Axolotls need gravel?

[birdsong]

I was browsing the Axolotl Wikipedia page and found some interesting stuff -
"There are persistent statements in pet care literature that axolotls cannot be kept on gravel because gravel causes fatal digestive impaction. There is no evidence to support this myth and counter evidence that normal healthy axolotls regularly ingest gravel and pass it without any negative consequences. The axolotl, like many amphibians, may be deliberately ingesting gravel to act as a gastrolith providing buoyancy control and aiding digestion, preventing impaction, rather than causing it. Axolotls deprived of appropriately sized gravel will ingest anything else they can find while attempting to satisfy their instinctive need for gastroliths and this behaviour, combined with lack of appropriate gastroliths, may be a cause, among others, of fatal impaction [19][20][21]["


I was wondering if any one has experience with axolotl gastroliths or if this is just blatant misinformation?

 

[rachel1]

I would think that sand could potentially serve the same function with less of an impaction risk. I had not heard that theory, but they will ingest gravel that will clearly not pass through the pelvis, so I'm not convinced of the safety. I do notice that my guys sometimes pass small amounts of sand, but no more than an 1/8tsp for 8 to 12" adults. They spit most of if out when they accidentally suck it up while eating. I'm not convinced it's an instinctual need for gastroliths so much as a willingness to try to eat anything. I do know that many captive axolotls have lived long healthy lives without rocks inside them, so I'm also unconvinced they are necessary for health like grit is in birds.

 

[birdsong]

I agree with your points I was just kinda stunned after reading several accounts of death by impaction on this site to read something so contrary to that. I will be keeping mine on sand definitely not worth the risk

 

[auntiejude]

Seeing as their native lakes are silt bottomed I don't see how axies have evolved to eat gravel.

There is a product in Europe called axogravel that is smooth small pebbles, designed to pass through an axie's digestive system without damage.

And I can understand how an individual axie may develop a habit of ingesting stones, particularly if they are a 'floater', and I can see how axies who eat a lot of insect may benefit from gastrolith to help break down chitinous exoskeletons. But axies do not have a gizzard, so the benefit would be limited.

But having seen the problems gravel can cause I would not use it.

 

[birdsong]

Interesting I've never heard of this axolotl gravel I don't think it's available in the states. Thank you for the info I guess this is a wide spread myth

 

[michael]

You will find better info on rearing axolotls at axolot.orgl than wikipedia.

 

[birdsong]

Yes I was just perusing it as it seems I've read all the easily available online material . Do you have any recommended literature I could read as I gather you are very experienced in salamander care .

 

[michael]

Best info is on axolotl.org , Axolotl genetic stock center, and caudata.org As a rule of thumb look at how many green dots are under the user name of the person giving advice on caudata.org to guess at what weight you should give to the answer. Some enthusiast get excited about helping out before they know what they are doing.

 

[birdsong]

Gotcha I've read all of those in there entirety but I'm always looking for more axolotl reads. It seems like there's only so much to know about them

 

[Skudo09]

Wow Wikipedia at its finest... I would take any information on Wikipedia with a huge grain of salt. There is always something new to learn about axolotls but I feel I am learning most from just reading through threads on this forum and the Caudata websites as well as axolotl.org.