Going on vacation - What to do with Axo's?

Hi all,

I'm going on vacation and had a person arranged to feed my axolotl's, but she will may be not make it. I'm leaving at the 30th of July, and will be away untill the 8th or 9th of August. I can't really think up someone else who could feed them for me. Now I read that according to the caudata website, it should be possible to leave adult axo's for a weel and a half. Both of my axo's are full grown adults with a good weight. So, it should be possible to leave them without any care. But, my second problem is my cooling system. Each day about half a liter water disappears from my aqua because I build four computer fans on top of it. This because the temperature else could raise above 26 degrees Celcius (if it is nice weather, which isn't the case now in Holland, but could be next week) . If I don't refill it, my equipment could break which can harm them, and I don't want to risk that. So, what other options are there? Can I leave them in the fridge for more than a week without water changes? Or should I shut down the cooling system and risk that the water temperature will get too high... and try to let that not happen by closing the curtains and putting some towels over the aqua? Have any ideas?

With regards,
Sifra

Put them in an extra large container (separately, one in each container) in the fridge while you're gone.

If possible, have someone check on them at least once while you're gone and remove poop.

Don't feed them for a day or two before you go, or they'll just poop straight away when you put them in the fridge.

That's the whole problem. There is no one in this city who can check them for me while I'm gone, if she can't make it. I'm living here because of my education and most of the students are moved for their internship or are on vacation/home. I'm gonna move too on the 26 August. Is it save to put them in te fridge without someone checking it?

Yes. Put them in the fridge for a few days before you go, so they will void their guts. And don't feed them any more. If they're adults, they'll be just fine for more than a week in the fridge without food. Then you can be sure they won't foul the water while you're gone. Then make sure they're in large containers of clean water (as many liters as you can muster).

I have accidentally left juveniles in small 'sandwich' size containers for 10 days before at ~10c and they were fine.

Kaysie said:

Yes. Put them in the fridge for a few days before you go, so they will void their guts. And don't feed them any more. If they're adults, they'll be just fine for more than a week in the fridge without food. Then you can be sure they won't foul the water while you're gone. Then make sure they're in large containers of clean water (as many liters as you can muster).

I have accidentally left juveniles in small 'sandwich' size containers for 10 days before at ~10c and they were fine.

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I'm curious because I might be in the same boat.
If I had to resort to fridging, would 4.5 inch axolotls be ok for 4 days?
Also, how do people go about "defrosting" their axolotls to avoid temperature shock?

4 days shouldn't be a problem.

To warm them up, just put them out on the table for a couple of hours, then float them in their tank for a little bit to bring them back up to temperature.

I should note: the only reason I'm recommending Cif put his axolotls in the refrigerator is because of their elaborate/delicate cooling setup, and the length of their trip, and the fact that air conditioning in Europe is not as prevalent as it is in the US.

If it's already cool in your house (Air conditioning) or your axolotls are in the basement, or you can have someone come check on them regularly, and you're only going to be gone a few days, unless you live in Florida, Texas or Arizona, they should be fine for a few days without any additional input.

I live in Atlanta... pretty hot but not like Arizona. Mostly in the 90's. We have A/C but I'm worried about what might happens if it breaks while I'm away.
I'm going to try and get my sister to come check on them and feed them, but I'm not sure how possible that will be.

hacelepues said:

I live in Atlanta... pretty hot but not like Arizona. Mostly in the 90's. We have A/C but I'm worried about what might happens if it breaks while I'm away.
I'm going to try and get my sister to come check on them and feed them, but I'm not sure how possible that will be.

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I live in ATL too; it's a problem keeping my water temperature low.

ArdyBay said:

I live in ATL too; it's a problem keeping my water temperature low.

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Yeah, mine has been basically 69-70 F for the past month. Really hard to keep it down but the axis seem fine.

If should be super easy once the end of October comes around this city is ridiculous. It has the ability to be both too hot and too cold.

That's one of the issues of keeping temperate species in semi-tropical climates.

If you're going to fridge your axolotls while you're gone, you need to start fridging them for a day or so ahead of time so they have time to clear their gut so they don't poop in their fridge container. Unlike their regular tank, a fridge container is a much smaller volume of water. So if they foul that water, they're in more trouble they would be than if they pooped in their tank.

As an aside, no offense, but I've never liked Atlanta: the traffic's terrible, and you can't get directions anywhere because everything is named Peachtree lane, Peachtree street, Peachtree Blvd, Peachtree drive, Peachtree Place... really, peaches, we got it.

Kaysie said:

As an aside, no offense, but I've never liked Atlanta: the traffic's terrible, and you can't get directions anywhere because everything is named Peachtree lane, Peachtree street, Peachtree Blvd, Peachtree drive, Peachtree Place... really, peaches, we got it.

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None taken, I hate it too
There is nothing to do in Atlanta. We just have a big airport. Whoop-dee-doo! You can go to the world of coke... ONCE. The aquarium... ONCE. All of our really cool things get old fast, and it's too expensive to even be tempting to repeat. Except for sitting in traffic. That's free.
Not to mention we have about 5 stars at night. It's really sad.

I hope to live in San Francisco someday. Perfect temperature all year-round. Wanna go to the beach? Sure, drive an hour this way! Wanna go skiing? Sure, drive an hour the other way!

It will happen... some day.

On a more relevant note, it looks like my sister will be able to stop by on their feeding days! So I don't need to fret

Also, my mom doesn't get why their water needs to be cold. "BUT THEY'RE FROM MEXICO!!!"
Glacial-fed lakes, mom. Read up!

Well, I have a solution... which is kind of a hassle. I have moved them to my parents, with aqua and all, and will move them after my holiday to my parents in law, with aqua and all... and if I move here, I hope 26th of August, I will move them to my own new house... It's a hour drive from here to my house, which I know isn't far for you Americans, but in Holland that's far. Luckily my parents in law could pick me up with my 80cm aqua, and three buckets of stuff what should be in there :'). But I do not have to worry about Sjaak & Sissy, so I'm really happy with this solution

I am commencing my long term axie babysitting planning at the moment..
I am going on exchange for uni to Indonesia for 6 weeks over the summer (Christmas) holidays. I live in a 7 bedroom uni house so someone will be home at all times, but I'm just so nervous that I'm asking too much of my housemates.

My plan so far:
1. I've written general instructions for all of my pets, and a weekly calender of when and what to clean, feed each pet.

2. I plan to set aside a fund for each pet, for the axies it will include money for weekly live fish buying (in case the housemates have no luck feeding earthworms), a little pocket money for my dedicated pet carers, and emergency money for whatever may pop up.

3. I plan on asking a few locals from the forum if it would be possible to have them on 'standby', by that I mean, if I can give the housemates their number so they can call for advice if any 'peculiar' behaviour is happening from the axies, or if any water test results are insane..

Is there anything I've missed? I'm so nervous already and I'm not going till December. I'll still have internet access and phone etc.. but I'm just scared about leaving all my pets for so long.. Axolotls, Bearded dragon. Rat and Cat.. I hope they do fine!!

p

hacelepues said:

Yeah, mine has been basically 69-70 F for the past month. Really hard to keep it down but the axis seem fine.

If should be super easy once the end of October comes around this city is ridiculous. It has the ability to be both too hot and too cold.

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pain of living in ATX USA