Lesson 116: Observing Tiger and Fire Salamanders

          Today I learned about fire and tiger salamanders. First, I will write about fire salamanders. Salamanders are in the amphibian family. Fire salamanders are black with yellow spots or stripes, and they live in forests in central Europe. They can grow anywhere from 5 to almost 10 inches long, but some can even reach 12 inches. They eat insects, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, earthworms, slugs, and some even eat newts and young frogs. Fire salamanders can live for a very long time; up to fifty years. They can release toxins through their skin that are poisonous to predators.
          Next, I will write about tiger salamanders. Tiger salamanders can be brownish-green or yellowish-green with dark spots or stripes on them. They can grow 6-8 inches, and can also reach lengths of one foot. They don’t live as long as fire salamanders. Tiger salamanders live about 12-15 years. They live in woodlands and grassy fields, and they eat mostly small insects, snails, slugs, frogs, and worms, but they will even eat each other. An interesting fact about tiger salamanders is that they carry diseases that are not dangerous to them, but are very dangerous to reptiles, fish, and other amphibians. This is what I learned about in my lesson about fire and tiger salamanders.