There are three different kinds of environments for your pet salamanders and newts. Like other amphibians, salamanders and newts have sensitive and very porous skin that can make them very sensitive to changes in the environment.
Land dwelling salamanders will need a terrestrial style tank. That doesn’t mean your salamander doesn’t need water! The moss used for the tank substrate will provide most of the moisture your salamanders will need. You should also provide a shallow container of water to help maintain humidity — just don’t make the water too deep. Terrestrial salamanders are poor swimmers. Place sticks or stones in the water to help your pet get around his pool.
Your terrestrial tank should have areas of light and dark, so your salamander can have his choice of shady retreats and sunny warm spots. The bottom of the tank can have a layer of gravel beneath soil and/or peat and moss. Some species do like to burrow and dig, and loose soil or a soil and peat combination is good for digging. Terrestrial salamanders will spend most of their time under shelter, so be sure to provide lots of pieces of wood or bark, little caves, and bits of clay pots to hide under.
The more elaborate your terrestrial set up, the more difficult it will be to clean. Everything from the substrate to the shelters will have to be changed when it becomes soiled. The more salamanders you have (or the larger they are) the more often you’ll have to clean.
As you might guess, a semi-aquatic tank is half terrestrial and half water. Your best bet is to separate the two halves of the tank with a piece of plastic or Plexiglas — this makes it very easy to maintain two separate environments. The land area can be created with layers of gravel, soil, and moss, and will be held in place by the plastic or Plexiglas.
The water part of the tank can be as deep as you like. Be sure your newt has an easy way to get out of the water! A long piece of wood can easily bridge the wet and dry parts of the tank, and serve as a basking spot. Try ironwood, coralwood, or monkeywood. You can also create a slope from gravel — just make sure the gravel is large enough that it won’t be swallowed by your pet, and rounded so it won’t damage your newt’s skin.
Be sure to cover your terrestrial and semi-aquatic tank! This helps keep humidity in the environment and prevent escapes — both your pets and their cricket prey may attempt to leave the tank if the cover is not secure.
Aquatic species of salamander live entirely in the water! This type of tank can be difficult to keep clean — salamanders produce a lot of waste that you’ll need to clear out of the water. However, they are also very sensitive to environmental changes. When they are trapped in a tank with their own waste, they can become sick.
You want to keep your aquatic salamander in as large a tank as possible — this will dilute the waste, which is full of ammonia. A good filter will help keep things clean, but be careful of the current it creates. Most aquatic salamanders can handle a moderate current with no problem. To keep the water as clean as possible, you’ll want to do partial water changes on a relatively frequent basis.