FYI: Terrible book for sale.

[alexx]

I don't know if anyone knows of the existence of this book, but my local garden center's aquatic/pet department has been selling this to new axie owners and it's completely wrong.

The picture on the front cover has gravel and inside it actually tells you to have gravel as its good for surface area for bacteria, mentioning nothing about impaction. Most of the pictures in this book have overweight (possibly impacted) axies on gravel.



Any advise? Should I contact the publisher, animal care authority, the shop selling it?

I just think its awful that people are being given such terrible advice from a so-called professional.

[axolotl lvr]

Oh I would most definetly get the pet store to stop carrying that book, that is horrible!! The published needs to be sent reason why no gravel is good for axolotls. This is horrible and is going to cause way more harm then good.. Your right about the picture those peebles are wayyyyyy to small for axies to have with them.. You would be doing captive axies a service by reporting this

[emz]

I purchased that book when i was first looking into getting axolotls and it has both wrong and correct info. I think the part that states they are reptiles was the worst.
I have seen quite a few posts on here about it before and a review of it on here too.

[nai live]

This book has been discussed before on this site Keeping axolotls by Linda Adkins . It was generally positively received. I have not read this book so cannot personally comment on it. As for gravel being recommended as a safer substitute for sand well that is a personal choice, i know one person on this site who has kept axolotls for 30+ years on gravel with no impaction problems, a fact that they put down to not feeding pellets which may increase an axolotls impaction risk. I am not advocating the use of gravel , i do not use it myself nor recommend that anyone else does, as there is a potential risk.

[axolotl lvr]

I noticed that this book is readily available on ebay as well... I just may have to buy it and then I can judge it further.. thanks nai for letting us know.. im going to check out that thread now.

[Julia]

I think the problem with using gravel, is with what type you use. The type she uses in her tanks is pea gravel, and to be honest, the only concern I have with that, is that it will trap waste.

[Satnav]

I am a total newbie to Axolotls so ordered this book from Ebay, a lot of the information is informative e.g. maturing your tank etc but agree with the gravel issue, when i get my tank and axolotls i'm going to use a fine sand so that it doesn't impact in there stomachs