Fire salamanders are nocturnal and will do all of their hunting and eating at night.

The bright coloration of the salamander is an adaptation that signals to predators that they are venomous. The venom is secreted through glands in the skin behind their eyes.

The tail of a fire salamander is used for balance and a defense mechanism. If something attacks it, the tail will easily detach from the main body and continue to wiggle. This gives the salamander time to escape. The tail will eventually regenerate.

Fire salamanders hibernate during colder months. Hibernation is completely dependent on the temperature of the environment so if it is warm enough the entire year, a salamander won’t hibernate. If a fire salamander does hibernate (they are very sensitive to temperature changes), the organism will usually return to the exact same location year after year.