 Salamanders have thin skins and soft bodies , and move rather slowly , and at first sight might appear to be vulnerable to opportunistic predation . However , they have several effective lines of defense . Mucus coating on damp skin makes them difficult to grasp , and the slimy coating may have an offensive taste or be toxic . When attacked by a predator , a salamander may position itself to make the main poison glands face the aggressor . Often , these are on the tail , which may be waggled or turned up and arched over the animal 's back . The sacrifice of the tail may be a worthwhile strategy , if the salamander escapes with its life and the predator learns to avoid that species of salamander in future . 
