Is it because I joined Geico?

November 2, 2009 4:36 PM

Can anyone tell me what this (lizard?) is I found in the basement?

We found this creature in the basement. Can anyone tell me what it is? Sorry about the photo quality its the best out of 4, he runs away.

We're wondering if it would make a good pet, I'm in the NY metro area and it is getting cold out, so I'd hate to put him outside, not sure he should live in the basement by himself either.

posted by cestmoi15 to Pets & Animals (6 answers total)

Best answer: Looks to me like Northern Redback Salamander. If so, it will make a decent pet according to Wikipedia.
posted by jessamyn at 4:39 PM on November 2, 2009

up, redback salamander. Easy to find under rocks. We launched a few in Estes rockets with payload sections when I was a kid and at least one was durable enough to survive to be released. I suspect that as a pet, the one you found will endure fewer rigors.
posted by plinth at 5:17 PM on November 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

Salamanders like it where it's dark and damp.
posted by cropshy at 5:50 PM on November 2, 2009

They eat bugs, so you should make it a pet, but leave it free-roaming so it can keep your basement bug-free!
posted by rtha at 6:17 PM on November 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

We had newts as pets once, and they were rather hardy and fun to watch while they eat - they're not the best critters to handle (their skin absorbs anything on your hands; most amphibians secrete icky, if not poisonous, stuff), but compared to fish they're a more active and interesting tank critter. They are also escape artists; all the ones we ever had eventually ended up dried up husks under the furniture, sadly.
posted by AzraelBrown at 7:09 PM on November 2, 2009

I've known people to keep salamanders as pets and they seemed like okay pets in the "will never love you but interesting to observe" category. Be aware also though that salamanders live in northern climes and hibernate through winters outdoors (burrowed underground or in deadfall timber etc.) so if you release somewhere moderately woodsy it will do as well as all the other New York salamanders out there. I suspect, per AzraelBrown, that if you let it free-range in your basement (unless your basement is terminally damp) it will end up suffering from dehydration, they are lovers of damp.
posted by nanojath at 10:30 PM on November 2, 2009