Why did the salamander cross the road? To lay its eggs! Spotted salamanders rely on small, temporary woodland pools for laying their eggs, and often return to the same pools year after year. A few weeks after salamanders lay their eggs, the eggs hatch into young salamanders which live underwater and breathe using gills. They grow in the pools for several months, until they lose their feathery gills and climb out onto land, where they can live for almost twenty years. Want to spot a spotted salamander? It may be difficult! Spotted salamanders spend their days hiding, usually underground or beneath rocks and logs. At night, they wake up, venture out, and look for food like insects and slugs.