How old is too old?

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juca1658

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I'm thinking on adopting a 5+ year old axie.
Are the gills supposed to shrink with age?
Does the skin get bumpier?

... because that's what seems to be happening. :sick:
 
I do not think the gills shrink with age. I think it is because the water it was in at some stage of it's life wouldn't have been good or it may have been a bit sick and lost it's feathery parts on it's gills. They can survive without them but they look better with them. Over the years axolotls do get lumps and bumps on their bodies, this is no problem. No age is too old, the only problem is you wont have the axolotl for as long because it is older. The gills should be no problem if the axolotl looks healthy.
Could you post some pictures? If you want to you should buy the axolotl, it's all up to you.
Mitch.
 
I rescued a breeding pair of axies from a pet shop in 2001. They had been living there in a window display tank (!!!) for supposedly 3 years. The male passed away 2007 March, and the female followed a month later. There were definitely lumps and bumps due to age that appeared over the years, and the last two years of their lives the fertility rate on their eggs dropped down to about 20%. It is my understanding that those ages are somewhat unusual. Truth is though, just like a Humane Society dog- there is no such thing as too old when a pet animal needs a new place to live.

As for the small gills, this is most assuredly as stated by the previous poster- at some point in their life the water quality and or temperature was not properly attended to.
 
I think you should give him the loving home he deserves. Be sure to quarantine him first. I understand they can live to ten plus years old, so he's not even halfway yet!
 
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