Wild fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) prefer natural housing conditions ex-situ

The European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is threatened by infection with the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), which has caused massive population declines in several European countries. One attempt to conserve the genetic diversity of fire salamanders is to keep individuals of affected or vulnerable populations in ex-situ assurance populations. However, literature knowledge about appropriate husbandry conditions and behaviour in captivity is inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the preference of wild-caught fire salamanders in a choice test with two different husbandry setups: a natural setting and a minimalistic setting. The former provided parts of the environment, with biotic materials, such as moss, soil and tree bark. The latter is mostly used by specialized breeders, more artificial, but also easier to clean, with e.g. soft paper towels as a substrate. Fire salamanders had the possibility to choose their preferred zone to stay over a period of 60 days. We documented the individual hiding places and activity patterns. Initially, especially female fire salamanders showed a preference for the more natural zone and the majority of fire salamanders preferred the moss for hiding. However, as the experiment progressed, there was a notable increase in the amount of time individuals spent in the other zone, indicating the need for a diverse habitat when keeping fire salamanders in captivity. Our results thus provide valuable information on ex-situ husbandry of fire salamanders.