Austin Maddox figures he has the coolest pet in town.
The nine-year-old from Labrador City happened upon his new pet quite by accident on a fishing trip with his family at Blueberry Hill a couple of weeks ago.
His dad [Jim Maddox] went to get a worm for his hook when he yelled at his family to 'come see' a tiny lizard-like creature that he had found around the worm container.
"My dad had it on his arm and it dropped off," said Austin. " I bent down to try and pick it up and there was four more on the ground, but I could only catch just one of them because they move very fast. I put this one in a worm container."
Never seen one before
Austin said his dad suspected right away it was a salamander even though he told his son he'd never seen one in all his life in Labrador before.
"My dad watches the Discovery Channel and National Geographic a lot and so that is how he knew," Austin said. "So I asked my dad then if I could have it for a pet."
While his dad agreed to let his son take home the salamander, Austin's mom Carol was not so comfortable with the whole idea of adding an amphibian to her household.
"I have to keep him in the garage because Mom is scared of him," Austin explained.
Austin said he keeps his new pet in a plastic container with lots of moss, small rocks and sticks in it, a lot like the habitat where he was found.
Many of his friends have come by the garage to have a look at the strange creature Austin brought home from his fishing trip.
"Yeah I had a lot of friends come by to see it, because when I called a couple of friends and told them, they told a lot of people about the salamander too," he said.
Austin feeds his new friend flies and spiders mostly, he says, and he is considering geting more permanent housing for him like terrarium.
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
The Aurora sent photos of Austin's new pet to Wildlife Biologist Tony Chubbs in Goose Bay and he verified it is indeed a salamander.
"From the photos, it appears to be a Northern Two-Lined Salamander, one of two species occurring in Labrador," said Chubbs of the amphibian. "The other is the Blue Spotted Salamander which is more widespread."
Chubbs explained the Northern Two-Lined Salamander is the less common of the two species and have been recorded only in the vicinity of Lab. City and Goose Bay.
According to the biologist, the salamander does belong in the wild in its natural habitat. It's around this time of year when salamanders would be seeking out areas where they will lie in a dormant state for the winter months.
Identification
The Northern Two-lined Salamander is small and slender, with small legs. A broad yellow, greenish-yellow, or tan stripe extends from head to tail, and is bordered by uneven black lines. The light dorsal stripe is often marked with a row of dark spots or flecks. The sides of the body are usually yellowish with some dark mottling, and the belly is typically yellow. Adults may grow to lengths of 6.4-12.1 cm (2.5-4.8 in) and have 15-16 grooves on the sides of the body (costal grooves). Male Northern Two-lined Salamanders have a groove from the nose to mouth, and two cirri that project beyond the mouth.
Distribution and Status
The range of the Northern Two-lined Salamander extends from southern Quebec and New Brunswick south through New England and into northern Virginia and west to northeast Ohio. Within the Midwest, the Northern Two-lined Salamander is only found in Ohio.
Ecology
Living close to flowing water, both in woodland and open areas, the Northern Two-Lined Salamander can be found under rocks, logs, or leaf mats. During winter months they will retreat underground.
SOURCE: Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
