How to refeed a starved axolotl

[faebugz]

Hi guys, so I rescued an axolotl today. He actually looks to be in okay shape despite being scarily skinny

(How can people let their pets get like this!!! Grr)

That was him earlier today, he was low energy naturally. I set him up in a 5g which is all I have at the moment (after quarantine he can go in my 30g long), which seems to be okay for his size. The guy I got him from said he's about 1.5-2 years old, but he's only maybe 6".

Before I went to work, I fed him a small (2" long) worm and 4 frozen salmon eggs (caught myself). Just now, 9 hours later, I fed him 2 fat nightcrawler chunks. Both were a good mouthful, tough to swallow but able to fit mouth closed.

(The worm I'm snipping chunks off of)

He's got tons of pep now that's he's eaten, but of course he still looks very skinny.

(Looking healthier already)

How much should I be feeding this poor lil guy? He's obviously still hungry, but I don't want trigger refeeding syndrome. Can anyone suggest me a feeding schedule while he puts some weight on?

Thanks!

 

[Reveiled]

I do believe that he is a chonky boi now. But since he is a year old now or so id say try to start feeding him at least once when you wake up and right before bed depending on the worm size. Mine since I had them as a baby with arms, we’re hungry swimmers. I’ve been feeding mine at least once to twice a day depending on their appetite.

 

[faebugz]

I do believe that he is a chonky boi now. But since he is a year old now or so id say try to start feeding him at least once when you wake up and right before bed depending on the worm size. Mine since I had them as a baby with arms, we’re hungry swimmers. I’ve been feeding mine at least once to twice a day depending on their appetite.

??!!!? He is far from chonky!!

You can literally see his spinal bones jutting out of the top of his tail!

His entire torso should be wider than his head. It's not even as wide as where his eyes sit.

You can see how tightly his skin is stretched across his limbs and from his body

Also, he is 1.5 years old and barely 6" long from nose to tail.

For reference, this is my other axolotl Lavender

Now, that's a chonk

 

[AMurry24537]

??!!!? He is far from chonky!!

View attachment 88960
You can literally see his spinal bones jutting out of the top of his tail!

View attachment 88961
His entire torso should be wider than his head. It's not even as wide as where his eyes sit.

View attachment 88962
You can see how tightly his skin is stretched across his limbs and from his body

Also, he is 1.5 years old and barely 6" long from nose to tail.

For reference, this is my other axolotl Lavender
View attachment 88963

Now, that's a chonk

As a slight correction, the "entire torso" should NOT be "wider than his head." Instead, the widest part of his torso should be the SAME width as the widest part of his head (not including the gills)