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Axolotl not eaten for 2 weeks!

Cosmic18

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My axolotl has been in fridge for 4 days he has not eaten for 2 weeks i offer him food daily with his water change. I'm so worried he'll die if he doesn't eat soon ...he's so skinny
I fridged him because he had an enlarged back end which has gone down now but he hasnt passed anything please help how can i get him to eat!
 
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I'll do my best to help you out. Was your axolotls back end swollen? It might be prolapse, and in the case that it is the best thing you can do is take your axie to the vet for a surgery. Keep your axolotl in a dark, cool area and make sure he is separated from any tank mates. Does he float along the surface of the tank or have trouble staying on the tank bottom? If you could post pictures it would be very helpful. Here is a force feeding guide for you too, in case you need it - https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70199
 

Hayleyy

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To add on, what is the axolotl's usual diet?
 

Cosmic18

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I have taken him to vets today the vet said he has some sort of growth in his pelvis not har,d jelly like? He says if he has not eaten by tuesday he should be put to sleep.... I have returned him to his tank and he seems happier but still not eating.. the growth looks like its gone down... can he cope without food ? Or should i listen to the vet?
Im only asking as i was not entirely confident with the vets diagnosis he seemed very vague....
 

Cosmic18

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Here is a photo of him
 

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Hayleyy

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To be honest from that photo the only thing I'm getting is that's a male axolotl. How old is he? See if you can get a shot of the underside if possible. I could be missing something but I'm not really seeing much.
Is he floating at all?
 

Cosmic18

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Heres another photo but the lump has gone down, but still not eating... is it cruel to keep him alive if he's not eating i dont know how long they can go without food... .
He's normal diet is earth worms with occasional blood worms
 

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Hayleyy

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That looks okay to me really, unless anyone else sees any issues. Males usually have a big bulge like that. The position he is in looks like he may be constipated, has he passed any poop in the last few days? Is he still floating like that?
They can go a long while without food. Is he still being kept in the fridge? If he is he wont want to eat. If he isn't floating anymore and you haven't already, get him back in the tank to around 16-19 degrees and see if he wants to eat then. Those are good food choices.
Are these photos from today? He doesn't look dangerously skinny from those pics so I wouldn't think of euthanising him at the moment.
 

Cosmic18

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The 1st photo I posted was today the 2nd is about 8 days ago. He's not floating or putting his bum up and is back in the tank. The vet said he could feel a lump but it felt like jelly? He still refuses to eat and hasnt pooped!
 

Hayleyy

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He may need a day or two after being in the fridge to eat again. Keep offering food, cut up worms if you can. If he still isn't eating try the force feeding guide that Isabella linked.
 

Tye

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A top down picture would help with determining his body condition.
Axolotls can fast for near a month, its not recommended but they can if they're adults.
Floating can happen, there might be a gas buildup and he just needs to fart. My female axolotl will have days where her back end floats like in your picture but she always passes whatever it was that she had and sinks back down.
Like mentioned above, fridging slows their metabolism down and they often refuse food while fridged and for a few days after. Attempt feeding multiple times at different times during the day. In the morning, afternoon and night. You might see a better feeding response at night. Try to also offer up a few different food items.
Sometimes salamanders decide that the worms they've been eating happily for years are suddenly gross. My old tiger salamander would do this, reject a food item he'd been eating for years and I'd switch him to something else.
 
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