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Illness/Sickness: Rescue.. so tiny .. :-(

Alli3

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It took several hours but I finally got the owner of the store to let me take this little one home. I am ver new myself to axolotl's.. I have a 3 month old.. just had him/her for a few weeks.. but when I saw this little one J almost cried. I've gotten several different stories. It wont eat at all.. from an employee but them the owner said its eats alit but still lost weight.. I tried hard and kept myself together and finally got the owner to surrender the little one to me. I got it home. Getting the temp down covered the temp tank . I did try to see if she/he was interested in food and it did sck up a couple of little black worms.
I literally just sat down and got on here. I'm going to post these pics the one kn the tank is how I first saw uim/her. The later on a clear bottom is right now.
 

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Alli3

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I apologize for so little information and all the misspellings.. I was very rushed and upset in the above post. I dont know what I need to tell you to help. I do have the water temp like my leuce at about 65 degrees they are both in temporary small tanks that I clean and refill everyday. This is because my original large glass ta k is in the process of cycling. I have covered the small temporary tanks to try to keep it darker. I keep my apartment about 70 all year long but have these long ice packs I use in my lunch voklersand some are clay ad long I use for my back. I lay them on towels and cover the top with a papertowel then put the small tanks on top on them. Then cover the tanks lightly.
I use Prime for the water treatment. I'm just so bew to all this. I've kept fish and reptiles cats dogs even snakes.. but boy this is different and they are so fragile. Thanks in advance and please forgive any misgivings.
 

Tye

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Oh boy, that little one is very little. I'm not sure it'll make it, but lets keep our hopes up!
The frequent water changes are good to keep the quality up.

The biggest issue here, besides getting it to eat, is not feeding it too much too quickly where it goes into shock. I would suggest very small feedings, but offer food frequently if refused. Small black worms would probably be fine, as well as bits of bloodworm cubes at this stage. Keeping the tank dark will probably help with stress. If you have a fake, soft, leafy plant you can put in, or a small hide that will also help it not feel exposed and stressed.

As it starts to put on weight you can increase the amount fed.
Just try to get it to eat small bits for now. Anything is better than nothing.
Keep using bare bottom, I highly doubt it, given how skinny it is, but there's always a chance it swallowed a bit of gravel from the store tank and keeping it bare bottom will help you spot it if any is passed.

Try to keep it cool, clean, and safe feeling while offering small bits of food. That's probably the best you can do for right now. Best of luck.

EDIT: Have you noticed it having issues getting air? It seems to have very small gills. Maybe even drop the water level a bit if you can in case it needs to gulp air frequently. If it doesn't have an issue with air keep it the same.
 

Bluebird

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Try to feed him/her with live artemia. Black/bloodworms are maybe too big to eat and axolotl is not used to eat anything not live.
I feed my youngsters with artemia about 4 months before I offer them worms..
 

Otterwoman

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If you have blackworms, you can cut them up. That is what I do when I have nothing else. Put them in a shot glass and cut them with scissors, just put the scissors in and cut cut cut and then feed...just a little, you only have the one. YOu don't want to foul the water with dead worms.

Good luck! Please keep us posted!
 

Alli3

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Well hes still here! Yay! I was worried about last night. The temp has stayed around 65 maybe alittle lower.. I need a digital thermometer my glass one is alittle harder to read. Anyways. I actually did mealt a cube of brine shrimp and gave my healthy 3 month old most of it but then used my tiny syringes to slowly release in front of him. He snapped it sucked I think he got alittle but not much. I will try a mushed up black worm in a while.
He does seem interested. But he seems to be having an issue of actually performing the deed. He dies float some at the top I think when he "sleeps" but like now morning here hes on the bottom. Rubbing his mouth/ chin long the bottom sometimes like my other one. I have questions about alittle hide. I'm digging through my bags of lizard turtle and fish stuff and found a fe withings but not sure if it's safe. I have a turtle platfirmbthat floats.. I was thinking I put it really really low it will be dark and wide cover most of the length of the temp tank. But I need to clean it it like a foam kinda dock . My aquatic turtle never used it at alm but it did touch part of the water. And then I have litter leaves for my crested gecko. They are pesticide free etc d still in a bag. I never used these anywhere. But o need to look at what kind of leaf.. is that even ok in a tank with this little one?
But anyways he is swimming around sometimes. Seems interested although very very clumsy uncordinated at the food thing.
 
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