Question: Strange reaction to slugs!

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.

hello, well i never heard of somebody feeding their axolotl slugs before and i dont think thats part of your axolotls diet but you know axolotls will eat pretty much anything. but just to be safe keep on feeding them worms. also if they are acting fine, eating well, and just being axolotls, they would be just fine. do you so happen to have a picture of when the hair things curled? ops i forgot to mention if you do keep on feeding them slugs mark a spot in your yard or what ever so you know that the spot is safe with clean slugs for your axolotls.

Thanks loveaxolots. Slugs not part of natural diet maybe, but then surely wild axolotls eat lots of aquatic molluscs? Unless the slugs have some sort of poison defense (mollusc expert members invited to comment!) then in theory they sound like a massive wadge of protein for a growing axolotl? Frogs and toads in my garden eat them. Also there are very few aquatic annelids so I doubt they form much of a wild axolotl's diet yet terrestrial annelids seem to be a popular food among axolotl keepers. Does not explain strange reaction mine show to the slugs, as other threads mention feeding slugs with no adverse reaction?

ummm, im not an expert at slugs but yes maybe slugs might have a defenses system to protect them selves from being eaten. if i were you, do some research on the slugs that you are feeding your axolotls.

I doubt it is an excess of protein....earthworms are very rich in protein and they cause no trouble. I´m not aware of the common slug species around europe being significantly toxic, and i´ve fed slugs to caudates in the past and never witnessed anything like what you describe.
Maybe your neighbours are using some toxic bait to get rid of slugs?

I know that the Banana Slugs we have in our neck of the woods have a 'defensive' slime that is so thick and difficult to remove it has been known to kill birds, amphibians and some pets. Not an every day thing, but like I said, it has happened.

I'm not an expert on slugs, and I really only know what I know about the Banana Slugs because I think they're interesting, but the slime defense seems so effective that I wouldn't be surprised if other slugs used the same [or similar] defense.

Although these slugs are also HUGE, so if smaller garden variety slugs are using the same defense, it probably isn't nearly as effective/dangerous.

ilomilo exactly my first thought too, and why I haven't ever used slugs for feeding. Worms live underground, and generally don't have to deal with predators until they come up (or meet a rodent underground). Slugs spend their time above ground and need defenses, and also have to leave a slime trail everywhere they go.

It's probably just the slime the axies are reacting to, and it's hard to say for sure if it's toxic, but I've just avoided using them.