Fostering Axolotls

Okay, I've had my friend's 3 axolotls for quite a while now (got them round to my house on 23/03/11, I think), after they weren't kept in the best conditions + I've been building them back up, which I have got a tremendous sense of acheivement from :happy:
I offered to sell them + their tank for my friend (for the same price as she bought the tank for 2nd hand, not asking for money for the axolotls), but I wanted to make sure they were doing well before passing them on to anyone else. They have been reserved by someone, but they couldn't be collected for 2 months (which suited me, so I could feed them up, keep an eye while they regrowed missing limbs + I changed their diet), but I thought it might be nice to write a thread about them.

They were hatched February 2010, from the same batch as my 3 axolotls, but mine had grown to 19-20cm up until March this year, whereas my friend's 3 had only reached 11-13cm. Instead of continually writing "my friend's axolotls" I'll call them the "mini-lotls" All 3 had been kept in a 2ft tank (which I'd lent to my friend when I upgraded my guys' tank), but even though my friend bought a 2.5ft tank + I kept nagging her, she never upgraded them + the 4 plants in the 2ft tank took up most of their space. They never seemed in too bad a condition until I got them all out seperately to access them when she decided to rehome them + I was fairly shocked when I did see them.


The photos below are when I first got the little guys.
First photo is the 13cm golden, who had no nipping injusries, but did disappear down the back of the cupboard on the 1st day, so didn't start well with me!
The 2nd photo is the 12cm wildtype, who had a front leg missing.
The 3rd photo is the 11cm golden, who had a back leg missing, plus some rather nasty damage / swelling to the other back leg.

Just realised the photos aren't from the day I got them, as they were litlerally straight, from the hips to the neck, but in these photos, they have decent shapes to their bodies!!!



I kept all 3 in seperate maragrine tubs (large 1s, well cleaned out obviously!) + did daily 100% water changes, with treated water that was also left to stand for 24hrs. To begin with, the only thing they would eat was thawed bloodworm, but their rooting instinct was missing, so I spent 1/2hr feeding them with a tiny pipette, right in front of their noses. Twice daily!!! I then started leaving a little bit extra in their tubs, until they started rooting for it. The next step was to stop pipette feeding them + just squirt the bloodworm into their water. Then, I took the number of feeds down to once daily.
After they'd bulked up a bit, I started them on tiny pieces of earthworm (having to cut the worms into 2-3mm pieces + soak them for 10mins before offering them)+ feeding them with tweezers. I was trying pieces of worms for 2 days + if not eating, giving bloodworm again every 3rd day (my theory was that they'd be more willing to try the new food if hungry, but I was weary of them not eating for too long) They adapted quite well, completely within a couple of weeks in fact!
When happily munching pieces of earthworm, I started just adding them to the water, rather than using the tweezers + that's what stage we are at about 6 weeks later. I'm trying to gradually increase the size of the wormy-bites, but that bit they don't seem too keen on!

The 13cm golden has only grown 0.5cm, but s/he is off food at the moment + I'm having to feed a few bits with tweezers at every meal, just to be satisfied that a little bit of something is being eaten I also give each of them a couple of cherry shrimp each week, which are always eaten
The 11cm golden is also now 13.5cm, so an increase of 2.5cm. The missing back leg is about 1/2 grown back + the damaged back leg is no longer swollen, but will probably never be back to normal.
But, amazingly, the 12cm wildtype has shot up to 16cm (in just over 1 month, s/he has gained an extra 1/3 of the length s/he has grown to in a whole year!). The missing front leg is now nearly back to normal; only slightly smaller than the other front leg I've had to upgrade this 1 to a bigger tub (that I had been using for my own axie when she had to be isolated due to a broken leg), but I have now set up the 2.5ft tank today. It's basic, but only temporary anyway -


I've deliberately kept the water level down, as there is only a sponge filter, plus it'll be cycling with axies in it (but, the wildtype is desperate for more space + since they're healing well, it's time for the to get back to being axies + doing axie things) so I'll be doing daily water changes - thinking of 1/4 of the tank, but need confirmation that it's a suitable amount please!

I'll add current photos of the axies themselves tonight, when I feed them + change water - the I've only set up the tank today, so want to leave it empty overnight.

Not my best photos ever (+ didn't have time to get better, as the batteries in my camera have run out), but enough to show the general shape of the axies + their regenerated limbs :happy:
I've added the photos in the same order as the previous 1s, since I can no longer call the biggest / smallest goldens, as they're the same length

This is a nice thread! Very encouraging. It's cool to follow the rehabilitation of some axies. They're already looking much better! Good job!

The was-11cm-golden + the wildtype, enjoying relaxing in their new surroundings -

I'm very pleased to see that you're going well out of your way to care for these somewhat neglected animals that aren't really yours. It takes a special kind of pet owner to do this.

good job!! very nice!

Success!!!

YAY!!! Last night I gave my smallest earthworms (5-7cm when stretched out) to these guys, whole + the 2 in the tank ate them fine. In fact, they were VERY eager (the wild-type had 3 worms + the golden had 2 worms)

Re: Success!!!

there is a very obvious improvement! you are definitely showing them alot of love! truly an inspiration!

Re: Success!!!

Kaytiandpixie said:

there is a very obvious improvement! you are definitely showing them alot of love! truly an inspiration!

Click to expand...

Part of me feels guilty - that I went to collect mine + my friend's axies from the very wonderful esoteric + since I took charge of them from him (who he trusted to do right by them), it was still partly my responsibility to make sure they were cared for. Also, I feel guilty that I didn't notice their condition until I finally managed to persuade my friend to rehome them (only when I got them all into seperate tubs, so I could advertise them honestly, did I see the state they were in), but then again, I didn't / don't go round to my friend's house often, as she used to usually come to mine (before she got a boyfriend in December + now I rarely see her - it's their wedding this Saturday too, but I doubt it's possible to see her much less than I already do, LoL!)


I'd be trying anyway though, but it is a big ask to get someone to put so much time + effort into something they know won't be with them for very long (I'm definately getting attached to them though - especially the wild-type), but I guess my reward is knowing that I've helped some animals that couldn't help themselves + the satisfaction I get from seeing their improvement


Still a bit worried about the other golden though - the only 1 to have not had any injusries, but isn't eating well at all. I think, now the other 2 have decided that worms are yummy, to reduce feeding frequency - maybe the golden with little appetite is naturally slim + the reason it isn't eating is because it's full! Worth a try, I reckon

The golden with the dodgy back legs was already called Oz, (sorry Aussies - no offense intended!!!) by me, within a couple of weeks of us originally getting our axies, as it went through a phase of floating at funny angles (including upside down). Assuming it's that 1, as it lost balance once with me + had to be fridged.
I've JUST decided to call the wild-type Alpha + the other golden Beta, so I don't have to keep referring to their colours

Also just decided on Deltaqua for my golden girl, or Delta for short (as in D for Dog, since Delta is the Greek letter D, and with Aqua being water) :happy:

Time for an update - don't like the sound of Deltaqua after all, but after my holiday in Wales, my golden boy is now called Ddraig, which is Welsh for dragon

And, after being kept in the same tank as the other 2 (partitioned), as I was away for a week + couldn't leave him/her in a tub without water changes, my friend's other golden has now joined her other 2 in the tank without a divider, as s/he is eating worms perfectly, like the other 2

Looking forward to adopting these two next week After viewing them today to I was impressed by the care and attention that has gone into getting them back up to speed, well done! The more I learn about these little fellows, the more they amaze me

Larger golden was adopted yesterday, by a lovely girl from only about 15mins away + Giles (who as he said, will be adopting the wild-type + smaller golden, with his missus) is maybe only 10mins away - getting a nice little community of axie lovers nearby now
Giles should be adopting his 2 in around a week, after his tank cycles sufficiently - everyone say hi, LoL!

But, before all 3 have gone, I thought I'd update with new sizes, as I measured them last week - the largest golden was 19cm, the wild-type was 18cm + the smallest golden was 16cm. They've caught up to normal size rather nicely + I'm amazed that they've nearly doubled their sizes in a 3rd of the time it took them to get to the sizes they were when I adopted them (they were around a year then + they've only been with me around 4months)

Okay, so I forgot to take a photo or 2 of "Alpha" before she went, but I've just taken a few photos of "Bravo" + "Oz" (temporary names Giles - feel free to name them whatever you want - I don't think the axolotls themselves mind what they're called, to be honest, as long as you keep the worms coming )

VERY encouraging, mines similar to the ones in your first phots but 100% skinnier, ill let you know how i get on thank you for the information and well done for getting these fellas back to health!

sheena22 said:

VERY encouraging, mines similar to the ones in your first phots but 100% skinnier, ill let you know how i get on thank you for the information and well done for getting these fellas back to health!

Click to expand...

Yeah, it was obvious to me after I'd posted the photos that I was wrong + the photos were AFTER they'd started eating for me. Just take it slowly, with little bits. Wishing you lots of luck + hugs :happy:

Mojo, in about 6 months when Kitty's fully grown, if you're still doing the axie sanctuary I would love to adopt one. I'll ask nearer the time, it would be an excellent way of not getting babies!