frogs, which lose their tails as they grow, salamanders keep theirs for … Read more

Why Do Salamanders Do Push-Ups?

Brightly colored mud salamander

Salamanders are quiet animals that move carefully through damp forests, mossy rocks, and leafy ground. Sometimes, if you watch closely, you might see a strange behavior that looks like exercise. A salamander lifts its body up and down, almost like it’s doing a push-up. This might seem funny at first, but it’s not about fitness. … Read more

What Are Salamanders Predators?

Eastern Red-backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus on a wooden table

Salamanders are small, soft-bodied animals that live in damp forests, shallow streams, wetlands, and wet soil. They are quiet, careful, and spend most of their time hiding. Because they are small and soft, many bigger animals see them as easy meals. Salamanders are hunted by a wide range of predators, including birds, snakes, fish, mammals, … Read more

What Sounds Do Salamanders Make?

Jefferson Salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum on a wet floor

Salamanders are quiet, secretive amphibians that often slip silently through their damp homes. Unlike frogs or toads, which are loud and noticeable, salamanders rarely draw attention with sound. You might wonder: what noises do these shy creatures actually make? Salamanders make very few sounds, but some species do produce soft clicks, whistles, or hissing noises. … Read more

Why Do Salamanders Lick Their Eyes?

Mole Salamander Ambystoma talpoideum in shallow water

Salamanders are fascinating little amphibians with smooth skin and secretive habits. One of the strangest things you might notice if you watch them closely is how they lick their own eyes. It can look odd at first, why would a salamander stick out its tongue and swipe across its eyeballs? Salamanders lick their eyes to … Read more

What Can Kill Salamanders?

Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum on a dry log 1

Salamanders are fascinating and delicate amphibians that have been around for millions of years. They have survived for so long because they are adaptable, but even so, many things today can harm or kill them. So, what actually kills salamanders today? Salamanders can be harmed or killed by habitat destruction, pollution, diseases, predators, climate change, … Read more