Salamanders, they’re slimy, they’re slithery, yet they’re as cute as a pet bird or a cat. Their unique texture and big eyes make them great addition to your home.
Are you curious about having one of your own, but find yourself baffled by how much they cost? You’re not alone there. Salamanders come in all shapes and sizes and the costs vary significantly depending on their origin and rarity.
So, someone had to do something and put all that information together. I happened to be that guy. They typically range from $10 to $60. In some cases, rare salamanders can cost as much as $300.
Whether you’re looking to pick up a new family member or just curious about salamander costs, this blog has got you covered. Let’s get started.
How expensive is a salamander?
Salamander is not that expensive if you look at most of its subspecies prices. A significant amount of salamanders come with a price range of $25-$60. The lowest price margin of a salamander is around $10.
However, some rare species are considered as the elite and those salamanders’ cost can vary from $100-$299.
Where can you buy salamanders?
Like any other exotic pet when you intend to purchase you can either get it from a local pet store or order from an online store. In the USA, there are a good number of shops available that sell good quality & healthy salamanders.
Local salamander seller
Depending on which state you live in, the pet shop availability can vary. If you live in any of the states like Michigan/Virginia/ Florida/ Minnesota/ Texas/ Ohio/ Pennsylvania / Maine / Wisconsin there’s a high chance you will get the salamander quickly from the local pet shop.
Online salamander store
Luckily some awesome online stores sell premium breeds of salamanders. So you can be quite relaxed about purchasing from these shops.
Let me show you some of those salamander shops in the following…
American reptiles
Due to its 15 years of experience, this family business is definitely one of the top-notch shops for salamander lovers.
Their live-on-arrival guarantee is an awesome service that keeps the buyer’s mind free from any extra pain. Moreover, they offer a convenient price range for the customers that give them the freedom to buy at a comparatively cheap price tag.
Let’s explore the price tag of their salamander collection…
| Marbled salamanders | $29.99 |
| Mississippi slimy salamander | $29.99 |
| Southern two-lined salamander | $14.99 |
| Southern dusky salamander | $14.99 |
| Southern red salamander | $99.99 |
| Southern slimy salamander | $19.99 |
| Two-toed amphiuma | $29.99 |
| Three lined salamander | $14.99 |
| Red eft | $29.99 |
| Four-toed salamander | $39.99 |
| Eastern redback salamander | $39.99 |
| Mole salamander | $29.99 |
| Leucistic Spanish ribbed salamander | $59.99 |
| Northern red salamander | $99.99 |
Backwaterreptiles.com
If you’re looking for an online store to buy salamanders, then Backwaterreptiles.com is another good place to go. They have a great variety of amphibians and reptiles.
Both in terms of low price and the huge collection of captive-bred salamanders, they are the leading online shop. You will find the starting price of a salamander from $9.99 up to $299.99. This makes them a convenient online shop for all-level buyers.
This reputed seller has received excellent reviews from some well-known public figures, experts in reptile fields, and enthusiasts.
Having a live arrival guarantee and a seven-day health guarantee speaks volumes about how confident they are about the quality of their captive salamanders. Let’s see their salamander price list…
| Tiger salamander | $54.99 |
| Axolotl | $49.99 |
| Leucistic axolotl | $49.99 |
| Spotted salamander | $29.99 |
| Marbled salamander | $24.99 |
| Fire salamander | $39.99 |
| Slimy salamander | $9.99 |
| Southern two-lined salamander | $11.99 |
| Dusky salamander | $12.99 |
| Two-toed amphiuma | $39.99 |
| Ensatina salamander | $109.99 |
| Fire-bellied newt | $12.99 |
| Marbled newt | $99.99 |
| Eastern newt | $14.99 |
| Iranian kaiser newt | $149.99 |
| Alpine newt | $39.99 |
| Crested newt | $24.99 |
| Red eft | $19.99 |
| Spanish ribbed newt | $29.99 |
| Rough skin newt | $59.99 |
| Lake urmia newt | $109.99 |
| Chinese emperor newt | $149.99 |
Undergroundreptiles.com
Another resourceful & trustworthy online store that has a good reputation among reptile lovers. You will literally get lost by looking at their vast collection of wonderful salamanders.
Rolling in business from 1998 they gathered huge expertise in supplying the best captive-bred salamanders at your door in a healthy state.
Let’s have a look at what prices this seller offers…
| Blotched tiger salamander | $24.99 |
| Spotted salamander | $39.99 |
| Fire salamander | $199.99 |
| Slimy salamander | $19.99 |
| Jefferson salamander | $49.99 |
| Marbled salamander | $29.99 |
| European smooth newt | $29.99 |
| Two line salamander | $14.99 |
| Hong kong warty newt | $299.99 |
| Two-toed amphiuma | $49.99 |
| Marbled newt | $99.99 |
| Danube crested newt | $39.99 |
| Eastern tiger salamander | $29.99 |
| Red rubber salamander | $99.99 |
| Mole salamander | $39.99 |
| Cave salamander | $149.99 |
| Yellow barred tiger salamander | $79.99 |
| Hypo spotted salamander | $299.99 |
| Adult long tail salamander | $29.99 |
| Patternless spotted salamander | $199.99 |
| Dusky salamander | $24.99 |
| Baby marbled salamander | $14.99 |
| Axanthic axolotl | $59.99 |
| Albino axolotl | $39.99 |
| Wildtype axolotl | $39.99 |
| Copper axolotl | $39.99 |
| Golden albino axolotl | $44.99 |
| GFP golden albino Axolotl | $49.99 |
| Sub adult cooper axolotl | $59.99 |
Snake at sunset
Along with salamanders, this online shop sells varieties of reptiles and amphibians. Their expertise in this industry is quite dominating & clear. Even the price tag is a bit cheap.
Plus, their 15+ years of learning give them enough confidence to give their buyers a 7-day health guarantee for each salamander.
| Barred tiger salamander | $34.99 |
| Eastern tiger salamander | $29.99 |
| Red salamander | $69.99 |
| Marbled salamander | $19.99 |
| Spanish ribbed newts | $39.99 |
| Leucistic Spanish ribbed newts | $49.99 |
Bigappleherp
Having been around since 1993, this reptile store has a few salamanders in its collection. Starting from the price mark to customer service they are a pretty decent online shop that sells good quality salamanders.
| Marbled salamanders | $21.95 |
| Mole salamanders | $39.00 |
| Palm salamanders | $129.00 |
| Spotted salamanders | $39.95 |
| Tiger salamanders | $39.95 |
Extra cost of buying salamander
Apart from the cost of your newly bought salamander you also have to bear some other cost which will eventually add up under the total cost.
Let’s have a look at what are those extra costs in the following…
Shipping cost
The average cost for overnight shipping a salamander is $30-$50 depending on where it is going and how much it weighs.
Most small salamanders can be shipped in a small box, but larger animals may need to be shipped using UPS or FedEx. And large size can increase the cost of shipping to around $70-$80.
Tank cost
While it’s perfect for most salamanders to have a 10-gallon tank which can cost $25- $180.
However, a terrarium is an excellent option for keeping pet salamanders. A good quality terrarium can cost around $30-$200. The price can alter with the size of the terrarium.
Substrate cost
You can buy salamander tank substrate at a price tag of $3- $15. Moreover, you will need decorative plants for a more natural vibe inside the terrarium which would cost around $1-$35.
There are hundreds of variations of salamander but mainly two types. One is a newt and the other one is a normal salamander. If you are getting newts then the substrate would be a bit different from the normal salamander.
A smooth gravel substrate or water substrate would be perfect for newts. While sphagnum moss, wet bark, and coconut fibers serve as the best substrates for salamanders.
Lighting cost
If you own a salamander, a good quality incandescent day bulb light would be the best fit for the tank. It has to be on for around 10-12 hours. The price can vary from $5- $25.
One of the most important things is to make sure of 8-13 hours of lighting if you have newts. You will have to provide them lighting with a full spectrum UVB light. These lights are easily found in any pet shop or online market like amazon/eBay.
UVB light would cost around $15-$40.
Decoration costs
It’s highly recommended to add hiding places for that you can add rock and wooden logs inside the salamander tank.
The decoration cost can cost somewhere between $2-$40.
Gloves
It’s a big no to handle the salamander using bare hands. So you will need a latex glove to keep both yourself & the pet healthy.
A box of gloves would cost around $5-$10.
Recurring cost of having a salamander
In line with any other amphibian and reptile salamanders require minimum monthly maintenance. The good thing about this pet is their monthly maintenance cost isn’t too much which makes them an affordable pet. So those costs are made of the following 3 things…
Supplement
As long as the salamanders are in the tank, there’s always a chance of a lack of vitamins and minerals. Because in their natural environment, they enjoy all the necessary supplements.
To keep your pet salamander playful & healthy, you need to provide them with multivitamins supplement at least twice per week. And calcium supplements should go with their food regularly.
For a monthly supplement of salamander, you need to spend around $8- $14.
Cost of feeders
Salamanders are carnivorous and require live prey to survive. They will eat small insects and other invertebrates such as earthworms or crickets.
Usually, the feeders of salamanders cost around $0.15.
The types of food available for sale vary by species, so you’ll need to do some research to find out what type your salamander is.
Aquatic species prefer food like mealworms, brine shrimp, wax worms, bloodworms, etc. While terrestrial salamanders prefer cricket and worms.
Cost of health care
Proper health care monitoring is required to keep the salamander’s health in check. So that you can prevent any major health issues that can be fatal for your pet.
A monthly visit to a vet would be beneficial for the long life of your pet salamander. You can keep a $50 monthly budget for the health checking of your salamander.
Factors that can affect the cost of a salamander?
Salamander is an amphibian that has a huge footprint in America along with a moderate footprint in different parts of the world like South East Asia & Australia. This magnificent creature has 600+ species all over the globe.
Due to their presence in versatile nature, there are a lot of physiological differences among those salamander species. Three things can affect the cost of a salamander and those are the rarity of species, tank setup & the shipment cost.
If you want to get a salamander from Japan or Australia then definitely you have to spend a big amount of money to import them into the USA.
Another thing is the habitat setup. If you order an adult salamander then you have to ensure the setup has similarity to their wildlife habitat. They need big rocks and large space for movement which will increase the overall cost.
Less availability or unique species is always precious and pricey compared to normal salamander species. For example, a cave salamander would cost $149.99, a hypo-spotted salamander cost $299.99, and Iranian kaiser newts cost around $150.
Things you should remember while buying a salamander
Salamander is a cute exotic pet that will surely add more color to your home. It would be better to have a bit of knowledge about something before buying them from any online or offline shop.
Remember the following tips during purchasing a salamander…
- When buying from an online shop, you must spend a bit of time reading the customer’s reviews. If it seems positive go for it if it looks negative simply ignore it and look for another shop.
- If you make your purchase from the local pet shop, you must check the salamander’s movement. Any injury or bruise on the skin or weird movement would be a red signal for you.
- Don’t order from an online store that doesn’t give the guarantee of the live arrival of your pet salamander.
Faq
Where can I buy a salamander?
You can easily buy a salamander from any local breeder, or online seller.
How much do fire salamanders cost?
The cost of the fire salamanders can vary from $39.99-$199.99.
How expensive is a Tiger Salamander?
Tiger salamanders are not very expensive. And their price range can vary from $25-$54. While the average price of a tiger salamander remains around $30.
Are salamanders illegal?
No salamanders are not illegal so you can get them from a local online or offline shop. But it is illegal to release the captive-bred salamander into the wild.
And, it is also illegal to import salamanders from one state to another. However, there has been no such high-level monitoring and fine regarding the import of salamanders within the states.
How much do spotted salamanders cost?
When it comes to the price tag of a spotted salamander it can range from $39.99 up to $199.99 depending on the rarity of the species.
Final Words
To sum up, we can say prices for salamanders vary depending on their size, color, and whether or not they are captive-bred or wild-caught.
Overall, Salamanders make great pets for people of all ages and can provide hours of enjoyment. If you are thinking about getting a salamander, be sure to do your research so that you know what to expect in terms of care and upkeep.
