Kerry1968
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- May 16, 2008
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OK, for those of you who don't know, I have 2 adult axolotls, male and female and two of their offspring who are now 6 months old. Also in the mix is a small wildtype who is around 4 inches long.
Right, yesterday I noticed that one of the 6 month old babies has a more swollen cloaca, so I think finally I can separate them all into sexes! Until now I have had the adult male in a 2 and half foot tank with a little bit sectioned off for the wildtype as I believe he's male (though HIS swollen cloaca may have been because he had ingested some gravel before I had him, which he has now passed)
I had the adult female in the four foot tank with the two six monthers.
So today I put the adult female and the 6 month old without a swollen cloaca into the two and half foot tank and the adult male in the four foot tank with the six monther I believe to also be male, with a portion sectioned off for the wildtype. You following this? Confusing huh?
I watched the axies in their new homes to make sure they settled in OK and noticed the 6 month old 'male' pushing the adult male under his tail as males do when they are trying to get the female over the spermatophore. I thought weird, male doing it to a male. Then they swapped and the adult male was doing it to the 6 month old. The adults cloaca was open as though he was about to drop a spermatophore, so I quickly moved the smaller one over the divider into the other side, just in case my 'male' is a swollen female!
So does anyone know if females would display this behaviour? Or is a territorial thing between two males? The two of them haven't been together in the same tank before so I wondered if they were showing dominance over each other?
Sorry if this has been such a long post, I hope you managed to follow it. If you want me to clarify anything just ask! Thank you.
Right, yesterday I noticed that one of the 6 month old babies has a more swollen cloaca, so I think finally I can separate them all into sexes! Until now I have had the adult male in a 2 and half foot tank with a little bit sectioned off for the wildtype as I believe he's male (though HIS swollen cloaca may have been because he had ingested some gravel before I had him, which he has now passed)
I had the adult female in the four foot tank with the two six monthers.
So today I put the adult female and the 6 month old without a swollen cloaca into the two and half foot tank and the adult male in the four foot tank with the six monther I believe to also be male, with a portion sectioned off for the wildtype. You following this? Confusing huh?
I watched the axies in their new homes to make sure they settled in OK and noticed the 6 month old 'male' pushing the adult male under his tail as males do when they are trying to get the female over the spermatophore. I thought weird, male doing it to a male. Then they swapped and the adult male was doing it to the 6 month old. The adults cloaca was open as though he was about to drop a spermatophore, so I quickly moved the smaller one over the divider into the other side, just in case my 'male' is a swollen female!
So does anyone know if females would display this behaviour? Or is a territorial thing between two males? The two of them haven't been together in the same tank before so I wondered if they were showing dominance over each other?
Sorry if this has been such a long post, I hope you managed to follow it. If you want me to clarify anything just ask! Thank you.