What do you lot think?

Some of you may know I not only rehomed Angel a couple of months ago but a week later, I also rehomed Goldie - he's gold....Original, I know! I've posted here as I'm not so much concerned. It's more a case of confusion and intrigue! When I first got the pair (from two different owners) they were exactly the same size, (approx 4 inches) albeit Angel was a skinny minnie. Now, a couple of months later, Angel looks fantastic! She's fit, she's growing fast, she's chubby, she's as spontaneous as axolotls get and almost doubled in size! Goldie....hasn't grown. At all. I know about axolotls growing at different rates and what not but he's just...stuck in tiny baby form. He eats very well and is a good weight, seems happy enough if not a little shy but he's just so tiny! No mass gained, no gill growth, nothing. I am aware that the original owner "rescued" him from a pet shop...but could he be dwarf? Or would it be too early to recognize such a "deformity"? Lets just be clear, I'm not jumping for joy at the aspect (in fact it's going to be a pain in the bum housing him alone) and he certainly won't be used for breeding purposes....But, could he be? Let us ponder...

This happens with reptiles easily, but I'm not sure with amphibians...

I've rescued and rehabilitated quite a few bearded dragons among other reptiles. If they were not fed properly (or at all) when they were younger, their growth becomes stunted. I've seen adult bearded dragons with an adult sized head on a juvenile's body. It's rather sad. Stunted growth may never be regained.

But then, there have also been dwarf axolotls... One of my two year old adults was 6 inches long next to a 14 inch adult of the same age, and they were both hand fed the same amounts. Some members on here also have adult axolotls that have maxed at 5 inches. There is also Jaymes' dwarf:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...otl-gallery/70959-melanoid-high-dorsal-2.html

My guess after a natural difference in growth rate would be nutrition, then genetics. As long as it doesn't keep them from eating, then it doesn't matter anyway.

I totally understand what you mean and like I said I'm really not worried as he seems to be a healthy little chap but It was only this morning I saw their size difference and thought "Oh...what's going on here then". I thought it would be interesting to see what other people thought on the matter. The size difference is getting a little too different for me to feel comfortable housing them together at the moment so...Somebody's going in the big baby tank.

My little guy doesn't put weight on, and can't keep it on. To keep him at the normal looking size I feed him twice a day. He eats great variety and not too much fat etc, but early on in life he didn't have a good diet. Hopefully soon he will have a growth spurt, by the way, how did you come up with the name goldie

I know, Goldie just came to mind....I thought it was beautiful, it was meant to be! :lol: Goldie's the name his original owner was calling him so I thought yea ok, saves me having to think of something whacky! They all have names but they usually just end up being called fatty 1, fatty 2, fatty 3.... this saves a lot of thinking time, I have a lot of names to remember!