I got an Axolotl today! My first one!

[rheann]

Today I got an Axolotl! I bought a blue green wild type at capital aquarium today, it is so cute! my water finally tested 0amonia, 0nitrite, 0nitrate! it's sooo cool! he/she is so adorible! if it is a boy, I will name him GusGus aka Gremis, if it is a girl, not sure yet, hard to come up with a girls name, i am just so happy! i am trying to see if Capital Aquarium can still get me a luecistic, and I know they will come through for me. the other pet store isn't helping at all, and i called cap aquarium earlier to find out if they had the four left, and the clerk said no, so he didn't know what i was talking about I guess, because i called back later to see if they could re order some for me, and another clerk said they still have them! So my husband and I went in and got one. He is a very pale wild type which looks like he has a hint of blue or green in him, and he's so cute! I love his little face and he's so quick and active and healthy looking! just thought I'd share with everyone! I will take pictures with my regular camera and try and get a scanner. He is sitting in his plastic bag right now in the tank, waiting to ajust to the new tank. Thanks everyone so much for your help! you are all so awsome and i am just so happy today!

 

[cynthia]

Congrats Rheann

 

[rheann]

I got him to eat from my hand! It was so cute! I knew he was hungery, he looked like he was looking around for food after I put him in and he settled a bit, so I took a tuba fix worm cube, sqeezed all the air out and offered it to him with my fingers. He sniffed my fingers and the food and he/she was like, "hmm, what's this? Food? what are these things holding it? are they food?" and it was so cute because he looked like he was snuzzling my fingers! Then he sniffed the food some more, and was like "mmm, dinner," and he munched it in really quickly and I wasn't afriad of him biting me because i know it won't hurt. It was a hallmark moment i tell you, I feel so accomplished. He's so cute! or She is! If it's a girl, I think i'll call her Nibbles or maybe for a boy name Nibly. Its so fun picking our names and watching him! He exploring his tank right now, smelling everything and I think he likes it! Are Tuba-fix worm cubes ok to feed him regularly? I am trying to find some places here where they sell earth worms that are bred rather than caught from the ground. I am sort of afraid of the blood worms, watching them squirm all together like that, but worm cubes don't bother me. What else should I feed him/her? This all so exciting! I am trying really hard not to stress him out, his tail doesn't look curled and his gills aren't up, so i hope he/she's ok. I want to hand feed him regularly, so that he wont be afriad. he's such a little angel

 

[grant]

Oh hey I emailed you with some people in CA that could get you some, but I guess you don't need it any more

Well congratulations!! Have fun with him! You might want to see if your local pet store sells "red wigglers" they are just small earthworms. Also waxworms as a treat maybe once a week or so.

 

[rheann]

Thanks Grant! I am still looking for a Luecistic. I will try the red Wriggelers. Blood worms really just creep me out. I am enjoying watching my little guy. He's so special

I will also try a bait and tackle shop that is here because they sell earthworms. Thanks!

 

[grant]

Yea, I have earthworms I feed mine occasionally but you have to cut them into such a small piece that it wastes like 75% of the worm. Red wigglers won't be at a bait store (at least not here) but PetSmart has a lot of good worms and stuff so check there if theres one around you.

 

[rheann]

thanks again grant!

 

[lisa]

Congrats Rheann! Its always so exciting bringing a new axie home. I can't wait to see photos, he sounds cute as.

In regards to food, I get "scrub worms". They aren't the little red compost worms they're the big fat brown ones, about 1cm round. I chop them into about 5 pieces and then hand feed.
I found the little compost worms wriggled too much and my axies either didn't like the taste, or were too lazy and just spat them out.
I occassionally feed fresh river prawn for a treat, and when I can manage to catch them, a big juicy moth, or caterpiller, as long as I'm sure they haven't been srayed.

(Message edited by lisapie on May 25, 2005)

 

[dot]

In regards to food ...

Aside from what Grant has been saying about Red Wigglers, I've heard mostly bad things ... they can emit a horrible smell that can turn an animal off to them, especially if that animal is a scent hunter, as axolotls are.

Canadian nightcrawlers can be purchased at any bait store or at Wal*Mart (in the Sporting Goods section). A sharp razor blade is a good method of cutting them into managable pieces without too much "worm torture." You can generally get two dozen Canadian Nightcrawlers at Wal*Mart for under $3, and they will last quite a while if kept in the refrigerator. (I actually don't feed my axolotls worms, but I always have a container in the fridge for my other animals.) Earthworms are actually one of the most nutritious (if not THE most nutritious) staple food you can give your axolotls.

Side note: You can't "waste like 75%" of a nightcrawler if you begin cutting segments off the tail end. The worm, as long as it has enough of its head, will continue to survive and do what worms do best. So you can cut a worm in half, feed half to the axie, and save the other half for the next feeding.

Frozen foods work well too -- usually axolotls will turn their noses up at frozen brine shrimp after they're about 4 inches or so, but mine will still go after frozen bloodworm cubes readily. (These can be found in the freezer at any chain pet store, such as Petco or PetsMart, as well as a local fish store.) I actually don't feed my axies frozen bloodworms regularly either, (I use them for my siren, heh.) As a treat, you can also give them frozen beefheart cubes. (San Francisco Bay Brand makes "Gumdrops" that are relatively inexpensive and make both bloodworms and beefheart.)

One food that I would recommend is the axolotl pellets that the Indiana University Axolotl Colony sells for $5 a 1 pound bag. (I believe that Michael Shrom also sells the same pellets for the same price.) The pellets (made by Rangen and used for salmon fisheries,) are nutritious and axolotls love them. They give off a strong (but not too strong) odor that is apparently quite appetizing.

I've heard tale of people once in a while feeding pinkie mice to their axies, but there are varied reports on how healthy those are. The verdict still seems to be out on that, so I, personally, would avoid mammalian tissue as a staple food. (Like I stated previously, a beefheart treat is ok once in a while.)

Hope that helps. Good luck with the new axolotl.

 

[rheann]

Thanks Lisa, thanks Dot! I appreciate it so much! so far, he really seesm to like the tuba fix cubes, but i would like to try some of the stuff suggested. I will go to walmart and see if they have the worms. He has settled really well i think. He doesn't hide at all, but once in a while he comes up for a gulp of air. Is this bad?? I am really worried. he seems to really like to lay at the bottom and veg, and he liked to watch my husband and me it would seem. is he not getting enough air? only once in a while, not very often, and i have a wisper in the tank filter and i just put a small air stone in the tank thinking he wasn't getting enough air. Is something wrong or is this normal for Axolotls? I hope he isn't trying to morph! I haven't had enough time to enjoy watching him in this form yet. Any advise well really help. thankyou so much!

 

[shane]

Hey. i was going to ask this but wasnt sure in what thread but i guess as you are talking about food. i was wondering if it is possible to get those axolotl pellets from the Indiana University Axolotl Colony in Australia?. they sounds pretty good. im currently feeding mine bloodworm which seems to be good she eats it all. but it wouldnt hurt giving her soemthing different. especially with different nutritional values. i was also thinking of earthworms to give her. thats heaps of info about food. thanks

 

[joan]

Congrats! I told you it would happen soon enough. Can't wait for pics!

 

[rheann]

Thanks so much Joan!

 

[brian]

Congrats Rheann! It's a great feeling to get them when you've been looking so long, isn't it?

 

[rheann]

Thanks Brian! My Axie is doing great today! He loves the Tuba-fix worm cubes. I am giong to get him a veriety of nutrious things. I decided to try and set my 20 gallon tank up early. It is in the prosses. We are trying to get a stand for it right now, or just a table for it to sit on. He seems to recognize me as "Food Bringer" and readly excepts the food I give him with my hands. I am able to keep his water cool 67 degrees and 63 degrees. I take a bit of his water from his tank and freeze it in glad ware for a few hours and then place it in the tank and it helps keep the tank regulated when we don't have the AC on. Last night I had a bit of a scare when i noticed the water temp had gone up a little too high, but i was able to slowly get it back down. He is so cute! he watches me when i sit by the tank and watch him. Its funny when he swims because he will once in a while go to the surface for a gulp of air, and then just sort of coast back down, legs all sprawled out and lands softly in the sand. So adorible! My husband who doesn't normaly like snakes or salamanders, seems to really like this one, and even wants to try and hand feed it soon! I noticed the little guy has an extra finger growing out of one of his other fingers lol. other than that he has no other extra growths, he is fat and healthy, and loves to swim and watch us. I look forward to getting one more, or maybe two! They are such charming creatures

 

[grant]

I'm not sure but I heard that it is bad to feed the Tuba-fix worms to him often, but I have no experience with them. I heard they are kind of fatty. But I would try getting some red worms (red wigglers) and see if your axie will eat them (some won't).

 

[cynthia]

Rheann - The tubifex worms are not a good staple food as they have a high oil content. They should only be fed as a rare treat if ever.

From http://www.axolotl.org/feeding.htm

One thing to bear in mind when feeding axolotls is that they need high quality foods with low oil and fat contents. They may develop liver problems if constantly fed on foods with a high oil content (Tubifex and whiteworms are a good example).

Night crawlers and the soft moist salmon pellets from Indiana University are still your best bets.

 

[rheann]

oh thank you so much grant and Cynthia! I am going to order some of the Pellets, I think he will really like them! Walmart also sells Night crawlers

Good O' walmart. There is a petstore here also that sells I believe the red Wriggelers. My 20 gallon tank is all set up now and starting the cycling prossess. my little one is just enjoying his 10 gal until I move him over there in about a months time. I will pick up some worms tomorrow and check the pet store and others for the red wriggelers tomorrow. Its really interesting watching him eat

Thanks so much you guys. If you have anymore advice, please don't hesitate. I want to do all I can for him.

 

[grant]

My axie eats the red wigglers with no problems but a lot of animals will refuse them (some of my frogs) because their blood taste gross I guess lol. But try them out and see. My axie love live food but he will not eat any type of frozen food. Just try a little bit of everything and see what he likes. I ordered some pellets today so I'm not sure if mine will like them or not. Hope that helps a little! lol, I'm new to axies too so just learning with ya lol.

 

[rheann]

i noticed that bigalsonline also had a good selection of food

are freeze-dried brine-shrimp cubes good as well besides frozen brin-shrimp? bigalsonline also has blood worm cubes, which i don't mind feeding as long as they aren't alive and all squirmy. I think the best part of having him for me is watching him and feeding him by hand. I am always so tempted to pet him when my hand is in the water because he swims up and nugdes my fingers as I hold out the food for him, but I avoid temptation because I knwo that it isn't good to touch them, so after he takes the food i take my hand out. Is it good to always hand feed them, or should i also teach him to eat from a little bowl as well? thanks guys