Interacting with my axolotl?

[gregington123]

Hi i have had my axel now for only a week. I fed him the day i had him out my hand he took it fine witch really shocked me. If my littel girl or the wife goes up the glass then he will hide but when im even close or put my finger on the glass he will come up to it its like he wants to give me a kiss (mad i.know). Im yet to put my fingers in.the tank or my hand because im worried n lil scared to hurt him tbh. . This is the first axolotl i have had and now i know i shall die being a axolotl owner for the rest of my life

 

[keiko]

Welcome to the addiction. You'll have many more axies before you even realize you're addicted.

Axies do seem to recognize the person who feeds them. I know mine always come to the surface or look up to see if I brought them anything, but aren't at all interested in my friends. One of my friends even tried to feed them once and it took a little while before they realized she was giving them food.

You can put your hands in the tank, you won't hurt them. Just make sure you wash your hands first (no soap etc.) and that your nails aren't sharp.

 

[Cacique]

Axolotl's are quite smart and funny. My axolotl chases my hand through the whole tank trying to catch the food in my fingers, even if he already ate it. As long as you're gentle you shouldn't hurt them, I've gently wrapped my hand around mine and picked him up gently (still in the water, all though they can be out if you need to inspect them) so that I could move him and get to the food he was lying on top of.

He might land on your hand to investigate it if you leave it in the tank long enough, it happened to my girlfriend. I've also gotten my finger bitten and not let go, luckily it doesn't hurt at all but it might surprise you. If your wife and daughter want to interact a bit they could take over some of the feedings and he should eventually get comfortable around them.

My axolotl was horrified of our hands at first. Even if he ate, he would get scared and swam away fast if we touched him. Now he'll let me pick him up and move him around the tank like it's nothing.

 

[Sweetie]

I often have to nudge Boris out of the way during tank cleaning - he likes to get involved, which can be annoying when one is trying to siphon up a large lotl poo he seems to be standing guard over! And he is not at all perturbed by the hand. He never bites my hand but does like to nuzzle at it, investigating I think, if I leave it in the tank rearranging river rocks or plants.

 

[Cacique]

Critters can be quite brave lol. My girlfriend and I have 4 tanks in total, the axies, a betta, a goldfish and one with RCS And mystery snails. The RCS tank I barely need to touch because it's so understocked, but I'll stick my hand in to place the food in a spot and they'll hang out an inch from my hand like it's nothing. The betta and the goldfish always stick their faces in the gravel vac, and my axolotl loves attacking the turkey baster.

I've found myself having to "run away" from my axolotl because he'll relentlessly chase my hand/turkey baster thinking there's food. He'll usually stop after a short moment, but he's caught me and it's surprising when I feel him snap on the turkey baster lol. I've heard of some people kind of getting the axolotl to chase their finger or food like that as a form of play and exercise so that could be something you could do.