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Need Answer ASAP. What kind of salt for a salt bath?

TaylorLynn

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I'm gonna keep this quick and simple! I went to the vet today, and was told I need to give my Axolotl salt baths daily. She specified that standard salt, like my iodized table salt, is what I need to use. Upon looking up tutorials on how to do it, EVERYWHERE is telling me to avoid iodized salt at all costs. I called the vet back to ask why this is, but the doctor that helped me today had gone home. I spoke to two nurses on the phone who told me to do what the vet instructed and not "just some things you read online". But EVERYWHERE is telling me to avoid the salt my vet recommended. Did she make a mistake?

I have been preparing the salt bath for my Axolotl. I decided to trust the hundreds online about using non iodized, but my only non iodized is Himalayan pink salt. It has absolutely no additives, it is only naturally occurring Himalayan pink salt. Is this okay to use?

Also I'm fridging her as well, which I have never done. She is in a bucket from when I took her to the vet right now. Can I just put her in the fridge in that? It's filled with water from her tank, and I will do a water change later with water at the same temperature. I just want to check if putting her in there with tank water for a few hours before the salt bath is fine.

What I was planning on doing was putting her in the fridge, let her get used to that temperature, and then do the salt bath. While she was in there I was going to do a water change on her other container for when I transfer her back. Is this what I do? The vet gave me no clear instructions on this.
 

Tye

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Iodine is toxic, I'm not sure about how strong the iodine level is in your table salt but it's always better to be safe than sorry. There's a guide for salt baths on here, I think a common salt is general aquarium salt.
Iodine is also known to induce morphing in axolotls but I'm assuming that it needs pure iodine to trigger that which is still toxic.
I'm sure one bath won't kill your axolotl, but I'm not nearly expirenced enough to know the differences between table salt and your pink salt.
I just know the common issues with iodine.
 

Hayleyy

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I'm not sure about the Himalayan salt, but honestly I'd trust the experts on here more than a vet. A lot of vets seem to treat axies like reptiles when they need very specific care, especially considering their skin.
Why did the vet recommend salt baths? Does your axolotl have fungus? Post some pics so we can see :) This is the guide I'd recommend https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72698
And what is the reason for fridging her?
 

TaylorLynn

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She doesn't have fungus, but she has a huge open wound on her stomach that may get infected. She's having me do really short salt baths with a low quantity of salt apparently as just a boost? Like to just make sure it doesn't get infected, and that the salt pulls out anything bad.

As for fridging her, the vet said I needed to. I have another post on here regarding the same Axolotl actually. Her name is Falkcor and she fell from her tank over two and a half weeks ago. She hasn't healed much and is constantly stressed in her tank. I haven't been able to keep the tank at the right temperature because my air conditioning is out, making my whole house 90 degrees everyday. She hasn't eaten in this time whatsoever, the vet believes it's due to the pain and stress of her broken wrist and open wound on the stomach causing stress as well as the tank environment.

She only had half a week left without food to live, the vet told me that fridging should help with that. Not help her eat, but help possibly slow down the possibility of her dying of hunger because it slows metabolism or something? Plus she recommended it because she needs some help in healing herself and I've given her not too much else. I've also scheduled an amputation of her hand that's broken/dislocated.
 

Hayleyy

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Sorry I didn't realise it's the same axolotl! Fridging will slow down her metabolism so should help. I don't know about the salt baths, hopefully someone can shed more light on that.
Wishing you and her all the best!!
 

RoreyRoreyRorey

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I picked up a carton of freshwater aquarium salt from petco when I had to give salt baths. I wouldn’t use the iodized salt, in large doses it is toxic and in tiny, minute doses it has been documented to force axolotls to morph and become terrestrial which is usually detrimental to their health if they are sexually mature individuals. But usually the iodine will kill them.
 

TaylorLynn

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Okay guys, thank you for your help! The first night (Wednesday night) I used the Himalayan pink salt because I had no other option. It went alright, she didn't seem to mind, and I took her out after 15 minutes. The next day I had a bad feeling though, and there were flakes in her fridge tub. It almost looked like peeled or flaked off skin? I'm not sure if that's the case, but I panicked and said I wouldn't use the salt anymore just in case it's bad for her skin.

So for Thursday night, I skipped the salt bath because I didn't have the right salt. I just did the water change and called it a night. Today (Friday), I picked up some freshwater aquarium salt for literally $1.50 and have prepared the salt bath. It's currently in the fridge, I'm waiting for it to match her temperature so I can give her the salt bath in that. I'm sure this will be much better for her.

Now I don't know how to close this thread, or what to do when my question has been answered lol. This fiasco with Falkcor is still continuing though, but I will post updates in my other thread since this was only for the one question.
 

Hayleyy

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No need to close the thread, post updates here so we can see :)
 
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