How to put down an axolotl humanely

AshSeek

AshSeek

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My young axolotl (about 6.5 inches) hasn't eaten for almost two weeks now...

last thing he ate was a feeder fish. he has lost a significant amount of weight. he does not have white spots all over him, i had put him in the fridge about once a day (not a salt bath) for a few hours for the first week and the only difference it seemed to make was bring color back into his gills; of which have also shrunk in size. He just gapes his mouth open and will not close it... i wonder if something happened to his jaw...

Now he cannot swim properly... he spins and turns... most of the time ends up on his back....

Today i tried feeding him part of a worm (which i forgot to mention i had tried many different kinds of food, of which he would eat none) and he actually tried to eat this one... but i don't think he can close his mouth..:(

Its so sad because, its not that he doesn't want to eat, its because he can't. Today he just had a turn for the worst with his swimming and i really do not want him to suffer anymore...
Does anyone have any advise or anything i can do to put him out of his misery or help him?:confused:

*He is with two of this brothers or sisters and they are PERFECTLY healthy, beautiful creatures.
 
You need to isolate your sick axie immediately, in case it's something infectious.

If he is writhing around it would indicate that he is unconfortable, but you need to know what is wrong before you euthanise him.

If you fridge an axie it's got to be for days, not an hour at a time - the temperature changes will stress him out even more. Keep your axie in the fridge at about 6C if you can, change the water with fridged dechlorinated water daily. Fridging will slow his metabolism and calm him down, and he may yet still recover.

If you can post a picture or video it would really help to see if we can figure out what the problem is, and hopefully help you to help him recover.

And if it comes to it, get some clove oil to euthanise your axie: 3 drops emulsified in a 1L bottle (give it a good shake) , add it to about a gallon in a bucket, put your axies in, add 1 drop of clove oil at a time (slowly) and swirl gently. This will anaesthetise your axie until he just stops. Don't be tempted to rush it or your axie will panic.
 
I have isolated him... I did not want to before because i was worried it might stress him out more, not being in his original home with his tank mates.

He is VERY uncomfortable and frustrated, i can tell.

I was worried my fridge might be too cold... but you believe 40degrees fahrenheit is suitable for him and not too cold if left in there for days?

I have posted pictures in a new album, Please if you could take a look?

When he tries to swim he just swims in spirals and most times ends up on his back.... I just put him in a tub by himself and it was so heartbreaking, when i placed my hand near him he gripped onto me :(
Please take a look at my pictures, i do appoligize i did not turn the tank light on as i didn't want to stress him
 
Just a thought, what type of feeder fish was it ? Check the axys mouth and throat see if it is lodged there.
 
Believe it was a goldfish....... would it still be there after two weeks??? Ihis mouth is always open sooo I couldn't really see anything immediantly, but is there a specific way to check ???
 
AshSeek said:
Believe it was a goldfish....... would it still be there after two weeks??? Ihis mouth is always open sooo I couldn't really see anything immediantly, but is there a specific way to check ???
Click to expand...

Firstly goldfish are a poor feeder fish , they contain thiaminase which blocks the uptake of vit b. The only way to know if it is still there is to have a look. Wrap the axolotl in a damp cloth so it cant wriggle, open its mouth and shine a torch down its throat.
 
forgot to say to cover its eyes with the cloth, it has no eyelids and will not appreciate a torch in the face.
 
I've looked at your pictures. He honestly doesn't seem too stressed, his gills aren't curled and neither is his tail (from what I can see).

There's multiple threads on here regarding axies who have refused food. The floating could be gas related, maybe stick him in the fridge overnight and see if he rightens up?

I know goldfish can get issues with their swim bladder, is there something similar that axolotl get?

Don't be too quick to euthanize, we've seen axolotl much worse than that make a full recovery
 
I tried looking down his throat, however i didn't see anything logged but i think it was also closed shut... it was just the color of the rest of his body basically so nothing stuck out to me that it might be logged. also tho his head seems to be bent backwards like when i held him, it did not really move to the curve of my hand, tho i did not force him or anything

Now when i check on him he is literally laying on his back 90% of the time with legs sprawled to the side.... Although he might not be showing signs of stress in that manner it is very apparent that he is uncomfortable and super frustrated.
 
would a fridge in the 40 degree fahrenheit range be too cold for him to be left in overnight?

and i know he isn't eating but I don't believe its because he doesn't want to, He just can't eat. he shows interest in food when i put it infront of his face, he can smell it but just can't open his mouth or close it anymore than what it is.
 
One of my axolotls (Mortimer) went through something like this several months ago. (There's a thread you can search for.) He's fine now....he wouldn't eat for a long time and had a gaping mouth. I also felt like he wanted to eat but couldn't. It was heartbreaking. I took him to the vet who wasn't sure what was wrong and said it could be metabolic bone disease. I separated him from the others, kept his tank cooler, and kept it dark....when I finally put him back with the others, he immediately laid spermatophores everywhere and then started eating again. ???
 
I have looked up about thiaminase but can't find much about how it affects axolotls. one lady did post a picture of her axolotls swollen neck, but mine seems to have more of a swollen jaw, actually quite different symptoms... but can anyone tell me anymore about this? would it hurt to treat him for it.?
 
That is really odd Sharon, sounds similar to my axolotl... did yours have a hard time swimming? mine is now laying on his back like 90% of the time... he cannot swim.?

i do believe one is a female at least (i have three total and they are all related) at first i thought it was a male, a big bump right behind his back legs but it was trying to poo in the tank and it was coming out in-between the bump behind her legs so i do believe it is a female?

tho these are my first axolotls and i have no idea how to sex them.
 
thank you! your first description seems very similar to my axie but im still terribly confused as to his panic swimming.... can you go take a look at my sick axolotl album and see if he looks similar to yours???
 
AshSeek said:
thank you! your first description seems very similar to my axie but im still terribly confused as to his panic swimming.... can you go take a look at my sick axolotl album and see if he looks similar to yours???
Click to expand...

Is there a way for me to look from my phone?
 
40F is a little too cold - can you adjust your fridge to a little warmer/less cold for a while? If not you could try wrapping his tub in a towel to stop it getting too cold.

If you keep the water level in his tub down to just above his back it may help keep him upright.

He doesn't appear to have any infections, so that leaves parasites or internal disorders. Or he could just get better after a chill out in the fridge.

One of mine never closes her mouth properly, it's always open a crack, but it doesn't seem to bother her. She is nice and fat (probably too fat!) and has a healthy appetite.

You could try feeding him waxworms - they are quite fatty, and may help clear his digestive system. And being small and short you may be able to get one in his mouth. Check out the 'force feeding' tutorial, and get yourself some little 5ml syringes.
 
yes i believe so as i uploaded the pictures from my phone... just go to my profile and on the right hand side it will show albums and click to view all albums and there are only two, one is titled about a sick axolotl
 
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