Question: My axolotl blinked!

siona

siona

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I recently acquired an adult wildtype through the forums, and he's really lovely. A bit more shy than my leucistic but normal I would say. But I've been watching him and thought he blinked a couple of times, and thought I must have imagined it - I'm pretty sure axolotls aren't supposed to have eyelids unless they morph - but I've been watching him more carefully now and he definitely blinked! Not very often - I had to stare for a few minutes with him motionless, then he closed his eyes and turned his head. What's going on???:confused:
 
Can you post a picture? It may, in fact, be a tiger salamander rather than an axolotl.
 
Hmm, the thought did occur, but he looks so similar! here are photos:happy:
 

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That's a toughie... He does have shorter toes, like a tiger sal would, but they're more pointed than I would expect. His head's also more flattened, like a tiger sal would be. And he does have what I would consider a tiger sal coloration.

I guess keep an eye on it and see if the fin/gills start to receed.
 
Hmm... I'll have to do some reading up just in case he does change. What kind of age do they start to change? Or does it depend on the environment etc?
 
more photos! :D
 

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Usually they'll metamorph around 6 months to a year, but it can be pretty variable. If life is good in the water, they can stay there for a year or two. And occasionally you'll get neotenic individuals who kind of... partially metamorph, but retain gills and hang out in the water for years.
 
Aww cute axies! I would say, from the pattern on his legs that he is probably a Tiger Salamander. But he does look so much like a wildtype. I wonder if someone maybe bred a tiger and axie together???? it is possible. Maybe this is the outcome of such a thing? :D either way what a fun critter!
 
actually, Julia he might have been. I did notice it usually coincides with him fanning his gills. And at one point it almost looked as if it wasn't so much blinking, but his eye receding for a moment. Maybe he had an injury...but I don't know. I'll keep staring at him :D
 
Because You are UK based (and I trust forum suppliers more than pet shops) this is probably a wild type axolotl even though more tiger like than most. Tigers are more expensive to import than axolotls are to breed so over here there is no incentive to pass off tiger larvae as axolotls.

Their eyes do pop down a bit on swallowing. It does not look to me like it is showing any signs of morphing and the eyes are nothing like as prominent as in a morphed axolotl or tiger salamander. The fins and gills look large and healthy so I think all is well here.
 
I notice when mine swallow, their eyes do sink in a bit. It does look a bit like they blink.
 
Such gorgeous axolotls! I love the patterning on the wild type. Well if it is an axolotl lol. I can't add any information to whether it could be a tiger salamander as I have no knowledge there. But in reference to the above posts sometimes when mine eat they do something weird with their eyes and appear to retract a little. Keep an eye on him I guess is all you can do!
 
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