Question: Buy-Axolotl website

[MoRanMan]

I'm new to this forum. Hello everyone, my name is mike. I was just wondering if buy-axolotl website is legitimate, or if it is a scam? I've been researching axys and want to get one for my son. But the pet stores I've been to keep their axolotls in very poor condition, so I'm opting to buy online. Again I've looked at the buy-Axolotl website and like it, but it seems a little unofficial and they want $70 just for the shipping cost (not including the Axolotl price). So I'm skeptical... Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[jhonny]

any axolotl you take from the petstore is one less that lives in a bad habbitat..

i dont trust online buying, cause as far as you know, the axies you buy might come from the petstore just as well..

my petstore does not have axolotl in his shop, but was kind enough to order me 2 from his dealer.
and they where still juvies when i got them.. so i'm sure they hadent been trough to much.

[shultzbaby]

I got 2 axolotls from the guy who runs that business, but I picked them up locally. They were in good health and free from defects. I believe the shipping is so expensive because they air shipped overnight air freight to ensure that they are delivered healthy and alive. I'd encourage you to email him, he is pretty good about answering any questions you have. Just don't believe him when he tells you that you can use untreated tap water in the tank. Cycle your tank properly and treat the water you use.

[Ben]

I live about 2 hours on the train from London but one day I was wondering around there (I had been to London dungeons ) and I saw an aquatic shop. I was on a mission to find an axolotl because there was none where I lived I was going to buy one online. In the cold water section of the shop there was four tanks 2 with goldfish, 1 was empty and 1 was full of algae! I looked closer into the algae covered tank and I saw 3 axolotls in appalling conditions with no sand or filter, while the tropical fish were living in paradise! One of the axolotls was floating sideways at the top clinging onto life, one was old and had all four legs but a bite out of the tail but had skin flaking off and one juvie with 3 legs but looked healthy. I chose the 3 legged one as I knew it had the highest chance of survival once I rescued it! The guy at the pet shop didn't really care about them and when I mentioned how he should look after them he just told me that their legs would grow back and then grabbed the axie I chose and threw it in a bag of water and instead of carefully twisting close the bad he just spun the bag not caring about the well being of the axolotl. I bought a 5L tank as temporary accommodation then after being rescued from a pet shop, taken into the London underground, lived in a 5L tank for 3 days I finally got him a proper tank and his leg has grown back and he is all perky and healthy.

A bit of a ramble but you can rescue an axolotl from your local pet shop!

[IamTheBear]

Well this is my first post as well also. My little juvie ( darwin just got here today ) as i can tell all healthy. I got mine from someone on here. so my recomendation is to check the for sale section on here. mine came from halcepus. Might of spelled that one wrong. $10 for him then $35 for shipping that is all for now.

[Jess]

Buy one from someone on here. People here are usually much more informed and their prices are almost always cheaper than petstores or online vendors. Plus you're supporting someone else in the hobby.

[MoRanMan]

Thanks everyone. I'll be sure to take all of this into account. I'm leaning towards buying off the for sale section, but I haven't even set up the tank or started cycling the water. So hopefully there will still be some for sale in about a month. Thanks again, your suggestions are appreciated.

[imzunicorn]

I just gotta say that I wouldn't buy from there. It's not a scam, I actually bought my first ones from him. At the time, I had no idea about this message board or any other way of getting an axolotl. However, he never answers questions and if he does, it's bad information. He actually recommended I feed them live fish. The prices are outrageous. The breeders here have overnight shipping too for half that price, so that is no excuse. Plus, from my experience, the breeders here have much better looking axies. I had bought pellets from him too and they came in a taped up bag. My dogs and cat quickly got into that and half were eaten before I even used any.

Besides, i was told by an admin that his website is totally not endorsed by these message boards as it contains a lot of misinformation. He also stole info and pictures from the owner's website.

[hacelepues]

Originally Posted by imzunicorn

I just gotta say that I wouldn't buy from there. It's not a scam, I actually bought my first ones from him. At the time, I had no idea about this message board or any other way of getting an axolotl. However, he never answers questions and if he does, it's bad information. He actually recommended I feed them live fish. The prices are outrageous. The breeders here have overnight shipping too for half that price, so that is no excuse. Plus, from my experience, the breeders here have much better looking axies. I had bought pellets from him too and they came in a taped up bag. My dogs and cat quickly got into that and half were eaten before I even used any.

Besides, i was told by an admin that his website is totally not endorsed by these message boards as it contains a lot of misinformation. He also stole info and pictures from the owner's website.

Yup. I almost bought from him when I first started looking for axies. So glad I found the forums! I've only heard bad things about people's experience with that site. And I mean... he says that you don't need dechlorinator because axies have lungs. Huh? So do many other aquatic animals, but chlorine will still harm them!

[Beth S.]

I have a friend who bought from him, and the axies arrived in good health and are doing well. However, like others in this thread have said...the prices are kind of high and the site just sort of gives me a skeevy feeling with the misinformation.

[Jenste]

I have ordered from them before and received healthy and whole axies. I wouldn't mind using them again