So this is Yttrium, a Tiger Salamander! Tiger salamanders are native to the majority of US, and come in a few different subspecies. Yittrium here is a gray tiger salamander, one of the least yellow of the morphs. They are extremely common and somewhat mysterious, since once they morph and crawl onto land they burrow under the dirt and are rarely seen. Tiger salamanders can live up to 20 years and reach between 9 - 12 inches in length.

As pets, however, they're extremely friendly! Tiger salamanders are generally fearless and have bold personalities. Besides a cooler temperature requirement they're very easy to care for, requiring only a few inches of moist dirt and an earthworm meal once or twice a week. They are generally considered to be "look, don't touch" pets, but have tough skin for an amphibian and are not adverse to being held. Unfortunately, the tiger salamander is hard to breed in captive conditions, so almost all tiger salamander pets are wild caught.

I'm always on the lookout for more amphibian pictures and art! If you have anything that you think is worth sharing, feel free to drop me a note anytime. :D