Illness/Sickness: Axolotl Emergency!

Hey, I recently started a post about an axolotl not eating with a swollen cloaca - thank you to everyone who replied to me via forum/pm. =]

Last night however things took a turn for the worse, he became pretty much immobile only minutes before I was set to transfer him to the fridge. I moved him across to the container where I noticed his legs were twitching, he had lost most of his colour and mouth appeared gaped open.

He appeared to calm down and so I transferred him to the fridge. When looking in this morning I presumed he was dead. Resting almost on his side, eyes looked lifeless and no limb movement...but then his tail moved. I feel so at a loss and stupid, but is he still alive?

I've left him where he is until I can receive some form of what to do next. It's proving near impossible to get him in with a vet as it's a bank holiday Monday and I seem to be being sent in round a bouts!

I'm sorry for posting a separate thread but I don't know what else to do.

I think keeping him cool and dark is the best you can do now, you could put his container out doors, but do make sure it is out of full sun and covered well. Have a look later today and see how he is .

Is this the little axolotl that you posted about, who had eaten gravel in the past ?

Okay I'll leave him in the fridge. His little gills aren't moving at all and his throat looks so swollen. =[

No, this is Jager. I have recently posted about his lack of eating but I don't think he's eaten gravel. I was concerned with him from the start and asked about him at the store because of his gills, they said he was fine and I hoped with earth worms and good housekeeping he'd be OK. I feel quite foolish now.

Arbie is the little girl who ate the gravel, she's absolutely fine now thankfully. =] They haven't had gravel in the tank since the first day I got Arbie. So unless the pet store ever had him with gravel I don't think Jager has been near it.

Jager has passed away this evening. Thank you to all those who gave me advice on his condition.

sorry for your sad loss

I am sorry to read this.

Aww I'm so sorry
You did your best

Thank you =]

Really sorry for your loss, I hope he passed in peace.

Aw, so sorry, Erzs. And so sorry that I told you that you probably didn't have anything to worry about when you PM'd me. I figfured your axie, like mine, had simply come down with a sudden case of being "in heat". I wish I'd known that the problem was more severe.

So people, aside from being in heat, what are other possible causes of a swollen cloaca? An internal obstruction due to swallowing gravel, perhaps?

Im so sorry for your loss, losing an axie is like losing a dog or your grandma! I'd say an internal blockage, (I know this sounds abit grim but did you manage to have a feel of him, any hard obstructions or lumps?) He could have swallowed something sometime ago (rocks, gravel, a snail shell?maybe before you got him) it could have just been sitting in his digestive tract for some time and eventually tried to make its way out proving devastating!

I really cant think of any other thing that could have caused it, swollen cloaca and lack of apitite is the main reason im thinking compaction of some sort!

Im so sorry, If everything you say is in order (i mean no gravel, rocks etc) then I doubt you are to blame for this tradegy, Id put it down to neglegence on behalf of whoever/wherever you got this little fella from! (Gomez was kept in a 20cm long heated tank with gravel and another axie in the shop i got him from! I guess I have just been very lucky!)

Any plans for another one any time soon? Keep an eye in the for sale/giveaway section on this site, at least the axies there will have been kept in correct conditions by the loverly people on this forum!

Take it easy you!

Edit: Just checked your profile and realise you had two axies! at least the other is okay!