Like all terrestrial salamanders, marbled salamanders are strict carnivores, which means they only eat animal protein.

Marbled salamanders are opportunistic predators that will eat any prey they can catch and fit into their mouths. In the wild, they eat snails, worms, spiders, and a wide variety of insects. In captivity, crickets, dubia roaches, nightcrawlers, grubs, and other soft-bodied insects make up most of their diet.

Like most salamanders, marbled salamanders begin their lives as tiny aquatic larvae feeding on zooplankton and other tiny aquatic animals. As they grow, they begin to eat larger prey, such as small insects, tadpoles, and other aquatic larvae.

After four to six months, the larvae go through a process known as metamorphosis and leave the water for a life on land. On land, their diet shifts to mainly land-based prey such as insects and worms, but they aren’t picky with what they eat.

What Marbled Salamanders Eat in the Wild

As mentioned earlier, tiger salamanders begin their lives as tiny larvae. These larvae have feathery gills for breathing underwater, a flat tailfin, and live entirely in the water like frog tadpoles.

After a few months, the larvae will go through metamorphosis in which they will lose their gills and develop adult features for a life on land.

During these different life stages, marbled salamanders will have a different diet.

What Baby Marbled Salamanders Eat in the Wild

Marbled salamanders begin their lives as tiny embryos inside eggs. At this stage, they get all their nutrition from the yolk of the egg. It contains enough nutrients to sustain the developing larvae until it is ready to hatch into the water.

The first source of food for the embryo is the yolk of the egg. The yolk provides enough nutrition to sustain the developing larvae until it’s ready to hatch into the water.

When they first hatch, marbled salamander larvae will feed on

• Aquatic mites
• Tiny aquatic insect larvae
• Newly hatched daphnia and other near-microscopic aquatic invertebrates

As they grow, they can eat larger prey such as

• Small insects
• Small worms
• Snails, leeches
• Tadpoles and larvae of other kinds of salamanders

Marbled salamander larvae are aggressive predators. Since marbled salamanders lay eggs in temporary fishless ponds (vernal pools), the larvae are often one of the dominant predators in their ponds.

What Juvenile Marbled Salamanders Eat in the Wild

After four to six months, the larvae would have grown enough to slowly begin transforming into adults through a process known as metamorphosis, which prepares them for a life on land.

During this process, they lose their gills, develop lungs for breathing air, and their flat tail fin will thicken and become more rounded.

Once this process is fully complete, the larvae will leave the pond to live on land. At this point, their diet will shift away from aquatic prey and toward terrestrial prey. However, since they are not fully grown yet, they can only eat small prey.

Juvenile marbled salamanders will eat

• Small worms
• Small slugs, snails
• Crane flies and other small insects

What Adult Marbled Salamanders Eat in the Wild

Adult marbled salamanders are fully grown, meaning they have bigger mouths and stronger jaws. This means they can eat larger prey.

Like the sub-adults, fully grown marbled salamanders only eat live prey and will avoid dead bugs and other dead prey.

Here’s a list of things that will make up an adult marbled salamanders’ diet in the wild.

• Worms, slugs, snails, leeches
• Spiders, cockroaches, wasps
• Grasshoppers, moths, butterflies
• Crickets, house flies, fruit flies, crane flies, sawflies
• Grubs, and other small insects such as woodlice

They are not picky eaters so almost any prey they can overpower and fit into their mouth is on the menu.

What Adult Marbled Salamanders Eat In Captivity

Captive marbled salamanders can eat all the food they would in the wild. The only reason they have a different diet is that most people can not obtain a wide variety of wild prey, so they are limited mostly to the food they can purchase in a pet store or cultivate on their own.

However, even captive marbled salamanders need to eat a varied diet, just like those in the wild. Also, like their wild counterparts, they will only accept live prey.

They can be fed worms and feeder insects such as crickets, and dubia roaches. You could also feed your salamander wild-caught bugs. Just make sure you’re 100% sure they are from a clean area that is free of pesticides and other chemicals.

Here’s a list of things you can feed a marbled salamander in captivity:

• Crickets
• Dubia roach nymphs
• Earthworms
• Hornworms
• Silkworms
• Waxworms
• Mealworms
• Superworms

Choosing the correct size of prey/feeder insect is very important. If the insects are too large, your salamander will most likely ignore them and go hungry.

A good rule of thumb is to never give a salamander any prey larger than the width of its mouth. For adult marbled salamanders this usually means crickets that are small/medium in size.

A varied and balanced diet is recommended so switch up food items every two or three feedings. A good substitute for crickets would be dubia roaches.

Gut Loading & Dusting Feeder Insects

In the wild, marbled salamanders get all the vitamins and minerals they need from the wide variety of prey they eat. In captivity, their diet is simplified and limited to only a few things. In addition, feeder insects raised in captivity do not contain as many nutrients as wild insects.

If your salamander is given a low nutrient diet, it could develop metabolic bone disease which is a fairly common issue in amphibians. It develops as a result of an imbalance of vitamin D3, phosphorous, and calcium.

Amphibians cannot process calcium without vitamin D, which is activated by ultraviolet light. For this reason, you must ensure all of your insects are well gut-loaded before feeding them to your animals

Gut loading is the process of feeding insects nutritious foods at least 48 hours before feeding them to your salamander.

The nutrients in the insects will be passed on to the salamander, giving your animal a healthy and balanced diet.

The process is simple

• Give your feeder insects nutrient-dense foods, such as healthy fresh vegetables with lots of vitamins.
• After eating this food, the feeder insect will be super nutritious and pass the nutrients on to the salamander when they are eaten.

Dusting

Besides gut loading, another way to ensure your marbled salamander gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs is by dusting its food with calcium and vitamin supplements.

The most common way salamander owners do this is through the use of a commercially manufactured vitamin and mineral supplement such as Rep-Cal.

The process is simple

• First, add a small pinch of supplement powder into a small container such as a cup or an empty cereal container. The powder should only be enough to lightly dust the insects.
• Place one feedings worth of feeder insects in the container
• Gently shake the container so the supplements lightly coat the insects

Once finished, you can offer the dusted insects to your marbled salamander. It will consume the supplements when it eats the insects.

How Much & How Often to Feed Your Marbled Salamander

As a guideline, adult marbled salamanders will need to eat two to three times a week, while young salamanders will need to be fed every day or two. However, the temperature of the enclosure will determine the frequency of feeding.

Salamanders are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, which means they cannot regulate their body temperature. Their body temperature changes as the temperature in their surroundings changes.

For this reason, the temperature of the enclosure will influence the appetite of your marbled salamander.

If the temperature is at 64°F (18°C) or less, your salamander will have a slower metabolism, so feeding once a week will be enough.

At temperatures over 64°F (18°C), your salamander will have a much faster metabolism and will need to be fed much more frequently (two or three times a week).

Concerning how much to feed your marbled salamander, the general rule is to only offer as much as the salamander can eat in 20 minutes.

As a guideline, most salamanders won’t eat more than 8-12 crickets a week. Use personal judgment to ensure most of the food offered is being consumed

Generally, marbled salamanders will eat more food at warmer temperatures and have a decreased appetite at colder temperatures.

How to Feed a Marbled Salamander in Captivity

The easiest way to feed a salamander is to simply dump the food into its enclosure and let the salamander have its fill.

However, some salamanders, especially those that are still getting used to a new place may be shy and reluctant to eat. In this case, you could entice the salamander to eat with the use of some feeding tongs.

Use the tongs to gently hold the food item, then rub it near the nose of the salamander. Once he sees it, he will grab it and do the rest.

What Baby Marbled Salamanders Eat In Captivity

Like those in the wild, captive marbled salamander larvae are aggressive predators and should be fed tiny live foods.

The most appropriate foods will depend on the size and age of the larvae. Newly hatched larvae should be fed newly hatched brine shrimp, daphnia and chopped white worms, and chopped tubifex worms.

When the larvae are two-three weeks old, they will be large enough to eat bigger things, such as adult brine shrimp, daphnia, glass worms, and chopped earthworms.

Once the larvae go through metamorphosis and transform into small adults, their diet will shift towards land prey. They can be fed wingless fruit flies, pinhead crickets, and other small live prey. As they get bigger, they will be able to eat larger things.

Reasons a Marbled Salamander May Reject Food

• The most common reason a marbled salamander won’t eat is that it is under stress, or still getting used to a new place. This is a very common problem with new salamanders.

To remedy this, try hand-feeding the salamander with the help of feeding tongs/tweezers. Use the tongs to gently hold the prey item, and wiggle it in front of the salamander to entice it to eat.

• Another reason a marbled salamander may be the temperature. As mentioned earlier, Salamanders are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals.

This is perfectly normal and nothing to be worried about. With an increase in temperature, the salamander will have a much faster metabolism and a larger appetite.

• A third possible reason a marbled salamander may be reluctant to eat is that it may not be accustomed to eating the food you are offering.

Try offering a different prey item to remedy this problem.

• A third and more serious reason a salamander may reject food is due to disease or an infection.

Carefully inspect the salamander for any sign of infection, and contact a veterinarian for further instructions.

Common Feeding Mistakes

There are a few common mistakes many new salamander owners make when feeding their pets.

Using Dead Bugs

In the wild, marbled salamanders are ambush hunters that are attracted to prey by movement (motion). For this reason, marbled salamanders won’t eat dead bugs. If you offer your salamander dead bugs, it will most likely ignore the food and starve. You should only offer live bugs and other prey items. 

Forgetting to Gut Load Insects

As mentioned earlier, captive-bred feeder insects do not contain as many nutrients as wild insects. They are often raised on a cost-conscious diet that is aimed at making them grow quickly and keeping costs low.

Forgetting to gut load or dust insects before feeding them to your salamander means the salamander will not get all the nutrients it needs. This nutritional deficiency can lead to serious health problems, and could even be fatal. 

Not Using a Varied Diet

Different food items have different nutrients. Not giving a salamander a varied diet means it will not get the right variety of nutrients it needs and may end up weak and malnourished.

Switch up the food items offered to the salamander every few feedings so it gets a nutrient-rich diet. 

Overfeeding/ Underfeeding

Marbled salamanders have huge appetites, so overfeeding is a real possibility. Obesity could lead to several health problems. Alternatively, underfeeding means the salamander will be undernourished and have poor health.

Final Thoughts

Marbled salamanders are very opportunistic predators that make the best use of the food sources in their environment. They are mainly insectivores, which means their diet consists mostly of live insect prey. However, they will eat almost any prey they can fit into their mouths.

If you have a pet marbled salamander, remember to give it a varied diet and gut load and dust feeder insects every few feedings so your salamander gets all the nutrients it needs!

Ezra Mushala

Hi, my name is Ezra Mushala, i have been interested animals all my life. I am the main author and editor here at snakeinformer.com.

snakeinformer.com

The post What Marbled Salamanders Do and Don’t Eat – Ultimate Guide first appeared on Snake Informer.

Marbled Salamanders have poison glands on their tails that produce a foul-tasting secretion as a defense against predators. This secretion is only mildly poisonous and is of no serious danger to humans, but it can make small animals (such as mice) sick.  

The most likely way you would be harmed by a marbled salamanders toxin would be by handling one with your hands, then touching your eyes or mouth without first washing your hands. 

Doing this would enable the salamanders’ toxic secretion to be absorbed by your mucous membranes, leading to irritation. However, it most likely won’t result in any serious harm. 

Why Marbled Salamanders Have a Toxin

Marbled salamanders are very stocky amphibians sometimes called ‘banded salamanders’ because of the white bands around its body.

These salamanders are “mole salamanders” just like the Tiger and Spotted salamander. As such, they spend most of their time hiding in burrows or under logs.

The most likely time you would come across a marbled salamander would be during the breeding season or when the salamander comes out of its hiding spot to forage for food.

When marbled salamanders do come above ground, they are a target for a variety of predators, including owls, Weasels, raccoons, and snakes. This means they need a way to defend themselves from all these animals trying to eat them. 

The marbled Salamander’s first line of defense is to try to blend in with its surroundings. It will simply dash to cover and hide when it feels threatened. 

When this does not work, the salamander has more options to defend itself. It can secrete a milky toxin all over its skin, making it taste horrible to any animal that tries to eat. 

Marbled Salamanders Only Have a Mild Toxin

Since their toxin is only mild, marbled salamanders are still vulnerable to lots of predators. 

That said, it is worth noting that there is a difference between a poisonous animal and a venous one. Most people use two terms interchangeably, but they have very different meanings.

In general, 

• Venom Is Actively Injected While Poison Is More Passive.
  

If an animal has to bite or sting to inject its toxins, it is venomous. An animal that releases toxins on its skin, which are then absorbed by animals (or humans) that come in contact with it; it is poisonous. 

In this way, coral snakes and rattlesnakes are venomous while cane toads and, many newts, and  many salamanders (including the marbled salamander) are poisonous. 

Marbled Salamanders Typically Aren’t Dangerous to Humans

This can happen when you handle a marbled salamander with your bare hands, then touch your eyes or stick your fingers mouth without first washing your hands.  

What Would Happen if You Ingested a Marbled Salamanders Toxin?

There are mainly three ways a person would ingest a marbled salamanders toxin: Through the mouth, through the eyes, and through cuts or scratches on the skin.

Through the mouth: Since most people won’t put a salamander in their mouth, the mostly way you ingest toxins this way would be by touching a marbled salamander that has secreted toxins all over its skin, then putting your fingers in your mouth before first washing your hands.

Ingesting only tiny quantities of the salamander’s secretion through your mouth won’t cause much of a problem. However, ingesting significant quantities of the secretion could make you vomit or fall sick.

Through the eyes: The most likely way this would happen would be by rubbing your eyes when, or shortly after handing a marbled salamander (without first washing your hands). In most cases, this will give you a painful sting, and could even lead to swelling.

Through cuts or breaks on the skin: This would most likely lead to a burning sensation and a feeling of numbness, but nothing more serious.

Amphibians Can Carry Salmonella & Many Parasites

Nearly all amphibians can be carriers of Salmonella and many parasites in their bodies. A salamander with salmonella will usually look very healthy, but can spread the bacteria to humans. 

Humans can come into contact with salmonella by touching the salamander, its droppings, or anything the salamander touches. The Salmonella bacteria on your hands can then spread to other people, surfaces, or be ingested into your body. 

Exposure to salmonella can cause an infection called salmonellosis in which is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. 

For this reason, it is advisable to keep all salamanders at a distance. Only handle them when necessary, and when you do, wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after. Before washing your hands, do not touch anything but especially not your mouth or face. 

Are Marbled Salamanders Dangerous to Dogs or Other Pets?

Since marbled salamanders only have an extremely mild toxin, it is unlikely they will be a great danger to dogs or other household pets. A dog (or cat) that mouths a marbled salamander will get a mouthful of foul-tasting toxin and most likely let go.

If the dog ingests enough of the salamanders’ toxic secretion, it may slobber, spit or drool but should be fine

Also, like humans, household pets can get salmonella through contact with amphibians. A dog with a salmonella infection can get really sick. 

In addition to salmonella, salamanders can carry tapeworms, flukes, and other parasites in their bodies. If a dog (or cat) were to eat a marbled salamander, there is a possibility it will consume parasites as well and develop a parasitic infection. 

For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your pets away from salamanders. Even those that are not lethally toxic can still be harmful.

Safety Precautions to Take When Handling Salamanders

It is generally not a good idea to handle salamanders or any other amphibians. This is because they have very sensitive permeable skin that absorbs water and other substances it comes in contact with. Lotions, repellents, and even soap on your hands can be harmful to the salamander. 

For this reason, you should keep your salamander handling to a minimum. When you do handle salamanders, take the following safety precautions to protect both you and the animal:

Before handling:

• Make sure that your hands are very clean. Not just clean from dirt, but washed off thoroughly so that there is no residue of soap or any other potentially harmful substances remain.

When handling:

• Keep the salamander away from your face, but especially your eyes and mouth
• Do not touch or scratch your face

After handling: 

• Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap. 

As mentioned earlier, salamanders can carry bacteria (and toxins) so wash your hand for your own safety. Before washing your hands, do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How Big Do Marbled Salamanders Get?

Answer: Marbled Salamanders are on the smaller side of the mole salamanders, only growing to 5- 4.5 inches.  This is quite small when compared to the much larger tiger salamanders which can grow to over 8 inches.

Question: Do Marbled Salamanders Bite?

Answer: All salamanders can bite. If an animal has a mouth, it most likely can use it to bite. However, marbled salamanders are very docile creatures that will rarely ever intentionally bite a human.

The most likely time a marbled salamander may bite is during aggressive feeding when it mistakes your finger for a worm.

A bite from a marbled salamander is nothing to be worried about. Its tiny teeth likely won’t even penetrate your skin.  

Question: Are Marbled Salamanders Endangered?

Answer: Marbled salamanders are quite common and are not listed as endangered. However, these salamanders face a lot of problems mainly habitat loss, and water pollution.

Also, many salamanders are run over when they try to cross busy roads. So, although currently not endangered, marbled salamanders do face many threats.

Conclusion

Marbled salamanders can be totally harmless creatures when handled with care and basic hygiene. The only real threat they pose is as a result of being carriers of salmonella and other bacteria, which can be transmitted to humans when proper hygiene is not followed. 

Practice sufficient levels of hygiene whenever you handle these salamanders, and you will be totally fine.

Ezra Mushala

Hi, my name is Ezra Mushala, i have been interested animals all my life. I am the main author and editor here at snakeinformer.com.

snakeinformer.com

The post Are Marbled Salamanders Poisonous to Humans, Dogs, or Cats? first appeared on Snake Informer.