Meet Sal. Sal is so far too young to sex with any confidence so Sal may be short for Sally or may be short for Salvatore. Like axolotls, until Andersonii salamanders (which Sal is a hybrid of, their parents were an Andersonii axolotl cross and an axolotl) either show visible external genital bulges - in males - or reach 18 months of age without them - females - they are basically an unknown. It is possible to get genetic testing done, but it is expensive and invasive as far as I understand.
Regardless, one thing is certain, the answer to “what’s Sal short for” is alway going to be “because they’ve only got little legs.”
Like axolotls, Sal is fully aquatic, needing no access to land, only a well filtered aquarium with a soft, small substrate to avoid risks of compaction if accidentally swallowed. Sal primarily eats earthworms from my worm farm and these provide a balanced diet, although occasional treats of small cherry shrimp or river shrimp are hoovered up quickly. Sal seems to enjoy the hunt for those.
I got sal from Andersoni UK, Who I was put in touch with by Axolotl Care UK. I also have several axolotls, a a mix of rescues and axolotls bred by a UK based high quality breeder. There will be more information about those in their own post. I mention them here as Axolotl Care UK is where I got my most recent rescue axolotl.
As Sal is a hybrid, there are no guarantees when it comes to behaviour, appearance or many other traits as they age. It is possible Sal may “morph” like a tiger salamander, especially as Sal is part axolotl and most of the axolotls kept as pets are descended from previous hybrids of axolotls and tiger salamanders. Time will tell.
I will, obviously, be monitoring Sal closely for any changes to behaviour, body and head shape as well as changes to external gills that may signify the beginning of metamorphosis to a land based salamander. If that happens, Sal will be moved into a vivarium / paludarium and out of the aquarium environment.
I have zero intention of breeding Sal, I have no interest in breeding nor do I have the time to care for babies.
