Axolotl won't eat worms anymore...

[Zeanieboppa]

Hi guys,

Hoping you can help me. I've had my gorgeous boy Sid for over 7 years now and the amphibian shop I got him from told me to feed him bloodworm-which I have been. However, I've read now that bloodworm should be thought of as a treat to have every now and then.
So I tried him on sinking pellets, the thin stick type he wasn't great at eating and mucked up my water quality, even though I tried to remove the uneaten ones ASAP and the bigger rounder pellets he didn't seem to like period. So I decided to get him onto worms (which he has eaten before).
I bought earthworms (think the are red wrigglers) well I offered him one and he ate it right up, so thought I'd try him on a second and he devoured it in a flash.
However since then he actively swims away from them... I've tried soaking them (as app they sometimes emit a yukky slime coat), blanching them (which took a lot as I'm a wuss-but accept Sid's needs come first) and even cut one in half in case it's too big.
But every time he smells it, ignores it, gives it a gentle and small warning nip and then swims in the other direction because its obviously annoying him. This has been going on for 5 days now.
Any ideas??
I'm going back to frozen bloodworm cubes soin- he's just soo fussy-he's worse than my 3 y.o.!

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Ok, let me see if I can help. We have to get him to eat something more nutritious, like those earthworms. Tell me how you feed them to him, like, do you drop them in and let him swim up to them and he does all the work, or do you bait him? I wiggle them at the top, my girl comes up and takes it from the surface.

I can recommend a good axolotl pellet to try, I will link it. The issue there iwth the pellets, like to train an axolotl on pellets, I would take them out into a small tub with nice, cold clean water, and drop a pellet, 1 at a time, over Sid's head and try to get his instinct to kick in. He SHOULD just snap at it and suck it in. That's how I got my axolotl to eat Repashy grub pie. You could try making that, but that requires a mold, from like a local bakery. I can help you make that if you want, the biggest concern is you HAVE to feed him in another tub, the Repashy stuff is super dirty, I'm so glad I didn't have to clean it up from my girl's normal tank.

Bloodworms are not enough to sustain adult axolotls apparently, not enough nutrients. Do you have photos? Is he thin?

ABF Gourmet Axolotl Soft Food Pellets 4.0mm ABF5 Heat - Etsy

This Pet Supplies item by AQUATICBLENDEDFOODS has 181 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from United States. Listed on Aug 21, 2023

www.etsy.com

If you can get a small bag of those, get Sid in a tub with cold, clean water, only like 15 or 25cms of water, so the pellets don't have far to sink and so he can see them coming, I would just pick a day, maybe when you clean his tank next, get him that tub, and just sit there and work with him. Like training a dog to fetch a ball, kinda.

 

[Zeanieboppa]

Ok, let me see if I can help. We have to get him to eat something more nutritious, like those earthworms. Tell me how you feed them to him, like, do you drop them in and let him swim up to them and he does all the work, or do you bait him? I wiggle them at the top, my girl comes up and takes it from the surface.

I can recommend a good axolotl pellet to try, I will link it. The issue there iwth the pellets, like to train an axolotl on pellets, I would take them out into a small tub with nice, cold clean water, and drop a pellet, 1 at a time, over Sid's head and try to get his instinct to kick in. He SHOULD just snap at it and suck it in. That's how I got my axolotl to eat Repashy grub pie. You could try making that, but that requires a mold, from like a local bakery. I can help you make that if you want, the biggest concern is you HAVE to feed him in another tub, the Repashy stuff is super dirty, I'm so glad I didn't have to clean it up from my girl's normal tank.

Bloodworms are not enough to sustain adult axolotls apparently, not enough nutrients. Do you have photos? Is he thin?

ABF Gourmet Axolotl Soft Food Pellets 4.0mm ABF5 Heat - Etsy

This Pet Supplies item by AQUATICBLENDEDFOODS has 181 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from United States. Listed on Aug 21, 2023

www.etsy.com

If you can get a small bag of those, get Sid in a tub with cold, clean water, only like 15 or 25cms of water, so the pellets don't have far to sink and so he can see them coming, I would just pick a day, maybe when you clean his tank next, get him that tub, and just sit there and work with him. Like training a dog to fetch a ball, kinda.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I caved and gave him a bloodworm cube. I then left it a day and then I tried a small worm which I held and wiggled about and he ate it thankfully. Since then he's been fine, so I think maybe he was just stuffed full.
He's not skinny, his tummy is as wide as his head, but he's not a chunky thing either.
As for pellets I started with one at a time using tweezers and he would smell them and actually nuzzle them away, like a dog. But not snap at them. He's a pretty gentle axie and only tends to snap at things he really wants. I've tried 3 different kinds now and he's just not keen on any of them. I can't help but think putting him into a separate tub eat time I feed him will stress him out.
His appetite is pretty much back to normal now and he's eating earthworms regularly and I'm giving him bloodworm more like a treat every now and then.
Thank you again, I just wanted to give you an update.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Aw, good, I am very glad he is doing better!