Axolotl Bark

Okay, not sure if this has been talked about before so if it has sorry for not looking prior. I have three little freaks I take care of, each with its own personality and I noticed something not too long ago. While my wife was away and I was doing some work on the computer, I heard this strange, high-bitched bark coming from the tank. I recently found a set up for the tank that led them all to be more active (this one seemed to never want to come out of their cave), and this seemed to make the one little bugger particularly more excited to swim around like a fool. So I looked at the tank and turned on the light to see what was going on and saw nothing. But, to my luck, he moved to the fake plants and pulled himself to the surface, opened his mouth and released that strange sound. It almost sounds like a muffled horn or a dog with a sock stuck in its throat if you can image that. I had heard it before but never believed it was coming from them until I saw it. My wife thought I was nuts until she too noticed it the one day and now we fairly regularly, at least once a day, will hear a little bark. Is this some sort of mating thing (they're all male) or perhaps simply some sort of sound they make when excited? I'm curious to see if it has any function or if they're just being goonballs.

Im not really sure what breed of freaks you are talking about. I assume because its in this forum you are referring to axolotls.

Axolotls do not have the the ability to vocalise physically they do however periodically gulp air to fill the lungs and aid with floatation.

It is possible that this gulping may be producing the noise. But axies cannot bark.

It is a bit freakish that axies don't continue in their developemental process and morph but They are not the freaks.

They are TOTAL freaks, and I was using the term lovingly. I suppose then that it must have something to do with how they're drawing the air in, odd though it is.

Wow thats really cool, I hope mine do that when they grow up. As for them being so aggitated, is there a heater in the tank or simmilar things as axolotls don't really like heat and they can get stressed and move around alot. Their metabolism speeds up as well which means they have to be feed more often as well. They may just be lively but I would check it out on an axolotl website which may be able to tell you whats causing them to move around so much and possibly why they bark lol. Hope that helps.

Thanks! No, no heater, I keep watch of their temperature and it always is nice and stable. It doesn't seem like stress, but that could be a possibility. They seem pretty happy though and let me handle them so maybe not, but I'll look into it.

They seem pretty happy though and let me handle them so maybe not, but I'll look into it.

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They always smile even if they're in horrble conditions.

Too much unnecessary handling can easily stress them out.

Just because they don't go crazy when you pick them up doesn't mean they like it.

ianclick said:

they do however periodically gulp air to fill the lungs and aid with floatation.It is possible that this gulping may be producing the noise. But axies cannot bark

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Ya, I seen and heard my male do it today. Just a gulp of air.:errr:

The main worry with handling axies is damaging the slime coat. Which is a necessary part of their natural protection.

I would resist the temptation as you may be unintentionally harming them not mention introducing disease to the tank. Think about where our hands go during an average day and bear in mind that axies naturally come from a very pure water source.