Strang lump, advice needed

Well, I got axolotl fever and got another axolotl. Now I have 7!, and plenty of tanks around. 5 will be in the big 60 gallon while two will go into a 20 gallon.


This new one seems to have some sort of strange lump growing by its private area just under its leg. It is too small to tell the sex, it is about 4 inches (8 cm's) long. It seems very active, healthy, and at a good weight, but I am concerned about the lump. I won't be able to take a good picture of it until Sunday or so when our friend comes over.

It almost looks like it is just a deformity and that it might just be a male sexual organ slightly exposed or protruding outward in the skin, or just some extra skin.

Can anyone advise me on what to do? He seems perfectly fine other than this lump.

I'm happy to say that he is a Melanoid, but an interesting one at that . He does not have any gold pigments, its eyes are very dark and he is a light black color rather than dark with many dark black spots all over his body, he's just beautiful!

I'm going to wait to name it I think until I know the sex of it.

Thanks guys

Axolotls don't have external sexual organs, neither male nor female. It may be a tumor of sorts, or possibly a prolapse. A picture would help, so we'll wait until sunday.

Oh man... of all the luck. I really hope that it is not either one of those things.

It is off to the side, not directly on the cloacal region, but off to the side. Since I don't have a camera to take quality pictures, here is a very crude diagram of what where it is located.



I have to put my cat down on on Tuesday... I don't want to also have to put down another family member, I'm having a hard time as it is

My adult albino has a lump either side of him in that approximate area. I think it is his hip bone. Sounds weird if it only on the one side.

Are they perfectly round, Andrew? This lump on him seems perfectly round and sort of pale, but not transparent, like it is just skin but a little deformed. I really hope that it will be ok.

It eats well, loves to watch me and comes to the top to get food when it knows I am near by. I have already had success feeding him some blood worms and some colony pellets. I'll watch him for 30 days, he is by him self in a 5 gallon tank, and after 30 days I will move him in with my other two babies if he still seems healthy.

I plan to set up my 20 gallon tank soon and put all three of my babies in it sometime in February after it has finished cycling. Since they are still still pretty small, they can't go into the big tank with the others and there isn't much point in keeping them in containers for several more months. After the months have passed I'll move either one or two into the big tank.

I so hope he will be ok

my wild type has a lump on his right side just above his hind leg also not sure what is is either but doesnt seem to be bothering him, i'm thinking it's a tumor ? as it is under the skin on mine ?
i know what u mean about ur cat too, as my dog died in the back of my car on the way to the vet from liver failyer "2 yrs ago christmas just gone" i still get a lump in my throat when i talk about her sad stuff she was so protective of me too..
i was actually thinking of starting up a web site to post pictures of peoples pets that have died
a place to have a photo memory of ur belovered animals.....
i made this tomb stone up for her and have her lead and color hanging next to where i buried her in the back garden cry.........

my wild type has a lump like that but its not big, it just looks like excess skin. probably different to what yours has.i wouldnt worry unless it gets any bigger.

Thank you rob for your kind words. What you made for your dog looks very nice, and so very thoughtful.

I don't have any place to burry my animals that pass away. I had a Mud Puppy a type of giant aquatic salamander, also called a Necturus and I loved him I had to find a nice park to burry him in when he died. He died of fungus because back then I knew nothing about cycling tanks and he came to me very sick, so thin and weak.

Best wishes to you.

Alex, it seems a lot of people have the same lump on their axolotls. Well, I'm by all means not prepared to lose another pet, but I will keep watching the lump and see if it gets any bigger.

Thanks again everyone

they do look pretty round, or did. He's a lot fatter now.

I have taken a photo for you. Its not of good quality (damn rodger kept moving and the camera wouldn't focus). I'll try and take a better one for you tomorrow as its getting late here.

I have highlighted the lump for you. Its hard to see in this picture and it was allot more prominent when i first got him, as he was rather skinny. My other axies dont seem to have this visible lump.

Thanks Alex. Mine is a good weight, but he is a little on the skinny side, which I think accounts for that he recently came from the breeder. But he isn't an un-healthy skinny.

The lump on mine is a little lower, just behind the leg.

Sorry. Thought i could help.

Best of luck with it.

Definately not the hip-bone. These are higher up, above the legs. If it doesn't grow (keep a good eye on it!), and the axolotl is otherwise behaving normally, I wouldn't worry about it. They occasionally get cysts and lumps. I had a Taricha with a small abcess on her tail, and the vet said that since it was small and had never gotten worse, it probably wouldn't bother her.

Rob, I'm sorry for your loss. I had to put my dog down a few years ago due to pancreatic cancer. It was very hard on everyone. They're another member of the family; they just don't talk as much at the dinner table. And it's hard when they have to go.

no worries Rheann u will probably think about ur cat for some time to come but it does get easier on u and having other petz does make it easier i think... i think it's good to have some kind of monument as a reminder of how much they were loved
and thx Joan i agree they are like one of the family, she was like my best m8 it broke me up pretty bad especially for the first few days after she had gone and i have to admit i was bawling my eyes out like a baby the first day after specially considering i buiried her myself about 2hrs after it happened, gotta be one of the hardest things iv'e done, dont mean to sound like a sook but even writting this brings a tear to my eye

Thanks again everyone.

Joan, Rob, I know what you mean. I'm going to be in the room when it happens and I'm so torn up over it I can hardly stand it. It feels like the worst thing ever to me! But I do have some wonderful memories . I'm so happy for that.

Well, my new little axie seems normal, it acts alright, and eagerly excepted its breakfast this morning .

Joan, if it is a cyst or an abcess, do you think that a salt bath or a vet could have it removed successfully without having to put the axolotl down?

Rob, I don't think you sound like anything other than a carrying parent to your departed friend. I've cried so much over Christmas and the last few weeks. Sometimes it just can't be helped .

Jeez Rheann that will be hard being in the room when it's put to sleep, but i guess u want to be with ur cat b4 she goes to sleep sad stuff.... hope u feel better soon. but as u say u must have some great memories..

well after talking about my dog so much recently and having mourned for her for the last two yrs, i made a very big decision today and got another puppy i'm so happy at the moment, my last dog was a "pure" bitch blue heeler "deaf as a post" and couldn't bring my self to get another bluey "but" instead i got a "pure" male red heeler
or so i was told, but i think he has some blue in him. they are such a smart dog heres a pic

as u can probably tell i'm a bit impulsive

awww!! what a cutie!

our dog tank died one year ago to the day. he was such a cutie (pure rottie) and i miss him so much. he passed away due to cancer in his neck. we got two cats a few months after he died (took in some strays) and one of them just seems too much like tank- almost like he got reincarnated! she sleeps like him, pants like him, even chases my little sister up and down the hallway playing with her... its uncanny the resemblance they have!

rob- at least you were there when your dog died! i was 9 hours drive away with no way to rush home before he got put down, i was so heartbroken *tears start to well up in eyes* mum reckuns he just let go after i talked to him on the phone, like he knew after i talked to him he would be leaving us... well thats all for now, i cant see the screen properly due to tears now haha

rheann i hope your axies lump doesnt grow, it seems pretty normal from what everyone has said.

awwww he's gorgeous Rob! you don't know how much this makes me miss my shi tzu who's living with my p's currently because I work full time and no one at home here to look after him during the day. that's actually the main reason i got axies, living on your own doesn't really make for much company.

sorry to hear that Sharn, yes it is soooo sad loosing a loved pet i totally believe in reincarnation and hoping my new dog has some of Sabre's old traits although one thing i probably wont do is train my new dog to retrieve balls etc as Sabre was absolutely obsessed in any thing u threw for her to retrieve lol, she even got to the point of dropping things such as a match stick for me to throw for her to retrieve lol
but saying that it was very funny to watch...
also very sad u were not there in his final hrs but at least u talked to him b4 he went to a better place and i'm sure one day, hopefully a long way down the track u will come together and be re- united

aww, just reading this makes me all misty. Losing animals is tough. I like to think up in Doggy Heaven, there are no heating vents. My dog was terrified of the vents on the floor.

Rheann, a cyst could be drained and an abcess popped pretty easily by a vet. Even one who's not that experienced with herps should be able to do it. If you're so inclined, you could take him in. They'll probably run a biopsy on it to make sure it's not anything bad.

Oh my I'm sooooo sorry to read all your sad pet stories. Rob your new puppy is just gorgeous and Rheann I know along with many others here that parting with a treasured friend is extremely difficult but sometimes it's just the kindest thing we can do for them. Anyhow this is for you all

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE
The real Rainbow Bridge is near Lake Powell, Arizona.
It is a sacred Indian stone bridge. The legend says:
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal
dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to
Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run
and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our
friends are warm and comfortable. All of the animals who had been ill or
old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are
made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days
and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small
thing: they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left
behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops
and looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent; her eager body
quivers. Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green
grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster. You have been spotted, and
when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous
reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face,
your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the
trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent
from your heart.
Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together....