Dead or not?

[Daniele]

Hi,
a couple of days ago I wrote here that my sister's axolotl had died, reason unknown.
As of today the baby is still in the fridge, and I'm really not sure if she's dead or not. (I've read that other people of this forum had their babies motionless for a week, and were still alive).
The fridge is at 7°C approx, and Axie is not moving. My mother saw her gills (or limbs? well... the six big things on top of her head) moving twice the other day, and that's the main reason why Axie hasn't been buried yet. The only thing that still makes me doubt is that her gills and veins are red... though I'm not sure it means she's still alive. By the way the six limbs are slightly curled and pointing towards her face since we put her in the fridge.
I've read around the forum to "take it out of the fridge and see if it start decomposing" but I'm afraid taking her out of the fridge might eventually kill her in case she was still alive. Have you any better idea to find out? Her tail is not curled. Her legs are pointing backwards, but they've been like that for a while, even when she was still moving: I think she was suffering a partial paralysis, and probably the fridge has worstened it.
Any idea/reccomendation to see if she's still alive... and to help her survive if this is the case?

Daniele

p.s: I haven't found a vet yet (thanks week-end).


UPDATE:
Axie is not dead!! We tried to (force)feed her and she moved. She opened her mouth and moved the front legs too!! I'm so happy. We will have to find a way to take her to the vet tomorrow, and hope that the vet will know what to do. I'm still open to any help from the forum

 

[Kaysie]

The things on the head are gills, the things on the body are legs.

Because of the temperature of the fridge, they will rarely move when they're in there. It's normal.

What foods have you been offering?

 

[Daniele]

Hi,
"gills" refers to both the six big "antennas" and the tiny red things (veins?) attached to them?

I thought that she wouldn't move a lot in the fridge, but she is not moving at all... we change the water once a day, and we always find her in exactly the same position as we left her 24 hours before.

As for the food, she doesn't even try to eat, and hasn't been eating for weeks, maybe a whole month. My mother is feeding her with a syringe without needle, injecting a solution of "homogenized" food (that's how it's called in italian, it's food for children) in her mouth. It occured to me right now that it's not a good food... it's probably too fat for an axolotl.
Considering that she refuses to eat anything, what do you think can be a good and easy-to-give food? I've read somewhere about earthworms cut in tiny bits, but then I can't imagine how to feed her... maybe we can try blending them and diluting what comes out. Any better (and less disgusting) idea?
Thanks for your help

Daniele

 

[Kaysie]

Yes, those are the gills. There are stalks and filaments (the feathery bits).

Is she swallowing the food that's being put in her mouth?

 

[Daniele]

Yes, she is swallowing part of it... and spitting out the rest. I would say she eats more than she spits At least I hope so. Anyway, "a little" is better than nothing.

Thanks for the technical terms .

Daniele

 

[Kaysie]

If she's eating in this manner, I would suggest making earthworm slurry (yep, it'll be messy and gross), and feeding her that. If she's really skinny, you'll have to get her weight up first before doing anything.