Caves are strange places. They’re dark, quiet, and often full of things that don’t live anywhere else. And believe it or not, some salamanders spend their entire lives in these deep, underground spaces. But what do salamanders eat in caves?
Salamanders typically feed on tiny insects, crustaceans, and worms found in cave systems. They use smell, touch, and water movement to track prey in the dark. Food is limited, but these salamanders are well-adapted to make the most of what’s available.
Some cave salamanders only visit caves now and then, but others never leave. These fully cave-dwelling types are called troglobitic salamanders.
They’ve evolved to live in complete darkness, and their bodies show it.
How Cave Salamanders Live in the Dark
Cave salamanders have a pretty unique lifestyle. Unlike most salamanders that roam around forests, ponds, and streams, these ones hide in rocky crevices, underground pools, and damp cave walls.
It’s always dark. Temperatures stay fairly steady. And food is always limited.
To survive in this kind of place, cave salamanders have developed some wild features:
- Some are blind or nearly blind.
- Many have pale or see-through skin.
- They tend to move slowly and conserve energy.
- They have excellent senses of smell and vibration.
Living in a cave means every bit of food counts. Salamanders in these places aren’t picky eaters. If it moves and fits in their mouth, they’ll probably eat it.
What Kinds of Salamanders Live in Caves?
There are several species that spend most or all of their lives in caves. A few examples include:
- Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni)
Found in underground springs in Texas. It’s pale, has no eyes, and lives entirely in the dark. - Ozark Blind Salamander (Eurycea spelaea)
Lives in caves in the Ozark Mountains. Also lacks pigment and has reduced eyesight. - Tennessee Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus)
Lives in wet cave systems in Tennessee and nearby states. - Georgia Blind Salamander (Haideotriton wallacei)
Found in Florida and Georgia in subterranean aquifers.
Some of these salamanders never leave the cave. Others might move between surface streams and caves, depending on the time of year.
So What’s There to Eat in Caves?
That’s the big question. Caves don’t grow plants because there’s no sunlight, so everything that gets eaten in a cave has to come from somewhere else.
Most cave food starts as organic matter washed in from outside or dropped in by bats, bugs, or water flow.
- Cave crickets are one of their main meals. These big-legged insects hang out in dark, damp spots. Salamanders also eat their eggs and young, which are even easier to grab.
- Spiders and other arachnids sometimes end up on the menu too. They’re good at hiding, but if one wanders too close, a hungry salamander might snatch it.
- Isopods and amphipods are slow movers, which makes them perfect targets.
- Springtails are another option. They’re super small and usually hang out near damp walls or floors, eating decaying matter Salamanders don’t mind scooping them up.
If there are worms or snails around, they’ll eat those too. Soft-bodied, easy to swallow, and full of nutrients.
Even though it’s a pretty simple ecosystem, salamanders are right at the top of the cave food chain. Everything else feeds on bacteria or dead matter, and salamanders feed on them.
How Cave Salamanders Catch Their Food
Cave salamanders can’t rely on sight, so they use other senses. They pick up on vibrations in the water and tiny changes in current. They also use their sense of smell to find prey.
Their hunting style is slow and patient. They might sit still for a long time, waiting for something to swim by. Once they detect a movement, they strike quickly, using suction or snapping their jaws.
Some salamanders also use their tongues to grab small prey, though this depends on the species. Either way, they waste very little energy.
Do Cave Salamanders Eat a Lot?
Not really. Because food is so hard to find, cave salamanders typically don’t eat very often. But their bodies are built for this. They have slow metabolisms, and they can go a long time without food.
In fact, some cave-dwelling species have been known to survive for months without eating. They store energy in their tails and bodies and use it slowly.
That doesn’t mean they like going hungry. When food is available, they’ll eat. But they’re experts at surviving lean times.
What Do Young Cave Salamanders Eat?
Juvenile cave salamanders eat similar food, just smaller. Tiny larvae feed on microscopic organisms, plankton-like critters, and bits of organic matter floating in the water.
As they grow, they start hunting the same kinds of prey as adults. Some cave species stay in the larval stage their whole lives.
These salamanders keep their gills and remain fully aquatic, which helps them stay in wet cave environments and feed without needing to surface.
Do Salamanders Ever Eat Each Other?
Yes, it happens. In food-poor environments like caves, cannibalism isn’t uncommon. Some adult salamanders will eat smaller salamanders, including their own kind. They might also eat eggs or larvae.
It’s not their first choice, but if food is scarce and a smaller salamander wanders too close, it might become the next meal. It’s part of how these animals survive when resources are tight.
What Do Surface Salamanders Eat in Caves?
Not all salamanders that go into caves live there full-time. Some species, like the Long-tailed Salamander or Southern Two-lined Salamander, will go into caves but still spend part of the year outside.
When they’re in caves, they mostly eat the same types of cave-dwelling bugs and worms. But they’re a little more active and usually don’t have the same extreme adaptations as true cave salamanders.
These part-time visitors help connect the cave world with the surface world. They might bring in food particles, spread organic matter, or stir up prey when they move through.
What Happens When Food Runs Low?
When food gets really low, cave salamanders don’t panic. Their metabolism significantly slows down even more. They move less, rest more, and use up stored energy little by little.
Some scientists think cave salamanders can go without food for over a year in extreme cases. That’s not ideal, but it shows just how well they’re adapted to harsh conditions.
And they don’t grow fast. Everything about their lives moves slowly. Some cave salamanders take several years to mature.
Others stay in a larval state their whole lives. These slow lifecycles help them stretch out the limited resources around them.
Do Salamanders Drink Water in Caves?
Cave salamanders don’t usually drink water the way we do. Instead, they absorb it through their skin. That’s why staying moist is so important for them. The humidity in caves helps with this.
They also breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouths, especially if they’re lungless salamanders, which many of them are. Their whole bodies are tied to the cave’s damp, steady environment.
Conclusion
So, what do salamanders eat in caves? They typically feed on small insects, worms, crustaceans, and other tiny creatures that live in the dark. They use their sense of smell and touch to hunt, and they don’t eat often, just enough to get by.
Cave salamanders are slow-moving, low-energy animals built for life in harsh, quiet places. They’ve traded eyesight for sensitivity and speed for patience. And they’ve become experts at surviving in places where most animals couldn’t last a week.
These pale, hidden salamanders are just one more example of how strange and amazing life can be when you look in the dark corners of the world.
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.