Oh my mother! It turned out to be a big crocodile, a huge crocodile with blood-red eyes.

Lao Huang and I took a few steps back.

How can there be crocodiles here? Don't crocodiles live in the swamps or bays of the south? It belongs to the Yellow River basin, and at least since written records, no crocodile has been found.

Taking two steps back, my brain calmed down a bit, and I realized that this crocodile had a very strange appearance.

The crocodiles in the zoo are dark brown and covered in the bark of an old tree, but this one in front of me is covered with yellow spots in the black skin, and there are faint yellow stripes in between, in short, it is very peculiar.

"Who told you to come back!"

Suddenly, an old voice came from behind me.

When we looked back, the old man was standing behind us with a frosty face, his eyes fierce!

"I told you, get out of here, now...... I'm afraid I'll be ...... if I want to leave now."

As he spoke, he sneered a few times, took out a whistle from his clothes, and blew it violently.

"Doodoo Dot ......"

In the middle of such a quiet night, it is very harsh.

Old guy this is ...... For a while, I was a little confused by the second monk.

But then I knew the reason why he was blowing his whistle at us, not to us, but to a huge crocodile a few meters away.

As soon as the whistle blew, the big crocodile shook its head, then stuck its tongue out at us, turned around and "swished" into the grass beside us.

Seeing this scene, even Lao Huang was blindfolded.

"Brother, you raised this thing?"

The old man nodded: "There are some things that I didn't want you to know, but since they have been discovered, it doesn't hurt to tell you...... Anyway, it's impossible for you to tell a third person anymore......"

He smiled at me.

I scolded in my heart: There is something wrong with this old guy! I pondered again what he meant, and I felt a chill - could he still want to kill us?

Lao Huang didn't think so, and asked with a smile: "This should be a rare salamander!" My brother is very capable! To be able to raise it so big! ”

"Yo-you old guy is a little knowledgeable! Yes - this is the salamander I raised, also known as the salamander. ”

Later, I also checked it and got this information:

Salamanders are probably one of the prettiest salamanders of all. Their shiny black bodies, with bright yellow spots, look like jewelers' enamel masterpieces. It is a striking salamander, even in groups known for its appealing color combinations.

These bright colors are a warning to other animals that fire salamanders are unpalatable; These salamanders have saliva and skin glands that can secrete viscotoxins that can cause a strong vomiting response in potential predators, at the very least.

In the wild, these are stealthy creatures that emerge from their hidden nests and decaying logs in the safety of dark, damp nights, foraging for slu, earthworms, crickets and other very small invertebrates in the woodlands.

The overall length for adults ranges from 8 to 12 inches, and they fit well into terrariums. Like tiger salamanders, they seem to anticipate their owner's approach (or recognize footsteps) and, once adapted, will appear to receive plump earthworms or wax worms even during the day.

Because they are sizable land salamanders that wander around their cages every night, you should provide as much shelter as possible. Remember to change the substrate regularly and keep their bath water fresh. Keep the cage temperature at 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid severe stress or kill the fire salamanders.

Origins and life spans

The fire salamander is a sturdy salamander found in a limited area of Europe, Southeast Asia, and northwestern Africa. It is one of the more common salamanders in Europe and is found in areas covered with moss forests. A healthy specimen will be kept in captivity for up to 50 years.

Salamanders are clumsy salamanders that can grow up to 10 inches long. They have shiny, cool, damp skin and are black and bright yellow in color. Their heads are thick, their necks are almost as wide as their heads, and the rib grooves are clearly visible along the sides of the animal.

They seem to be adapted to a secluded and secluded underground life, making their way through a pile of moss in search of another food, which is exactly what they do.

behavior

Fire salamanders are nocturnal, staying under logs or moss, and emerge in wet nights to feed. Unlike other salamanders, these salamanders are gregarious even outside of the breeding season, congregating in small groups in areas where seclusion is dominant. In their native habitat, salamanders tend to stay in forbidden areas.

Men's homes range less than 10 square meters, or are only 30 square feet in size. Women need more space, nearly 13 square meters, or about 40 feet on the sides.

The bright colors of the salamander are also warning colors. To support this color warning, fire salamanders' skin secretions are poisonous or disgusting to predators. Like other clumsy salamanders, salamanders practice head striking when confronted with potential predators.

The salamander lowers its head towards the predator, ensuring that the salivary glands are rich in viscous toxins, which will be encountered for the first time. When roughly handled, fire salamanders smell like vanilla. The secreted alkaloids cause a burning sensation in the mouth of the captor and can cause muscle twitching and death in small mammals.

There are no wild salamanders in our area, but if there are, they must be domesticated.

Lao Huang nodded, still with a smile on his face: "Brother, it seems that it is difficult for our two masters to leave alive - can you satisfy my curiosity before dying?" ”

"Woo woo woo ......"

The old man suddenly let out a sinister laugh.

"Say it!"

"What the hell is in this room?"

"My wife and children? Didn't you just ask? ”

I listened to the numbness of my scalp, and at the same time I was puzzled.

Wife? Child? There are only ...... in the house except for insects Could it be that the scaly foot was his wife or child? That's not right! Even if it is, it's just one person......

The old man continued: "In three days, my children will wake up, and when the time comes...... When the time comes...... Let you make dinner for my children! ”

said another "woo woo" sneer.

My scalp is numb! it! Could it be that when he says children, he is referring to those colorful caterpillars?

After laughing, the old man stuffed the black whistle into his mouth again.

"Doodoo Dot ......"

With a shrill whistle, I saw the grass "swish" and sway, and then I saw seven or eight black-skinned, yellow-spotted salamanders, each over two meters.

I'll go! That's it......

Seeing these salamanders, in addition to extreme fear, I should know the reason why there are inexplicably fewer poultry in the village this year.