Illness/Sickness: I need some advice, please!

[aymeh21]

I had posted on here not too long ago about my axolotl, Kirby, who I had in the fridge for constipation. Well, finally he pooped, but I think I jumped the gun a little and put him back into his tank too early. He doesn't really want to eat very much and he appears to still be constipated. I have just moved him into a plastic container preparing him for the fridge again. I am very worried because he has lost a lot of weight and does not appear to be interested in food. I know that putting him in the fridge will only cause him to be even less interested in food, so I am very concerned about that proper steps I should be taking at this point.

Please, someone point me in the right direction. Any advice will be appreciated. I will attach a few pictures of him.

[animalloversfb]

What types of food are you trying to feed? It looks like pellets in the tub? I would try bloodworms or earthworms to tempt him if you haven't already. I don't see the classic "constipation pose" - and if he hasn't eaten recently, he likely doesn't have much to poop out. His weight could be worse - he looks on the skinny side, so I would say getting him to eat since he is a juvenile is most important at this point.

[aymeh21]

I have offered him both earthworm and pellets. They are both actually in those pictures ( I just cut the earthworms into fairly tiny bits). He doesn't always have the "constipation pose" going on, but I do catch him in it. Mostly I catch him with poop halfway out, but that's as far as it ever gets before it goes back in. :/

[Leanne]

What do you have on the bottom of the tank? Could he have eaten something that is now stuck?

[aymeh21]

97% bare glass with just a little bit of sand to anchor down a couple fake plants

[Dolores]

Try feed him life earthworms (proper size). Maybe your axie will be interested in the movement of the worms and eat them instead of 'dead' pieces. Maybe it will help with starting him to eat again.

[Leanne]

My axies wont eat earthworms at all but they love bloodworms. Maybe give them a try and see if that works

[aymeh21]

Morrison,

my axies are only 5 inches..maybe at the most. The earthworms I have are so big. Do you think this would be a problem? I'm always tempted to just throw one in there but get a little freaked out about the idea. I dunno if an axie can choke to death. I do not know where I can find smaller earthworms.

[aymeh21]

lea,

I have been thinking about the bloodworms. I will go get some of them tomorrow and give them a shot.

Do you guys think I should keep Kirby in the wine chiller and see if he passes anything? I just peeked at him in the chiller and he was once again in the middle of a movement. If I should keep in him there I assume since he is in on the skinny side that I should take him out during the day and let him warm up with some food and see if he will eat?

Thanks for the concern so far guys! I really appreciate not feeling so helpless!

[Leanne]

Abby my white axie decided to stop eating so I did put him in the fridge and he was in there for about 1 week. I was also putting food in there with him 1 hour before i did water changes so if he was feeling a bit peckish he could have a munch.
Axies like to make us worry....minie do all the time. Your not alone, there are loads of people here to help.

[aymeh21]

good news! Kirby just took the biggest poop ever! I'm going to leave him in the fridge over night I believe and try to get him back to eating tomorrow.

[Leanne]

good news.....I bet you never thought you would be excited over poop did you
Let us know how kirby goes. Special treat for kirby tomorrow.
You know you could cut a biggish worm in half and put it with some bloodworms and see if he eats them that way.
I use a feeding jar(peanut butter jar) for bloodworms cause they go everwhere otherwise.

[aymeh21]

all right guys...so I bought kirby some bloodworms today as suggested. Well....he is completely uninterested. He does not acknowledge them one bit. I have tried earthworm after earthworm in every shape and size today, but no luck. He is interested in the worms when they wiggle around long enough to suck them up and then spit them back out. I have managed to get him to eat 2 or 3 salmon pellets today. I do not want to only feed him these because I'm afraid this is what led to his prior constipation in the first place.

Any suggestions on how to get him to take notice of the bloodworms? Or how to get him to finish the job that he starts with the earthworms?

[Leanne]

I was under the impression that bloodworms where like chocolate....you cant just have 1.
Have you tried soaking the earthworms?? sometimes they have a yukky taste.
Is there a vet near you that you can call??? It might be a throat infection. Can you see down kirby's throat?

[aymeh21]

I may try some more bloodworms later tonight. I have been trying to get him interested in anything all day. I've tried hand feeding and using a turkey baster which is what he's mostly used to, but I have also just left food in there and let him be for a while. I think at this point he has managed to eat 4 or 5 pellets, which makes me feel a bit better.

About soaking the earthworm; how long do you soak them?

And about the vet; there are vets around here, but no one in this neck of the woods has ever heard of an axolotl.

Are there any more food options? All the pet store had to offer today was frozen bloodworms and frozen baby mice.

[Leanne]

I used to soak them for about 20 mins to 30mins just to be sure.
You might have better luck when it is dark feeding him. Keep trying. Dont stress to much he has eaten today.
To stop the bloodworms going everywhere I use a cleaned out peanut butter jar. I put the jar in the tank and then put the bloodworms in and put the jar in front of the axie and they go in have a feed and then come out when they are finished. When they are done I take the jar out empty it and Im done. No mess over the tank.

[aymeh21]

I will try soaking the worms and see if that helps. (I hope I'm almost out of worms! ha) Unfortunately it is dark here, about 9:30 p.m.

And I definately did take your advice about using a feeding jar. I put some down in a mason jar and sat them in there. I did make a little bit of a mess getting them down in there, (I'll learn!) but thank god for the turkey baster.

[Leanne]

of course it is....i forgot....it is lunch time here.....1230pm.
I put the feeding jar back in the tank after i clean it out....the axies use it to climb on.
I place the frozen bloodworm in the jar and then when it is defrosting the bits fall down and get the axies attention and the go in and eat them.

[2roxfox]

don't be afraid to offer whole earthworms - he won't choke. If the worm is too big it will be spat out. I find that the frogs spawn soon after the axolotls here at my place, so I have a great supply of tadpoles which they absolutely love. I have never fed mine anything but live food. The pet stores tell you to give them pellets and frozen worms etc but that stuff is not really their scene - what axolotls really like is things that wriggle. Mine are also quite partial to slaters, which is great for when i can't find any worms or tadpoles. You can find really tiny ones for tiny axolotls and they will run around on the bottom of the tank for a couple of days before they die - that is if they last that long. You get next to no water contamination if you stick to live food and best of all it is free. I think the pet shops often recommend ox-heart, pellets, frozen worms etc because it means you have to return to their store and spend money. Try to tempt him with stuff that wriggles and I think he may perk up for you. Good luck.