why do people fridge axolotls???

[Vee]

Ive been reading lots on the forum about fridging. Why do people fridge Axolotls?

When should one consider fridging an axolotl?

 

[Zolotl]

They Fridge them because Axolotls do not like temperatures over 22 degrees Celsius, as they come from a glacier fed mountain lake in Mexico and prefer temperatures between 10-20 degrees ideally. High temperatures lead to stress fungal/bacterial infections and eventually death. Fridging keeps them cool and allows their body to recover from infections by stimulating their immune systems and relieving them from the heat stress.

 

[ianclick]

Hi Vee

The fridging process slows the metabolism of the axolotl which helps it to destress and the cooler temperatures make it harder for things like fungus to thrive so making the treatment easier

 

[Fumi]

I had noticed that a lot of people seem to be fridging their axies. It seemed very strange to me. In fact, I thought the temperature change from the tank water to the fridge would most likely kill any animal. No matter what temperatures they are use to in the wild. The water in my tank is just a bit cooler than room temperature - I've done nothing to achieve this. The only electrical device in the tank is the filter.

I also hear about people putting bottles of frozen water in their axies tank. Which again sounded like madness to me. But you guys are experienced and seem to know what you're talking about. Who am I to argue?

 

[Florieke]

You need to rembember that you (as well as me) are living in a moderate climate with probably not a lot of high temperature days, but if you live at a place where it's constantly 30C, the temperature of you tank will rise as well. Axies don't do well in high temperatures, but dwell well in the lower ones. I'm not an expert, but what I know is that higher temps will kill an axie, lower ones will slow it down (also it's metabolism). I even read about people that kept their axies in the pond for a period and the top of it froze, and the axies were still fine.

Those bottles of ice are meant to cool the water, but you are right about big temp changes, so people shouldn't do this without thinking about how to maintain the cooler temperature.

 

[Zolotl]

The temperature change in the fridge is gradual, put a trough of warm water in there, youll se it ll take quite a while before it'll be 4-5 degrees.

Peter

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I had noticed that a lot of people seem to be fridging their axies. It seemed very strange to me. In fact, I thought the temperature change from the tank water to the fridge would most likely kill any animal. No matter what temperatures they are use to in the wild. The water in my tank is just a bit cooler than room temperature - I've done nothing to achieve this. The only electrical device in the tank is the filter.

I also hear about people putting bottles of frozen water in their axies tank. Which again sounded like madness to me. But you guys are experienced and seem to know what you're talking about. Who am I to argue?

The temperature change from room to fridge is slow....it takes time for the water they are in to cool down.


A lot of us are unlucky enough to live in places where summer temperatures can approach 40ºC and higher for weeks, if not months. If you do not have the luxury of a basement and/or central air conditioning the fridge is the easiest way to keep your critters alive.

Often in the summer months you see many more folks fridging for this reason, or that their animal became ill due to warm temperatures.