Axolotl feeding

matias · Mar 20, 2014

20 days ago I get an axie, he (i think it is he, because has a bulge cloaca, but it is 10 cm i think it´s too small to know the sex) i offer it earthworms (E. phoetida) and does not seem to be interested (it swallows and the spit it up), it only likes meat, but cooked. is good cook meat for it?
the other is bigger (and older) and is always hungry, every time I approach with big earthworms it eats them happily and with no problem, is feeding everyday bad for the axolotl?. because if i give it an unlimitted source of food it will eat evrything. thanks .

Smoxolotl · Mar 20, 2014

Hi, I know that juvenile axolotls can safely eat everyday, as they are quite a bit more active than lazy adults. I would just feed the adults every other day or a few times a week. An easy way to tell if you're overfeeding/underfeeding them is if the axolotls head is about equal to their body in width or not. If they're considerably wider or smaller in the belly compared to the head, then adjust food intake. All axies are different, I have one that would eat non stop if I'd let her, and I have another one that only will eat a little every few days. You'll figure out their eating patterns over time. I'm not exactly sure about whether feeding them cooked meat is a good idea, but I would be leary about putting greases, etc. in their nice clean water. Interesting question though:happy:

Smoxolotl · Mar 20, 2014

Also Matias, are your axolotls together? If so, exactly how much bigger and older is the other one? If the answer is alot bigger, your smaller one could end up becoming a meal himself!

Kaini · Mar 20, 2014

Mammal meat is not a good diet for an axie! It's hard to disgest :c keep trying with the earthworms, if it doesnt want to eat it doesn't want to eat. But I would definitely advise against the meat ...

HayleyK · Mar 20, 2014

I second that mammilian meat is not suitable for an axolotl - they don't hunt/eat mammals in the wild so it's not suitable to introduce meat to them. Check out this axolotl that was fed cooked meat. http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...l/94585-extremely-bloated-axolotl-photos.html

If you persist with worms and not feed him anything else (he won't eat for a few days, but that's okay) he will learn to eat earthworms. If you offer earthworms and then meat all the time it will know if it keeps doing it, it will get the meat so don't offer the meat anymore at all.

You may want to blanch the worm also to limit the fight and the excretion of bitterness which both can turn axolotls off the worm. Pour boiling water on the worm then dunk it straight into cold water. This will kill the worm without cooking it.

NevermoreRoses · Mar 20, 2014

hayleykahnita said:
I second that mammilian meat is not suitable for an axolotl - they don't hunt/eat mammals in the wild so it's not suitable to introduce meat to them. Check out this axolotl that was fed cooked meat. http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...l/94585-extremely-bloated-axolotl-photos.html

If you persist with worms and not feed him anything else (he won't eat for a few days, but that's okay) he will learn to eat earthworms. If you offer earthworms and then meat all the time it will know if it keeps doing it, it will get the meat so don't offer the meat anymore at all.

You may want to blanch the worm also to limit the fight and the excretion of bitterness which both can turn axolotls off the worm. Pour boiling water on the worm then dunk it straight into cold water. This will kill the worm without cooking it.

Sorry in advance for the fact that I'm not offering anything useful to this thread but I just clicked on that link and the state that Axolotl was in made me want to cry. :'(

axowattyl · Mar 21, 2014

I don't agree with cooked meat and do agree with earthworms being ideal, but I have 7 large axies and 3 juveniles.

My worm farm is good, but they do eat it empty and when that happens I have started going with lean raw meat for a week or two until my farm replenishes.

I first tried lean lamb steak, and they loved it. It's like the Scooby snack for them.

This time I tried even leaner Kangaroo steak (said to be some of the leanest meat available) and they were CRAZY for it.

Before all the worm purists get onto me, I agree with you, worms are best and they don't eat lambs or roos in the wild.

As soon as my worm farm fills up I'll have them back on the worms. Can't even buy worms at the moment due to the heat, they're not shipping them.

I really don't like the pellets and neither do they. They don't hunt those in the wild either.

My axies are in very nice condition and are very active.

HayleyK · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
I don't agree with cooked meat and do agree with earthworms being ideal, but I have 7 large axies and 3 juveniles.

My worm farm is good, but they do eat it empty and when that happens I have started going with lean raw meat for a week or two until my farm replenishes.

I first tried lean lamb steak, and they loved it. It's like the Scooby snack for them.

This time I tried even leaner Kangaroo steak (said to be some of the leanest meat available) and they were CRAZY for it.

Before all the worm purists get onto me, I agree with you, worms are best and they don't eat lambs or roos in the wild.

As soon as my worm farm fills up I'll have them back on the worms. Can't even buy worms at the moment due to the heat, they're not shipping them.

I really don't like the pellets and neither do they. They don't hunt those in the wild either.

My axies are in very nice condition and are very active.

Go to bunnings and buy some worms! They sell "500" pack for 30 and I think the "1000" pack for 50 bucks.

Skudo09 · Mar 21, 2014

Given that mammalian meat is difficult for axolotls to digest, I question their nutrient value for axolotls and whether it could cause some intestinal discomfort even if it is not their regular food source. The thread Hayley posted is very disturbing and it would put me off feeding any sort of mammalian meat to my axolotls even as a treat.

I agree with Hayley, go to Bunnings or Magnet Mart and pick up a pack of worms there. Maybe it would be worth running a second worm farm to cope with the amount of worms being fed to the axolotls? If you are continuously running out of stock, it may be worth starting up a second farm.

axowattyl · Mar 21, 2014

Yes, yes..

And with all due respect, Bunnings is where I got my worms and as I mentioned in my post, they aren't supplying them at the moment due to the heat. Just went down there.

There is no sign of bloating in my animals, they are fine.

To be honest I don't buy it.

Sure meat MAY not be the ideal or perfect blend of nutrients (again, according to the internet), but the biggest axies I have seen from various breeders, they all told me they fed them meat. They looked fine by the way.

I've seen all the internet articles repeated as gospel truth, very good.

That post has absolutely no backup or proof, only heresay, and mind you I did say I would never feed my animals COOKED meat anyway.

As I said, yes worms are probably better, but when you have 10 axies looking as good and happy as mine please come and tell me about it.

When my worm farm has replenished I will go back to them.

Thank you.

auntiejude · Mar 21, 2014

TBH if its a choice between my axies starving to death because of a worm shortage or feeding them less-than-ideal food I know which I would choose.

Mammalian meat is not ideal, but it will do for a short while in the absence of anything more suitable. Fish would be a better substitute, but lean raw meat will suffice.

axowattyl · Mar 21, 2014

auntiejude said:
TBH if its a choice between my axies starving to death because of a worm shortage or feeding them less-than-ideal food I know which I would choose.

Mammalian meat is not ideal, but it will do for a short while in the absence of anything more suitable. Fish would be a better substitute, but lean raw meat will suffice.

Cheers Auntie...must admit I'm surprised!

Yes I will be back on worms asap, but you must have heard about Aussie summers. They're hot (and worm unfriendly)!

We have mentioned this before, but I must say that I'm concerned how information gets parroted across the internet purely by repetition with absolutely no proof at all until it is considered gospel truth.

"Not ideal" is a fair call. "Fatal bloating pictures of unsubstantiated origin, guaranteed to happen from a mouthful of meat" is a bit of a worry and not really helpful for noobs to the hobby (including the noob who posts them).

An animal keeper of any sort can SEE what is working for their animals if they look.

My way of seeing that worms are best is the fact that they result in so much less poop...they are absorbed (in my opinion) more thoroughly.

Skudo09 · Mar 21, 2014

Of course if there were no other suitable alternatives and my axolotl would starve otherwise, I would feed it lean meat. However I just think surely there are better alternatives out there for short term use before resorting to food that is hard to digest. I would probably try and use pellets or fish as an alternative before resorting to mammalian meat. But yes if I had to choose between giving my axolotls a food that is not entirely the best for them or letting them starve of course I would choose to feed them mammalian meat.

I would look for alternatives such as fish or pellets. If those were not available, then I might consider mammalian meat. I would personally start up a second worm farm though if I found I was running out of worms continually.

I would certainly not recommend mammalian meat as a regular staple diet long term though.

Also, there is no proof that the cause of the axolotl's bloating was caused by feeding it meat. However with some medical training, I could easily see how it would be possible.

HayleyK · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
Yes, yes..
And with all due respect, Bunnings is where I got my worms and as I mentioned in my post, they aren't supplying them at the moment due to the heat. Just went down there.

Surely they can ship from another store? I don't see how the heat is a restriction especially if you've gone in and requested or atleast enquired about one.

axowattyl said:
As I said, yes worms are probably better, but when you have 10 axies looking as good and happy as mine please come and tell me about it.

Atleast it's lean meats and not beef heart or chicken. Hay, if it works for you then good on you (not being sarcastic), but I wouldn't be recommending it to other users. I've seen horror stories in regards to feeding mammilian meat, and the stories that claim to make their axolotl grow big or whatever. I've never heard a horror story about earthworms - just saying. Like you said earthworms are "probably" (definitely) better so why not try to convince other axolotl owners to switch earthworms over a trial period. And my axolotls are plenty happy and healthy as yours I'm sure, and so are a lot of other users on this site who don't feed them meat.

Axolotl pellets are designed for axolotls specifically and have a balance of nutrients. Sure, they don't find them in the wild, but nor do dogs find dry doggy biscuits in the wild and it's perfectly fine to use dry dog food as a staple :lol:

On a side note I didn't say " hey this is what WILL happen if you feed it meat". I was just showing a post where an unsuitable diet MAY have caused this bloating.

to the original poster, long story short = try to avoid meats, especially cooked meat, and keep offering worms, try blanching them etc. for a trial period.

HayleyK · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
"Not ideal" is a fair call. "Fatal bloating pictures of unsubstantiated origin, guaranteed to happen from a mouthful of meat" is a bit of a worry and not really helpful for noobs to the hobby (including the noob who posts them).

Lol. I'm not a noob to the axolotl world, and yes I can proudly say I don't have all the answers, but neither do you. So childish and unnecessary.

axowattyl · Mar 21, 2014

hayleykahnita said:
Surely they can ship from another store? I don't see how the heat is a restriction especially if you've gone in and requested or atleast enquired about one.

Atleast it's lean meats and not beef heart or chicken. Hay, if it works for you then good on you (not being sarcastic), but I wouldn't be recommending it to other users. I've seen horror stories in regards to feeding mammilian meat, and the stories that claim to make their axolotl grow big or whatever. I've never heard a horror story about earthworms - just saying. Like you said earthworms are "probably" (definitely) better so why not try to convince other axolotl owners to switch earthworms over a trial period. And my axolotls are plenty happy and healthy as yours I'm sure, and so are a lot of other users on this site who don't feed them meat.

Axolotl pellets are designed for axolotls specifically and have a balance of nutrients. Sure, they don't find them in the wild, but nor do dogs find dry doggy biscuits in the wild and it's perfectly fine to use dry dog food as a staple :lol:

On a side note I didn't say " hey this is what WILL happen if you feed it meat". I was just showing a post where an unsuitable diet MAY have caused this bloating.

to the original poster, long story short = try to avoid meats, especially cooked meat, and keep offering worms, try blanching them etc. for a trial period.

I have continually said that earthworms are best.

I have searched ALL suppliers in my town (country town remember) and earthworms aren't available due to heat. Shouldn't be a problem soon.

While I'm sure your intentions are totally good, the bloated pic bit was put across as more if a "will" than a "may" happen. Scary for caring noobs or sensitive people, and makes them feel guilty/sad.

On the points in common, worms best, cooked meat bad, but I personally prefer very lean red meat strips than pellets.

I would have had white cloud minnows and glass shrimp as a backup (instead of meat), but the mongrels just eat food and don't breed

HayleyK · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
I have continually said that earthworms are best.

I have searched ALL suppliers in my town (country town remember) and earthworms aren't available due to heat. Shouldn't be a problem soon.

While I'm sure your intentions are totally good, the bloated pic bit was put across as more if a "will" than a "may" happen. Scary for caring noobs or sensitive people, and makes them feel guilty/sad.

On the points in common, worms best, cooked meat bad, but I personally prefer very lean red meat strips than pellets.

I would have had white cloud minnows and glass shrimp as a backup (instead of meat), but the mongrels just eat food and don't breed

I'm not trying to convince you how great earthworms are, I'm trying to convince the OP...

Well I hope you get your worms soon!

If I said "this is what will happen to your axolotl - check out this link" fair enough you can call me out, but I didn't and I just wanted to show that cooked meat could have potentially done this. And yes there's no proof that meat caused this, but do you have proof that it didnt cause the bloating? If you do sweet as, share it because I love to learn! If you don't, then don't call me a "noob", I find it offensive since noob was originally a degrading word for a new comer who lacks skill and knowledge.

Words like that shouldn't be used in a forum environment where people are supposed to share information and educate others, whether it's the OP asking a question or a replier being corrected.

axowattyl · Mar 21, 2014

hayleykahnita said:
I'm not trying to convince you how great earthworms are, I'm trying to convince the OP...

Well I hope you get your worms soon!

If I said "this is what will happen to your axolotl - check out this link" fair enough you can call me out, but I didn't and I just wanted to show that cooked meat could have potentially done this. And yes there's no proof that meat caused this, but do you have proof that it didnt cause the bloating? If you do sweet as, share it because I love to learn! If you don't, then don't call me a "noob", I find it offensive since noob was originally a degrading word for a new comer who lacks skill and knowledge.

Words like that shouldn't be used in a forum environment where people are supposed to share information and educate others, whether it's the OP asking a question or a replier being corrected.

We're all noobs until we're 1000 years old. Me included and I'm OK with that.

Please call me noob anytime as much as you like.

HayleyK · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
We're all noobs until we're 1000 years old. Me included and I'm OK with that.

Please call me noob anytime as much as you like.

Haha I wouldn't want to call anyone on here a "noob", including you. And I'm okay with not knowing all the answers too. I just find it a little mean that word specifically, that's all :lol:

Gee it's late, enough rambling & time to hit the hay!

xxianxx · Mar 21, 2014

axowattyl said:
As I said, yes worms are probably better, but when you have 10 axies looking as good and happy as mine please come and tell me about it.

How long have you had these axolotls ?

Axolotl feeding

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