Illness/Sickness: Mortimer will not eat...

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Mortimer

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I haven't posted about Mortimer on here for a while, but he's really not doing well. His two tank mates are fine.

I switched him to earthworms a while back because of potential MBD, but he has been refusing food altogether for a while now. I haven't seen him eat in a couple weeks. He's losing weight, but I wouldn't say he's thin yet by any means. His mouth is still always gaping open, and he still has the same uncomfortable look on his face he had when I took him to the vet before....

I cut the earthworms into small pieces and hold them in front of his face forever. I try at least 20 minutes every night. He just turns his head away and acts totally uninterested. I don't know what happened to the little guy that used to bite my fingers like crazy. I've tried earthworms, black worms, tiny shrimp, pellets, etc. I don't know what else to do.

The water parameters are good (0/0/20) and the temp is 68. I'm considering taking him back to the vet school here at WSU, but the last time I did they said that nothing was wrong with him.

Any thoughts?

Thank you,

S
 
This is going to sound really weird, but he looks like a zombie. (Wow...) I don't know how else to explain the way he looks these days. I'll try to take a picture......
 
Aaaah! Poor Mortimer. He always had that really cute look. Wish I could help. Get well soon Mortimer.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
 
Is there another vet you can take him to? Maybe get a second opinion, you know when there's something wrong with your own axolotl.
 
Not happy to hear about Mortimer :(
He's a real cutie - but he sounds like a problem child... just like my splat.

I recently (early may) tried to ween splat off live blackworms - because they cost me a fortune & are a pain compared to earthworms. Splat refused to eat anything at all - then went downhill fast & became pencil thin with collar bones poking out. On the 22nd May I was begging Splat not to die on my birthday, I held grave fears. I had splat in a small 20L tank with just a hide & a sponge filter & did 100% changes every two days to keep it super healthy - I put in tiny guppy fry & a few tiny ghost shrimp as well as a good serve of live blackworms - eventually splat got her appetite back for the blackworms & gained weight & finally gained length (went from 13cm at beginning may to 18cm currently). I'm convinced splat knows she's special & that's why she knows I'll pander to her fussiness - I have tried earthworms again now she's healthy & she can spit them out so hard they almost splat on the opposite side glass wall :eek: lol. I'm resigned to the fact that I'll be buying & rinsing worms as long as this little ones still kicking :D

Sorry if that didn't answer your question directly - but nothing beats some TLC :)
I know you give good TLC & I'm sure Mortimer will come good just like Splat did :)

*pulls out the dusty pompoms & starts a cheer for M-O-R-T-I-M-E-R! :D

Keep us updated & meanwhile I'll get the lotls to keep their toes crossed too :D (dats a lot of toes ;) lol)



<3 >o_o< <3
 
I remember reading something in another thread that suggested trying giving them a little of the food they have a preference for (in Nikki's case black worms) to get them eating, then switching to the food YOU want them to eat in the same sitting after they've had an encouraging appetiser.

So one meal would be: a tiny amount of black worm, then earth worm if he eats the black worm.

Maybe you've already tried that, but if you haven't, it could be worth a shot?
 
I have the exact same problem with my Derpy...
I fed my axies pellets because I was all out of worms; seeing it was winter it was rather difficult to get more...

When I finally got a whole bunch of worms again and wanted to start feeding them only worms, Derpy just... didn't want them. He'd snap at them, then spit them out again.

Silly axies... they can be so picky :p

Perhaps you should indeed try to give Mortimer some of his previous food, followed by an earthworm? It's worth a try I think...
 
snuggly time said:
Is there another vet you can take him to? Maybe get a second opinion, you know when there's something wrong with your own axolotl.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there is only one exotic vet around here (that I've been able to locate). I may just take him back to her this week. I just hate transporting him because it really stresses him out--especially if there's a good chance they won't do anything. :/
 
Nikki71 said:
Not happy to hear about Mortimer :(
He's a real cutie - but he sounds like a problem child... just like my splat.

I recently (early may) tried to ween splat off live blackworms - because they cost me a fortune & are a pain compared to earthworms. Splat refused to eat anything at all - then went downhill fast & became pencil thin with collar bones poking out. On the 22nd May I was begging Splat not to die on my birthday, I held grave fears. I had splat in a small 20L tank with just a hide & a sponge filter & did 100% changes every two days to keep it super healthy - I put in tiny guppy fry & a few tiny ghost shrimp as well as a good serve of live blackworms - eventually splat got her appetite back for the blackworms & gained weight & finally gained length (went from 13cm at beginning may to 18cm currently). I'm convinced splat knows she's special & that's why she knows I'll pander to her fussiness - I have tried earthworms again now she's healthy & she can spit them out so hard they almost splat on the opposite side glass wall :eek: lol. I'm resigned to the fact that I'll be buying & rinsing worms as long as this little ones still kicking :D

Sorry if that didn't answer your question directly - but nothing beats some TLC :)
I know you give good TLC & I'm sure Mortimer will come good just like Splat did :)

*pulls out the dusty pompoms & starts a cheer for M-O-R-T-I-M-E-R! :D

Keep us updated & meanwhile I'll get the lotls to keep their toes crossed too :D (dats a lot of toes ;) lol)



<3 >o_o< <3
Click to expand...

Thank you, Nikki! I'm headed off to buy some more black worms. I'll let you know how it goes. :)
 
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372533287.096401.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372533308.876877.jpg
 
I hope you get him eating. I want to know how it goes too! Definitely update us.
 
I finally took him out of his tank and put him in smallish tub of cool water and a serious buffet of food. He's just not interested. I held black worms, pieces of squirmy earthworms, etc in his face forever, and he just did his freak-out, squirm-backwards dance. Ugh!
 
It won't be fun, but if worst comes to worst you can always force feed...
 
I'll have to read up on how to do that. I've already tried to pry his mouth open once (when his jaw started swelling) and that was no fun.
 
Good news! I left him in the tub last night (with all of the food that he hadn't touched...I know that's bad for the water quality), and I woke up to find MOST of the food eaten!!!!! Few black worms left, but he didn't touch the earthworm chunk. He's starting to look more active, too. :)
 
Mortimer said:
Good news! I left him in the tub last night (with all of the food that he hadn't touched...I know that's bad for the water quality), and I woke up to find MOST of the food eaten!!!!! Few black worms left, but he didn't touch the earthworm chunk. He's starting to look more active, too. :)
Click to expand...

Fab News.....all crossed for you. :happy:
 
Mortimer said:
Good news! I left him in the tub last night (with all of the food that he hadn't touched...I know that's bad for the water quality), and I woke up to find MOST of the food eaten!!!!! Few black worms left, but he didn't touch the earthworm chunk. He's starting to look more active, too. :)
Click to expand...

That's great news, maybe he got fed up of them invading his space so ate them all ;)
 
Thank goodness! Sometimes it sounds like they just need some privacy as well. So glad he's eaten! I'll bet you're super relieved!
 
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