Does your axy like to be handled?

My female loves to have her head stroked and does not mind me lifting her out of the tank when cleaning. but my males hate being handled

whats yours like?

I have never tried handling my two but they snap their food out of my hands like lightning so I imagine if my fingers went anywhere near them they would soon end up in their mouths ?


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You shouldn't handle any salamanders any more than absolutely necessary as it can damage their skin. The best way to interact with an axie is to let them sit in your hand under the water, or let them chase your fingers by running them over the outside of your tank. You shoudn't take an axie out of the tank unless you really have to either.

Having said that, encouraging your axies not to be scared of hands is a good thing, it makes it much easier if you do need to examine them, take them to a vet ets.

auntiejude said:

You shouldn't handle any salamanders any more than absolutely necessary as it can damage their skin. The best way to interact with an axie is to let them sit in your hand under the water, or let them chase your fingers by running them over the outside of your tank. You shoudn't take an axie out of the tank unless you really have to either.

Having said that, encouraging your axies not to be scared of hands is a good thing, it makes it much easier if you do need to examine them, take them to a vet ets.

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I never meant handle them as in play with them
i meant when you have to extract them out of their tank when cleaning.

My juvenile one lets me pat it. But my adult really does not care, even if i hold in the water!
They are both female by the way.

Jax doesn't seem to mind a pat. When he had his bloaty tummy/floating butt illness, i'd always gently push his backend down while I fed him, and help him get into his hidey log. So I think that got him used to my hands. That, and the biting.

My little golden will actually come and rub and nibble on my finger when I put it in the tank. Cutest thing ever :happy:

Mine do like it The bigger one will swim to my hand if I'm fixing plants or whatever and he is trained to eat our of my hand. Very impressive for visitors

I handle mine sparingly, usually when I am cleaning the tank and need to move them away from heavy objects or filters.

Embry and Jack were hand-tamed by their previous owners to allow them to remove them from their tanks while cleaning, but I don't like lifting them out of the water as it makes them panic, so I clean with my axxies in the tank and leave enough water to cover their heads before topping up with fresh.

Gally seems to like being held. I put my hand in and gently pat her with the side of my hand if I want to get her away from something, or if I need to put something where she is. Tooth is a funny little thing. He has tried to snap at my wedding ring before, but he's also my oldest axxie and doesn't mind having his tail stroked.

I am sure to be gentle as I don't want to damage the slime coat, and I never take them out of the water this way (I used tubs filled with tank water).

You can also train them to swim up and see you, or to look up when you come to the tank and talk to you, because they get used to you feeding them from above. People are really surprised that they recognise and respond to you.