Tradition has it that Fire Salamander got her name from racing out of a log tossed onto a cooking fire. Since people saw Her racing out of nowhere they assumed that the fire created Her. “Salamander” comes from an Arab term for “lives in fire”. People have expanded on this idea by naming a cooking implement used in the hearth “salamander.” (Its purpose was to absorb heat so that when the cook passed it over meat, the “salamander” would broil the meat.)
People have long associated Fire Salamander with magic. She does possess have magical qualities. For such a small animal, Fire Salamander is exceptionally long lived. People have recorded Her returning to the same wintering cave for twenty years. Loyal to her home, Fire Salamander follows various landmarks to return to spend her winters.
This robust Salamander prefers cooler climates than many other Salamanders. In fact, Fire Salamander can be found in mountains. She likes living under leaves and in wooded areas. Hunting mostly at night, Fire Salamander especially likes to go after a rain to look for tasty Worms, Slugs, and Snails to eat.
Quite shy, Fire Salamander warns other animals and people away with bright yellow blotches on her black body. By secreting a white sticky substance called salamandrin from small pores on her body, She can kill a small animal or cause vomiting in a person. Instead of running away, Fire Salamander sprays her attacker. Her black and yellow colors warn others to leave Her alone.
Fire Salamander teaches that being small is no drawback. She neither seeks out trouble nor does She run away from it. Instead, Fire Salamander shoots her poison at her attacker. Using the color yellow, She warns of everyone of her power. This little Salamander goes about her life unconcerned about being attacked.
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Va. Carper
May 1, 2008