Axolotl Intelligence?

[Kaini]

So, we know Axolotls are silly little creatures. They like to shove themselves into weird places, they bonk into the glass and then act really confused about it (or at least mine does), they'll chomp on tank mates by accident etc. you guys know the drill and I'm sure you have stories

How smart are they though? Is it possible to train an Axolotl?

I only ask because I've had experience 'training' my goldfish - they were extremely fearful of my hand and my tank cleaning when I first got them and over time I taught them to eat out of my hand. They're quite clever about it really.
They'll now very enthusiastically nibble me when I do tank maintenance - sorry guys, it's not actually food time! They get excited when I walk into the room because they know I mean food. They couldn't care less about anyone else.

Could my Axolotl be taught to be more comfortable around my hands? Do they have the memory/intelligence to recognize me / associate me specifically with food?

I tried handfeeding Zion once, he didn't really /get/ it, but I think he's starting to figure out the turkey baster I use to give him bloodworms means food. He tried to attack it.

Or maybe he just liked it because it moved... thoughts?

 

[auntiejude]

I think 'intelligence' is a strong word - axies have very little reasoning and logic skills beyond instinct to hunt for food and their own size awareness. Have you ever seen an axie who has just grown too big for his regular hide? They still try and get into it until they physically can't any more.

In terms of 'training' you can certainly condition axies to respond to certain things. My axies are all used to my hand in their tanks, they come to the surface for food. My babies also attack the turkey baster...

All you have to do to get them used to hands is stick your hand in the tank and let your axies come to it to investigate. If you feed worms it's much easier to hand feed than bloodworms.

And they recognise different people. my axies recognise me, my hubby and my son, but aren't interested in visitors.

 

[Sanshouo]

From what I've learned in biology classes, it seems amphibians are definitely smarter than fish but aren't up there with the highly developed reptiles. But because they are fragile and weaker creatures, their survival instincts can be remarkable. I think one of my favorite things about axolotls is that they have such incredible natural attributes like regrowth of limbs and brain tissue, neoteny, 2 methods of breathing, all encompassed in these little clumsy, curious creatures that routinely smash their heads into the same glass they've lived in for years.

 

[sde]

I think 'intelligence' is a strong word - axies have very little reasoning and logic skills beyond instinct to hunt for food and their own size awareness. Have you ever seen an axie who has just grown too big for his regular hide? They still try and get into it until they physically can't any more.

I don't know. Could the fact that they keep trying to get into a hide that is too small for them be something like when your a kid and you grow out of your favorite blanket and you don't want to stop sleeping under it? Or with you favorite shoes, cause I am doing that right now haha

I think that amphibians aren't particularly intelligent, but I do think that they are smarter than most people think they are.
I think that wild animals are smarter that animals that have been bred in captivity over generations. Wild animals need to have instincts and such, captives don't.

See: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1-gen...-how-smart-your-pet.html?highlight=smart+pet?

 

[Kaini]

I don't know. Could the fact that they keep trying to get into a hide that is too small for them be something like when your a kid and you grow out of your favorite blanket and you don't want to stop sleeping under it? Or with you favorite shoes, cause I am doing that right now haha

I think that amphibians aren't particularly intelligent, but I do think that they are smarter than most people think they are.
I think that wild animals are smarter that animals that have been bred in captivity over generations. Wild animals need to have instincts and such, captives don't.

See: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1-gen...-how-smart-your-pet.html?highlight=smart+pet?

Interesting link, thank you!

 

[auntiejude]

I think that wild animals are smarter than animals that have been bred in captivity over generations. Wild animals need to have instincts and such, captives don't.

Thats been proven time and time again, and it doesn't take that many generations! Thats why captive breeding programs for release into the wild have to be so carefully managed, so that the animals can fend for themselves and don't rely on humans.

At the same time though you can condition a 'wild' animal in some ways, and it's not that hard for released pets to turn feral