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Question: Diarrhea?

danchristopher

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So the other week I noticed a dark object on my sand substrate which I assumed was an axie poo. I got out my turkey baster and as I sucked it up I noticed that it was just a smear - there was no solidness to it and as soon as it was sucked up it pretty much disintegrated into the water.

I walked over to my tank just now and noticed one of my female's cloacas a bit swollen and then as I watched I saw her literally squirt out some, uh, diarrhea. That's probably the only way to describe it. To be honest, I am laughing a little as I write this, but I am worried.
As it happened a lot of it just kinda washed away into the water, while some was left as a smear on the substrate.

I normally feed her earthworms and the occasional frozen bloodworm cube (which was the last thing I fed her yesterday).
I checked my water parameters yesterday and they were all fine. The only thing that's been different recently is the temperatures we've been having here in Sydney has kept the tank sitting at around 20-21 degrees - up from the average 16-17 a couple of weeks ago. I know this is high for axolotls but I assumed they'd mostly be okay as it wasn't above 23-24.


I'd say I saw the first smear just when the temperature started warming up, so would the temperature be what's causing it? Is it a problem?
I've got some frozen bottles in the freezer to cool the tank down if that would help...
 

swimupstream

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Hey, Dan - I don't know much about what's 'normal', except to say that my four axies have been eating earthworms for 9 months (since they've been with me) and always poo just like that.

I actually hardly ever find any to pick up, but when I do, it's just like you described...
 

danchristopher

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Hm. Well that makes me feel a little better, it just seemed strange because normally they poo out almost a solid mass that breaks up when sucked up or moved around. This however was pretty much just liquid...

Oh well, glad to know she's not the only axie that does this, haha.
 

Kaysie

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If it's warmer, she may be moving the food through her gut more quickly, and it doesn't have time to digest all the way, so it's coming out more liquid than it normally would.

I wouldn't worry about it unless she continues to have problems. I rarely see solid poo in my tank; it's almost always disintegrated before I find it.
 

danchristopher

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Thanks Kaysie, I can stop worrying now :D

I'll keep an eye on her to make sure she's okay. I haven't really been finding poops around the tank these past couple of weeks so I assume my other axies are doing something much the same and I just haven't noticed.
 

Zenna

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this actually has helped me too xD much like you dan, i havent found poops around my tank for a while now o-o occasionally i do, but not often.
 

Kaysie

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I think mine always wait until I leave for work, and then poop when it's quiet. So by the time I get home and get around to my rounds, it's already turned into poo-dust.
 
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