Peyote
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- Jul 6, 2012
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- Location
- Sussex (UK)
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- United Kingdom
When I feed my juvenile axolotls a slug, their gill tips curl tightly backwards. Note this is NOT the evenly-curled-forward reaction universally described as a sign of sickness or stress. They also stop eating for and keep still for 24 hours minimum. The gills are usual profile for the first 75% then flop/curl on a tight 180-degree rearward curve. Keep your hands and fingers and straight as possible and try curling just the end digit of each finger - that sort of shape.
- Anyone else experienced this?
- Is this anything to worry about?
- Could the reaction just be that they are knocked out by the metabolic demand of a huge protein intake, Christmas-lunch-style?
- Anyone out there a molusc toxicology expert? I have found no reference online about predator defense in garden moluscs that would explain this.
Note:
I have stopped feeding axolotls slugs for now.
Slugs from garden pesticide-free for about 3 years since we moved here. Backs onto un-fertilised pesticide-free field and woodland. I think one of the slugs was from our worm-bin though, mostly teabags/reciepts/egg boxes/supermarket veg peelings... possible pesticide source, but this is where the axolotl's worms come from and they eat those every day without adverse reaction.
- Anyone else experienced this?
- Is this anything to worry about?
- Could the reaction just be that they are knocked out by the metabolic demand of a huge protein intake, Christmas-lunch-style?
- Anyone out there a molusc toxicology expert? I have found no reference online about predator defense in garden moluscs that would explain this.
Note:
I have stopped feeding axolotls slugs for now.
Slugs from garden pesticide-free for about 3 years since we moved here. Backs onto un-fertilised pesticide-free field and woodland. I think one of the slugs was from our worm-bin though, mostly teabags/reciepts/egg boxes/supermarket veg peelings... possible pesticide source, but this is where the axolotl's worms come from and they eat those every day without adverse reaction.