Why are salamanders so slimy? These amphibians need to stay moist so they can breathe through their skin If their skin ever dried out, the salamander would stop breathing and die. Slime helps salamanders survive in other ways, too. It keeps them safe from hungry enemies. The slime on a salamander's skin tastes bad and is often poisonous. Some people may think their slimy coating is gross, but it has helped salamanders survive on Earth since the time...