Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Stress?

torrey67

New member
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
New York
I see people talking about the stress level of their axolotls. This is a picture of my sons axolotl. We have had him for 6 months or so and he seems good to me but he is our 1st axolotl so how can you tell if he is stressed by looking at him?
 

Attachments

  • 20190818_173538.jpg
    20190818_173538.jpg
    813.6 KB · Views: 360

Murk

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2018
Messages
271
Reaction score
119
It can be hard to give general "signs" of stress. There are some signs that are mentioned often:
- Gills curved forward.
- Bright red, flaring gills.
- Small, almost disappearing gills.
- Floating, restless behaviour.
- Lethargic, lazy behaviour.
- Being unable to swim straight, sometimes "capsizing".
- Loss of appetite.
- In juveniles: the tip of the tail bending .

If some of these seem contradictory, that's right. As all creatures, individual axolotls differ. For some, bright red gills are a sign of stress - for others, this is just how they look. For some axolotls, floating around is restless, stressed behaviour - others are just curious and easily excited.

The easiest sign to look for is change.
If your axolotl usually has small gills and they suddenly flare up for a longer time (a few days), that's a bad thing. If it usually has bright gills, and they seem to shrink for a longer time, that's a bad thing.
If it's normally chilling out at the bottom but starts to float more and more, that's something to keep an eye on. If however it likes to swim, but suddenly starts lazing on the ground, that's also something to keep an eye on.

The best advice I can give is: get to know your axolotl! Look how it usually behaves, what colour it has, how much it likes to eat, if it's lazy or enterprising, if it's social or shy.

Then, if any of that suddenly changes, you might want to check your water parameters.
(A stressed axolotl can be very serious - but it can also mean he's just grumpy for a day. Always be patient with the little buddies.)
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top