Ask an Opossum

Hi! I’m Phi, Xplor’s mail possum. I know a lot about nature. If you have a question, email me at AskPhi@mdc.mo.gov.

Q: Can salamanders bite you?

From Zoey, age 9

A: Salamanders have teeth to help them chew worms and other small prey. But most are too shy to bite people. (Youʼd be shy too if a giant hand picked you up!) And most are quite small, so their teeth feel more like sandpaper than the sharp chompers on your bitey baby brother. Larger salamanders, like amphiumas and hellbenders, have bigger teeth. If one of them nibbled your thumb, it could make you yell, “Yee-ouch!”