Axolotl hasn't eaten for a couple of months Help!

[Ruthienewb]

Wicket is a three year old male axolotl. He has had some kind of fungus on one of his feet for a long time (it looks a bit like icing sugar). I was reluctant to take him out of the tank because other than that he was ok. A couple of months ago I noticed him looking uncomfortable with his bottom floating and reluctant to move his back legs. I felt I had no choice but to remove him from the tank this time. I 'fridged' him and he passed a couple of large solid poos, he also either passed or vomited some gravel up. The substrate in the tank has been sand for a while now; we took the gravel out when wicket developed the fungus on his foot as I was concerned there may have been bacteria on it causing the issue. I think that wicket and our female have been eating and passing odd bits of gravel that they ate before we put the sand in. We are now 2 months down the line and he seems to be deteriorating; he snubs any food, ( bits of prawn, pellets, bloodworms) offered, his bottom end still has a tendency to float and the fungus is now evident on all of his feet and gills. I haven' t known what to do for the best. I am currently fridging him and giving him regular salt baths but he isn't improving; I took him to the vet on Monday and they were going to get in touch with an Exotics centre and let me know what they advised. I am still waiting on that call and wonder whether they are as much at a loss as I am. Does the fact that his bottom end still has a tendency to float indicate he is impacted? Am I just prolonging his agony keeping him in the fridge? If anyone can help Wicket we will both be really grateful!

[Johnny O. Farnen]

All the answers you seek are readily available in the forums, in the stickies, and on the axolotl site and caudata culture. In you case you will want to read up on the fridging procedures on the axolotl sanctuary site too.

[Ruthienewb]

I have read and re read everything there is to read on the forums and Internet trying to help Wicket! He had an X-ray today which as suspected showed he had gravel stuck inside him. We haven't had gravel in the tank for a long time now so I believe that the fungus that started on his foot was indicative of the underlying condition. I have had to go down the route of euthanising him today given that the chance of him surviving an operation was slim. I have many axolotls and babies as well; the only positive thing to come out of this is the shortening of an axoltls life given the use of gravel; I hope other owners will heed from my experience - as if there isn't enough information warning people of the consequences of using it on the Internet!

[Johnny O. Farnen]

Then my advice is stolen from Douglas Addams:

DON'T PANIC!

Amphibians "work" differently than we do. It can take months for them to recover. Too much interference and stress from the owner often results in what one of our members refers to as "Loving them to death". Be patient!

[Ruthienewb]

He had not eaten for two months and was euthanised today! I was not prepared to let him suffer more than he already had; I certainly would not have wanted to watch him waste away on the off chance he might eventually pass the gravel over a period of months! Thanks for your late and not particularly helpful advice!!

[Kaiseric]

Sorry about your situation, but that last line was unnecessary. No reply to your thread would magically remove the gravel fused to your axolotls innards or the fungus eating away it's feet and legs, nor did it place it there. This is a free website for caudate enthusiasts. The member that responded simply pointed you in the right direction to where you could read about solutions to the problems your animal was experiencing.

If you read through the information you were directed to, hopefully your next axolotl will not need to be euthanised. Proper research into care should be conducted by anyone before purchasing any animal.

Again, sorry about your situation, but I felt that last comment was backhanded, unfounded, and unnecessary.