{"id":2374,"date":"2022-01-13T23:06:25","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T23:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/?p=2374"},"modified":"2022-03-23T00:37:09","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T00:37:09","slug":"salamander-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"A Salamander&#8217;s Diet: The Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Most amphibians are opportunistic eaters that swallow anything moving and small enough to fit in their mouth. Some amphibians occasionally consume plant food but, for the most part, <strong>salamanders are carnivores<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notices wpbf-block wpbf-block-notices wpbf-content-justified-left\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notice wpbf-block wpbf-block-notice wpbf-notice wpbf-notice-primary\">Salamanders eat flies, beetles, ants, true bugs, springtails, mites, wasps, bees, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, isopods, brine shrimp, and insect larvae.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Large salamanders can also eat small fish, lizards, snakes, and crayfish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an in-depth guide on the salamander&#8217;s diet &#8211; Here you learn what they eat in the wild and what to feed them in captivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662afdcc078e9\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662afdcc078e9\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#what-do-salamanders-eat\" title=\"What Do Salamanders Eat?\">What Do Salamanders Eat?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#a-salamanders-diet-during-the-different-stages-of-their-life\" title=\"A Salamander&#8217;s Diet During The Different Stages of Their Life\">A Salamander&#8217;s Diet During The Different Stages of Their Life<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#larva-salamander-diet\" title=\"Larva Salamander Diet\">Larva Salamander Diet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#juvenile-salamander-diet\" title=\"Juvenile Salamander Diet\">Juvenile Salamander Diet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#adult-salamander-diet\" title=\"Adult Salamander Diet\">Adult Salamander Diet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#newt-vs-aquatic-salamander-diet\" title=\"Newt vs Aquatic Salamander Diet\">Newt vs Aquatic Salamander Diet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#pet-salamander-feeding-guide\" title=\"Pet Salamander Feeding Guide\">Pet Salamander Feeding Guide<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#popular-pet-store-feeders\" title=\"Popular Pet Store Feeders\">Popular Pet Store Feeders<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#supplements\" title=\"Supplements\">Supplements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#appropriately-sized-feeders\" title=\"Appropriately-sized Feeders\">Appropriately-sized Feeders<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#meal-portions-frequency\" title=\"Meal Portions &amp; Frequency\">Meal Portions &amp; Frequency<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#frequently-asked-questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/#references\" title=\"References\">References<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-do-salamanders-eat\"><\/span>What Do Salamanders Eat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1086\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander.jpg\" alt=\"The Diet of a Salamander Infographic\" class=\"wp-image-2456\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander-295x400.jpg 295w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander-754x1024.jpg 754w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-diet-of-a-salamander-768x1043.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>The Diet of a Salamander. Image credits below.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Salamanders eat a large variety of foods. The table below lists only some of the popular sources of food for both terrestrial and aquatic salamanders. Each of the food groups includes enormous amounts of species and subspecies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are thousands of different types of flies, for example. They&#8217;re found throughout the world and they&#8217;re one of the most common food sources for <em>Caudata<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that in mind, a salamander in the Northern United States has access to different types of flies than salamanders in China. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A salamander&#8217;s diet heavily depends on the types of food available in their environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table wpbf-table-small\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Salamander&#8217;s Diet<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Terrestrial<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Aquatic<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Flies (adult, larval)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Beetles (adult, larval)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ants<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">True Bugs (adult, larval)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Butterflies (larval)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Springtails<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Mites<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Roundworms<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Stoneflies (larval)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Crustaceans<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Mollusks<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Dragonflies<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Crickets<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Spiders<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Millipedes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Wasps, Bees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/icon-check.jpg\" alt=\"Check Icon\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>A list of common types of food sources for wild salamanders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This list is based on research data of the Black Mountain Salamander in Southeastern Kentucky<sup><a href=\"#footnote_0_2374\" id=\"identifier_0_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Hutton, Jacob &amp; Price, Steven &amp; Richter, Stephen. (2018). Diet of the Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri) in Southeastern Kentucky.. Herpetological Review. 49., PDF\">[1]<\/a><\/sup>, The Encyclopedia of Amphibians, and related sources. See the references section for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-salamanders-diet-during-the-different-stages-of-their-life\"><\/span>A Salamander&#8217;s Diet During The Different Stages of Their Life<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Amphibians eat different types of food throughout their lives based on their habitat and size. This section covers the types of foods a salamander eats during each stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"larva-salamander-diet\"><\/span>Larva Salamander Diet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/larva-fire-salamander.jpg\" alt=\"Fire Salamander Larva\" class=\"wp-image-2439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/larva-fire-salamander.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/larva-fire-salamander-400x159.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/larva-fire-salamander-768x304.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Fire Salamander Larva. Photo by Eric Issel\u00e9e \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The larval form is the first stage of a salamander&#8217;s life when they begin eating things other than the yolk of their egg sack. This stage is akin to the tadpole stage of a frog&#8217;s life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Unlike frogs, baby salamanders are not called tadpoles; they&#8217;re larvae.<\/li><li>A juvenile newt is called an &#8220;eft&#8221;. Newts are semi-aquatic salamanders capable of living on land. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we&#8217;ve got that out of the way, let&#8217;s have a look at their diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Larval salamanders are carnivorous. They primarily eat insect larvae, roundworms, and small crustaceans<\/strong><sup><a href=\"#footnote_1_2374\" id=\"identifier_1_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Hofrichter, Robert.&nbsp;The Encyclopedia of Amphibians. Adfo Books, 2000., p. 173\">[2]<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>Fly larvae<\/strong> (<em>Diptera<\/em>)<\/li><li><strong>Roundworms<\/strong> (<em>Nematoda<\/em>)<\/li><li><strong>Freshwater molluscs<\/strong> (<em>Sphaeriidae<\/em>)<\/li><li><strong>Beetle larvae<\/strong> (<em>Coleoptera<\/em>)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notices wpbf-block wpbf-block-notices wpbf-content-justified-left\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notice wpbf-block wpbf-block-notice wpbf-notice wpbf-notice-error\">Salamander larva do not eat algae, bacteria, or plankton covering aquatic plants like tadpoles (the larval form of frogs). They&#8217;re carnivorous from larva to adult.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One study from the Department of Biology at Davidson College in North Carolina examined the diet of Larval Red Salamanders (<em>Pseudotriton ruber<\/em>)<sup><a href=\"#footnote_2_2374\" id=\"identifier_2_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Cecala, Kristen K., et al. &ldquo;Diet of Larval Red Salamanders (Pseudotriton Ruber) Examined Using a Nonlethal Technique.&rdquo;&nbsp;Journal of Herpetology, vol. 41, no. 4, 2007, pp. 741&ndash;45.&nbsp;Crossref, doi:10.1670\/07-019.1.\">[3]<\/a><\/sup>. They mostly consumed a type of fly from the <em>Chironomidae<\/em> family at 36.52%. Next was freshwater bivalve mollusks from the family of <em>Sphaeriidae<\/em> at 15.17%. After that was terrestrial prey at 7.87% and last was other salamander larvae at 2.25%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"juvenile-salamander-diet\"><\/span>Juvenile Salamander Diet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/juvenile-fire-salamander.jpg\" alt=\"Juvenile Fire Salamander\" class=\"wp-image-2438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/juvenile-fire-salamander.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/juvenile-fire-salamander-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/juvenile-fire-salamander-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Juvenile Fire Salamander. Photo by Schmutzler-Schaub \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The juvenile stage of a salamander&#8217;s life comes after metamorphosis. Newts begin venturing on land and aquatic salamanders take on the same appearance as their adult version but at a smaller scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s at this point that their diet changes depending on their type. Newts are capable of surviving on land while fully aquatic species, like Axolotls, are not. Naturally, their diets are different depending on whether they&#8217;re terrestrial or aquatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless, both types eat small versions of what mature Caudata eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Terrestrial<\/strong> &#8211; Flies, insect larva, isopods (&#8220;pill bugs&#8221; or &#8220;rolly pollies&#8221;), pinhead crickets, mosquitoes, and small worms.<\/li><li><strong>Aquatic<\/strong> &#8211; Small crustaceans, mollusks, worms, brine shrimp, flies, and insect larvae.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Juvenile salamanders eat much of the same things as adults, just in smaller forms. One example of this comes in the form of crickets. Adults can generally eat full-grown crickets whereas young salamanders eat baby crickets, sometimes called &#8220;pinhead&#8221; crickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"adult-salamander-diet\"><\/span>Adult Salamander Diet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/fire-salamander-on-moss.jpg\" alt=\"Fire Salamander on Moss\" class=\"wp-image-849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/fire-salamander-on-moss.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/fire-salamander-on-moss-400x273.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/fire-salamander-on-moss-768x524.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Adult Fire Salamander. Photo by Wirestock \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Adult salamanders are fully matured and, just like their larval stage, they remain <strong>100% carnivores<\/strong>. They&#8217;re opportunistic feeders, willing to eat almost any living creature small enough to fit in their mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Most adult salamanders eat:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Flies, mosquitos, crickets, locusts, roaches, isopods, earth worms, caterpillars, slugs, and spiders.<\/li><li>Small crayfish, brine shrimp, blood worms, roundworms, tubifex worms, small crabs, clams, and oysters<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Some large salamanders also eat:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Small animals like pinky mice, caecilians, lizards, snakes, frogs, and fish.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The items listed here represent a typical diet for adult salamanders around the world. Each species has access to different food sources depending on where they&#8217;re located, the season, and of course, what is readily available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on the size of individual food items, see the &#8220;appropriately-sized feeder&#8221; graphic in the captive salamander diet section below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"newt-vs-aquatic-salamander-diet\"><\/span>Newt vs Aquatic Salamander Diet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A newt is a semi-aquatic salamander, capable of living on land. Their selection of food is broader than that of fully aquatic salamanders because they have access to land and water-dwelling creatures.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Terrestrial salamanders have the option of eating land-dwelling insects like crickets, spiders, and grasshoppers. Because they can return to the water, they also have access to minnows, brine shrimp, crustaceans, and mollusks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"pet-salamander-feeding-guide\"><\/span>Pet Salamander Feeding Guide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Feeding a pet salamander may seem like a daunting task, considering all the options&#8230; But have no fear, my friend. It&#8217;s not so bad. This section teaches you how to feed your pet, whether it&#8217;s semi-aquatic or fully aquatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The table below separates the kinds of food based on the type of salamander. Continue reading for more information about supplements, appropriately-sized feeders, frequency, and portions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"popular-pet-store-feeders\"><\/span>Popular Pet Store Feeders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Terrestrial<\/th><th>Aquatic<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Crickets, fruit flies, mealworms, super worms, wax worms, horned worms, dubia roaches<\/td><td>Brine shrimp, minnows, blood worms, tubifex worms, daphnia, meat-based fish pellets<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>A table listing popular terrestrial and aquatic food sources for captive salamanders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Feeder insects available in most pet stores include crickets, fruit flies, mealworms, super worms, wax worms, horned worms, and sometimes dubia roaches. This list pretty well covers the terrestrial critters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for aquatic feeders, you&#8217;re most likely to find brine shrimp, minnows, blood worms, tubifex worms, daphnia, and meat-based fish pellets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notices wpbf-block wpbf-block-notices wpbf-content-justified-left\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpbf-notice wpbf-block wpbf-block-notice wpbf-notice wpbf-notice-error\">Salamanders are carnivores and should not eat plant foods. For this reason, only use meat-based fish pellets if you choose to use commercial fish pellets.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Many hobbyists choose to cultivate their own colonies for the sake of quality, time, and money. Feeder insects in pet stores often lack good nutritional value. For this reason, it&#8217;s important to either &#8220;gut load&#8221; or dust the insects with supplements before feeding them to your pet(s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"supplements\"><\/span>Supplements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Wild salamanders have access to a large variety of healthy insects. This is where they obtain the nutrients that keep them healthy. In captivity, however, the variety of insects is limited to what you can buy in pet stores or raise on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And make no mistake, the variety is much smaller in captivity than it is in the wild. For this reason, it&#8217;s important to dust feeder insects with supplements in powder form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recommended supplements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Multivitamin<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Calcium<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>My favorites are <a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/sCAvI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Rep-Cal&#8217;s Herptivite<\/a>, which is a multivitamin, and their <a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/qLV7ei\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Calcium with D3<\/a> (links go to Amazon). These supplements are in powder form and the object is to &#8220;dust&#8221; feeder insects with them before feeding your salamander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, this won&#8217;t work well with things like frozen bloodworms. This is mostly for pet store crickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"appropriately-sized-feeders\"><\/span>Appropriately-sized Feeders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Feeder insects should be appropriately-sized. This is based on the type of food and the overall size of your salamander. See the image below for an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feeder-cricket-size-for-salamanders.jpg\" alt=\"Feeder Cricket Size for Salamanders\" class=\"wp-image-2444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feeder-cricket-size-for-salamanders.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feeder-cricket-size-for-salamanders-400x285.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feeder-cricket-size-for-salamanders-768x547.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Feeder insects like crickets and dubia roaches should not be bigger than the distance between your salamander&#8217;s eyes.<\/strong> These are what I like to call &#8220;appropriately-sized&#8221; feeder insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This rule becomes complicated when comparing the size of worms to your newt or salamander. The length of a mealworm will exceed the distance between their eyes most likely. Instead, pay attention to the girth of the worm. Don&#8217;t feed worms that have a girth exceeding half the distance between your salamander&#8217;s eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"meal-portions-frequency\"><\/span>Meal Portions &amp; Frequency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The amount and number of meals you feed your salamander each week depends on the age, size of your pet, and the type of feeders you&#8217;re using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of this, it&#8217;s best to <strong>monitor your pet and adjust accordingly<\/strong>. If your salamander eats all the crickets you give him\/her, consider giving one more cricket during the next feeding. If your salamander is a bit overweight or there are crickets left over after each feeding, consider decreasing the number of crickets going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pay close attention to their weight. Overfeeding and underfeeding is possible. See the list below for more guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Larva Salamanders<\/strong> &#8211; At least once per day, usually more.<\/li><li><strong>Juvenile Salamanders<\/strong> &#8211; Every day or every other day.<\/li><li><strong>Adult Salamanders<\/strong> &#8211; Two to three times per week.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re raising salamander larvae, I highly recommend researching this topic in-depth because I will not properly cover the topic here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>New hobbyists can try feeding 3 to 4 appropriately-sized crickets to their adult newts. Adult aquatic salamanders may eat an entire cube of frozen bloodworms per feeding.<\/strong> These portions should be adjusted accordingly, depending on the type of food you&#8217;re using. Monitor your salamander to ensure it remains healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1642113320204\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can salamanders eat fruits or vegetables?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. Unlike tadpoles, salamanders are carnivores from larva to adult. They eat live, moving insects likes flies, ants, crickets, blood worms, and brine shirmp.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1642113850735\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can salamanders choke?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, salamanders can choke. It&#8217;s especially important to feed pet salamanders appropriately-sized insects. For more information, see the &#8220;feeder cricket&#8221; graphic in the section above.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1642113969699\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do salamanders drink water?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Salamanders absorb water through their semi-permeable skin. They&#8217;re heavily dependent on water but do not drink like mammals do.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1642114158454\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can salamanders eat fish food?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">I recommend feeding aquatic salamanders things like brine shrimp, tubifex worms, and blood worms. They can eat specially formulated pellets, but because they&#8217;re carnivores, those pellets should be meat-based. <\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1642114545500\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do salamanders eat dead bugs?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Sometimes but usually not. Salamanders enjoy hunting live prey. Some fully-aquatic salamanders eat pellets.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Infographic credits: Salamander <sup><a href=\"#footnote_3_2374\" id=\"identifier_3_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Photo credit: Charles Dessalines D&rsquo; Orbigny, Dictionnaire Universel D&rsquo;histoire Naturelle &ndash; CC0 Public Domain\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>, Salamander and Caterpillar <sup><a href=\"#footnote_4_2374\" id=\"identifier_4_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Photo credit: George Shaw, The Naturalist&rsquo;s Miscellany &ndash; CC0 Public Domain\">[5]<\/a><\/sup>, Insects, Crustaceans, and Mollusks <sup><a href=\"#footnote_5_2374\" id=\"identifier_5_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Photo credit: Basicmoments \/ adobe stock\">[6]<\/a><\/sup>, Millipede, Worm, and Isopod <sup><a href=\"#footnote_6_2374\" id=\"identifier_6_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-identifier-link\" title=\"Photo credit: Joris Hoefnagel, The National Gallery of Art &ndash; CC0 Public Domain\">[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<hr\/>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"references\"><\/span>References<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ol class=\"footnotes\"><li id=\"footnote_0_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Hutton, Jacob &amp; Price, Steven &amp; Richter, Stephen. (2018). Diet of the Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri) in Southeastern Kentucky.. Herpetological Review. 49., <a href=\"https:\/\/pricelab.ca.uky.edu\/files\/hutton_et_al._2018_d._welteri.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PDF<\/a><span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_0_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_1_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Hofrichter, Robert.&nbsp;<em>The Encyclopedia of Amphibians<\/em>. Adfo Books, 2000., p. 173<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_1_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_2_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Cecala, Kristen K., et al. \u201cDiet of Larval Red Salamanders (Pseudotriton Ruber) Examined Using a Nonlethal Technique.\u201d&nbsp;<em>Journal of Herpetology<\/em>, vol. 41, no. 4, 2007, pp. 741\u201345.&nbsp;<em>Crossref<\/em>, <a href=\"10.1670\/07-019.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">doi:10.1670\/07-019.1<\/a>.<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_2_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_3_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Photo credit: Charles Dessalines D\u2019 Orbigny, Dictionnaire Universel D&#8217;histoire Naturelle &#8211; CC0 Public Domain<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_3_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_4_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Photo credit: George Shaw, The Naturalist&#8217;s Miscellany &#8211; CC0 Public Domain<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_4_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_5_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Photo credit: Basicmoments \/ adobe stock<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_5_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><li id=\"footnote_6_2374\" class=\"footnote\">Photo credit: Joris Hoefnagel, The National Gallery of Art &#8211; CC0 Public Domain<span class=\"footnote-back-link-wrapper\">[<a href=\"#identifier_6_2374\" class=\"footnote-link footnote-back-link\">&#8617;<\/a>]<\/span><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most amphibians are opportunistic eaters that swallow anything moving and small enough to fit in their mouth. Some amphibians occasionally consume plant food but, for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A Salamander&#039;s Diet: The Ultimate Guide - Mr. Amphibian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mramphibian.com\/salamander-diet\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Salamander&#039;s Diet: The Ultimate Guide - Mr. Amphibian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Most amphibians are opportunistic eaters that swallow anything moving and small enough to fit in their mouth. 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