Very worried - juvenile axolotl hasn’t eaten in more than 2 weeks

Hi all,

About a week ago I posted a thread (https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=112527) regarding my new axolotl and my main concerns, one being that he doesn’t seem to have much of an appetite.

All info for water and tank etc. can be found there (easier than putting it all in again).

It’s now been more than 2 weeks since he has eaten anything. He had an earthworm the first day he came home with me about 3 weeks ago but I found some of if regurgitated. I have tried feeding him pellets, frozen ‘fish fuel’ axolotl food, blood worms, black worms, and earthworms. He doesn’t take any of them. Sometimes he will snap at them but not eat them, or take a huge bite and immediately spit it all out and not eat it.

At first I thought stress or varying tank temp. was the problem, but he seems very comfortable now and I have the tank at a regular 18/19 degrees.

I usually feed him at night because he is more active then. I have tried hand feeding, tweezers, and a feeding dish/tile. I have even replaced my fine sand with large river stones to make sure he isn’t eating the sand, but nothing has changed.

I have even tried not offering him anything for 2 days, and then seeing if he will take anything simply because he NEEDS to, but that didn’t work either.

I’m getting very worried because he is growing a lot and very quickly, and becoming skinny. I worry that soon his body won’t be able to sustain the rate at which he is growing and he simply won’t be able to survive unless he eats.

I have tried everything I can think of and read every thread I can find that MIGHT relate to what’s going on but nothing is working.

I’m out of money, ideas, and helpful threads. Please help!

I really hope other people have suggestions for you. I'm stumped!
Do you think he could have ingested some of the sand and it's blocking the stomach? Maybe tubbing for a couple of days can help. Does the belly look dark from what you can tell?

Hayleyy said:

I really hope other people have suggestions for you. I'm stumped!
Do you think he could have ingested some of the sand and it's blocking the stomach? Maybe tubbing for a couple of days can help. Does the belly look dark from what you can tell?

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Hey again Hayley thanks for replying!!!
I’ve been feeding him (trying to) in a dish/tile so he doesn’t snap up any of the sand. He doesn’t appear to be impacted and I’ve seen his poop around the tank (don’t know what he’s pooping!!!!!!). I am worried he might just not be a healthy axolotl, I don’t know what to do

I've been reading a few instances lately where axies have just stopped eating. I'll keep looking for solutions, there has to be something you can do. If he is losing a lot of weight you could fridge him as the weight wont drop off so quickly. If anything is trapped it should be expelled.
I had a couple of axies from KP years ago who were sickly, though that was before I knew of this site so it may have just been poor husbandry from me. Hope this isn't the case, I really love your little one!

Hayleyy said:

I've been reading a few instances lately where axies have just stopped eating. I'll keep looking for solutions, there has to be something you can do. If he is losing a lot of weight you could fridge him as the weight wont drop off so quickly. If anything is trapped it should be expelled.
I had a couple of axies from KP years ago who were sickly, though that was before I knew of this site so it may have just been poor husbandry from me. Hope this isn't the case, I really love your little one!

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I have some great news!!!! He is taking 1/2 pellets! So far he's eaten 3 days in a row, taking a pellet and a half each day (I soak them a bit and cut them up). I know its not much but i am THRILLED! He seems to be doing well, and he's definitely not constipated or eating the sand, thank you for your help!! He has grown so much, he even has little toes now!

Any progress is good! Great to hear!! Keep me updated