Question: coming out of the fridge...

Hi All ,

my big girl is due to come out the fridge at the end of the week after nearly a 4 week stint and I would like to know how to re-acclimatise her into her tank? I was thinking that I put cold water (50/50? or more) into the tank then float her fridging container in that and let it all just come to room temperature before turning her out. Is this slow enough for her. I have moved the tank to a colder room (under the air conditioning vent) as I suspect (with all I now know) that the water was getting too warm and she was stressing for some time. I have also put sand in the bottom.

I do have another question. She hasn't eaten at all since being in the fridge which I'm not too bothered about but as I'm changing her diet now she is out, how do I get her interested in worms and pellets? I guess I'm hoping her interest in food will return as she used to be as she was a good hunter and stealth was her game. Always was a talking point with visitors, show them how she pounced. I suppose it is a wait and see situation?

Change her into fresh cold water one last time before warming her up. Ammonia is a lot more toxic at higher temperatures and you do not want to expose her to a blast of ammonia while equallising temperatures before letting her loose in the tank. Otherwise floating the fridging container in the tank is fine.

After fridging my axolotls seem to take a day or two to get their appetites back up to their usual ravenous level.

Hi Jenfox,

I agree a quick 100% water change with fridge cold dechlorinated water will be a good strategy.

Thereafer i would approach it in one of two ways. I would either leave her to float in her container of cold water which is in turn suspended or left to float in the main tank water. Remember to keep the lid loosely capped. This is to prevent your axie jumping out. The container water would soon equilibrate with the tank water temperature in which you can then release your axie back to the main tank.

The other method is just to leave your loosely capped container containing the axie on your kitchen benchtop and allow it to warm up slowly to the ambient temperature. I prefer the former method.

The increased temperature of the main tank will increase her metabolism once more. That would increase her appetite provided she is not ill and the water parameters, temperature and conditions are fine. To stimulate her appetite you can try the following.

1) Offer live wriggly worms
2) Offer novel treats - feeder fish, shrimp, beef etc.
3) Feed her a variety of food types
4) Feed her during dawn or dusk where they are most active (crepuscular).

Cheers.

jenfox said:

Hi All ,

how do I get her interested in worms and pellets? I guess I'm hoping her interest in food will return as she used to be as she was a good hunter and stealth was her game.

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Hi :happy: I've found that my axolotl eats pellets better if I drop one pellet at a time into the tank onto his head.He is more likely to eat them if they are moving, instead of handfeeding or putting them in his bowl.