Window well salamander
Posted by Mary Makowsky on July 9, 2006
Q: Hello. We have two salamanders in our window well. One is a baby. Should we capture and release them? If so, how and where? We do have a small waterfall/river in our yard. Would they be safe near there? Thank you!
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Colorado
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: The photo shows a Tiger Salamander but I only saw the one. These animals have probably gotten into your wondow well by accident so I would definitely remove them and place them next to your waterfall. Tiger Salamanders are nocturnal animals that remain underground most of the time and are not often seen. These are totally harmless animals and won't even bite so don't worry about handling them. Probably the best time to release them would be at dusk so they can quickly find a safe place to live. These animals often move about on rainy nights and this is likely to be why they ended up in your window well. Best of luck to you.
John Wiessinger ( July 9, 2006)