Food getting trapped gill slits

[women158]

Hello - we had a bit of a fright this evening and just wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing!
We fed our baby defrosted bloodworms this evening (her staple diet as she is still too small for earthworms) and were very alarmed to discover she had got one trapped in her gills and seemed to be moving her jaw around trying to loosen it. She did eventually manage to work it free after about ten minutes but we were very worried and had never heard of this happening before. Has it happened to anyone else and what would we need to do if it happens again and she can't work it free herself?
Pictures to show what we mean:

 

[slimer]

That happens to my axies occasionally with live worms and the worms would always just wiggle there way out. How big is your axie ?

 

[Jacquie]

Axolotls have a gill slit (a hole) just right behind the gills. Sometimes food will come out of these holes and while it does look rather revolting, it's quite normal. We'll just say it's part of their charm .

Your axolotl looks big enough to be able to handle cut up earthworm. As a rough guide, the portion sizes should be about as long as the axolotl's mouth is wide.

 

[women158]

She's about 5 inches long at the moment (she was only 3" when we got her a month ago - can't believe how fast she grows!). Maybe we should try the cut up earthworms then! We cut up prawns for her as a special treat and she adores them - little fatty!
Glad it's not just us that it's happened to - we completly freaked out. We took the pictures to post a panicky post and just as we'd almost finished typing she managed to force it out! It was pretty gross lol charming :happy:

 

[Kaysie]

The best part is when the worm is long enough, it comes out the gill slit, and they try to eat the end of it before the entire worm has worked through the gill slit. It's like a giant earthworm piercing.

 

[women158]

Oh my god! That's the most disgusting thing I've ever heard!!!! lol

 

[Kaysie]

It's just one of their many charms

 

[axolotllady]

Well I am glad that I read this before witnessing it. It is quite humorous, really.

 

[Lamb]

I currently have a Eurycea (likely guttolineata) that I am feeding thawed bloodworms. One managed to slip through its gill slit. I gently tried to remove it, but with no luck. Do you have any suggestions for me if the Eurycea doesn't work the worm out on its own?

 

[Kaysie]

Try blowing a jet of water over it (maybe into the back of the gills, toward the mouth) with a turkey baster. Or sucking it out with a turkey baster. Just be sure to not pull on the gills.

 

[Lamb]

Thanks for the advice. It managed to take care of the protruding worm after about 10 or 15 minutes.

 

[LaurenAndChris]

I'm having a similar problem. Pixie, our axolotl, has gotten a worm stuck too, though it appears to be more underneath her chin, at her neck rather than behind her gills. She has been this way for around 45 minutes and seems to have given up trying to get it free. How can I help her?