New Fire Salamander issues

[metalgod]

Okay, I've had my Fire Salamander for 4 days now and all he does is curl up in the same corner of his viv all day and I'm not sure if he's eaten yet or if the crickets are just hiding amongst the moss or dirt. I've even put some mini worm things in a dish for him but he's not touched them either.
The temp is 64F/18C, I've no idea of the humidity but I mist daily to keep the substrate and moss moist.
The tank is 30x12x12 and the Sal is 2 months old, could he be stressed because the tank's too big? Is he just getting used to his new home? I'm just worried because I read Sal's had big appetites and I should feed him every day while he's young.
I also have a hide in this viv which he's not used yet and a water dish which he hasn't used since his first day.

Any ideas what's wrong?

[linda.t]

i'd put him in a tub with damp kitchen roll and some cork bark so he can hide
that way u can see what or if he is eating,but he is still settling in.

[Ben W]

If its 2 months old, then thats a very large tank for it, and it may have difficulty finding the food in there, also as you say its still settling in.

I keep my young on tissue in sandwich type boxes, where its easier to monitor what they eat.

[Dendroman]

He is prob just settling in i keep mine in simple set up of wet paper towel and plenty of cork bark to hide also some of my sals will take food from my hand and others i rarely see eat so each sal is diff all i can say is just make sure you keep a eye on temp they dont like temps over 20c maybe Ben W can help you more

Matt

[metalgod]

I've put him in a 6"x4" plastic tub (with air holes) lined it with damp paper towels and given him a couple of small crickets to play with. I'll monitor him in that for a few days and see how he is : )
What age are they normally when you put them in a full size viv?

[Darbz]

Try a different food if you can, I find mine don't go for crickets sometimes if they are feeling lazy or intimidated...Try earthworms, mine love them...I also feed them the occasional mealworm, but only the freshly moulted (white) ones..

[metalgod]

I've just put a dish of tiny mealworms in there too. He doesn't look big enough for earthworms, the adult ones would be longer than he is!

[Darbz]

Originally Posted by metalgod

I've just put a dish of tiny mealworms in there too. He doesn't look big enough for earthworms, the adult ones would be longer than he is!

You can always chop them up..bit messy but they wriggle like anything..if anything will stimulate a feeding response, that will.

[cpiggott22]

6" x 4" is far more suitable for a 2 month old sal. We keep our bubs in converted lunchboxes and usually have 2 living in a 9" x 6" when they're that age. Did you breed it yourself? If not, do you know what it was kept on before? If it's used to being fed in a certain way you'll probably have better luck sticking to that. I'd also be very cautious about giving mealies to such a small sal, the chitin won't pass through it very easily. Does it look like it has a full tum or is it looking a bit skinny? I'd be amazed if you could get earthworms small enough for it but you may have some luck with whiteworm

[Ben W]

If you can give us an idea of size oif the sal that would help too, i know how big my 2 month old sals are, but is that 2 months old from being born, or 2 months from being terrestrial.
I would avoid mealworms for a youngster as they arent very digestable, and can harm a younster too.
I would go for either fruit flies or better still micro crickets, a young sal can eat a small worm nearly its own length.

Ben