[5] P. glutinosus is found from New York, west to Illinois, south to Mississippi, and east to Alabama, with isolated populations in southern New Hampshire and northwestern Connecticut.

[7] They can be found in areas of secondary succession in old growth deciduous or hemlock forests with steep, rocky slopes.

Their preferred habitat is in moist soil or leaf litter beneath stones, rotting logs, or other debris near a permanent water source.

Their diet consists primarily of ants, beetles, sow bugs, and earthworms, but they will consume most kinds of insect.

[citation needed] As their name suggests, slimy salamanders produce significant amounts of skin secretions that are highly adhesive.

[13] Not much is known about the diet of the slimy salamanders, but it is believed that the species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies where they consume prey that is easily accessible.

One study surveyed the digestive systems of this species and found that ants, bees, wasps, beetles, sowbugs, snails, and earthworms occurred most frequently.