Introducing Banda

[naymo]

Banda is my new axie and my first also.
Im calling her a she know but if you think shes a male
I'd love to know

Banda is 20cm long but I dont know her age..

Well enjoy then

 

[Kaysie]

Maybe male. It looks as if you're feeding mealworms in the second photo. Mealworms should be fed sparingly. Their shells are very chitinous and can cause impaction when fed too often. They also have strong jaws which may injure an axolotl during feeding.

 

[naymo]

I cut their head off before feeding them to Banda
Im getting pellets soon anyways

 

[cloth]

If I was you I would (apart from not feeding it mealworms) cahange the substrate as gravel can be consumed by the axy which may lead to compaction.Try sand instead.

 

[naymo]

Yes,Im aware of gravel danger
Im not allowed to change.Mum believes what the petshop
has said "Gravel is the best for axolotls"
So unfortunately I have to wait a while.

 

[cloth]

For the sake of your animals health as your mum to read this and the many many threads on gravel and its dangers.If money is the problem just remove the gravel and leave the tank floor bare.

 

[smilee]

Honestly i dont think money would be the problem since naymo has her very own axie (which is beautiful by the way) like she said before it's just a matter of time till she is able to change the substrate.... Banda looks healthly an naymo is very cautious about her pet..... Banda and Naymo are best mates, they chill out every weekend.... =) LOL.....

 

[Kaysie]

Having no substrate is healthier than having gravel. Gravel can cause serious impactions, which may lead to death. It may look healthy now, and you may say "well it's not eating it" but I guarantee you the axolotl has gravel in its stomach. As soon as you take that away, you'll see gravel in the feces. People who have not had axolotls on gravel for over a year still find bits of gravel that have come out of their axolotl.

You guys don't understand that some of us have had these animals for years and years. The life span on an axolotl can range over 15 years! We know what we're doing. You've learned everything you know from a poor excuse for a pet shop.

 

[kapo]

I agree with Kaysie and Cloth. Our 4 yr olds still poo out occasional gravel and it's been 14-16months since they were on gravel/pebbles (original owners). Our latest edition has been on bare substrate since we got her, the guy dropped her of in plastic tank full of gravel, I removed both her (still no name) and all the gravel same night and put her back in her plastic tank. She's managed to fill a medium marmite/vegemite container lid of gravel.

You really do not realise how much gravel/pebbles they can swallow and retain in their small bodies until they start excreting them!

Also, think about it, they swallow and if they do manage to excrete it, you wouldn't really notice, they then swallow it again (whilst searching for food, which is natural) and excrete again - same cycle or a possible blockage buildup. Think constipation! It looks pretty painful depending on size of pebble/gravel and doesn't necessarily come out easily (thankfully I've never had to help!)

 

[naymo]

I do honestly know how dangerous it is..
As i said Im not allowed to change..
Its not me believing the pet shops advise its Mum..
Im getting sand as soon as I can..but for the mean time

 

[John]

If you want me to talk to your mum about that, let me know. I never use my title but it might help to convince her.

 

[Gordy]

Every pet shop I've been to the people there always say gravel is the best.

They talk ****.


That is all.

 

[tashie7161]

There was a nice women in the aquatic shop in Stafford, and i told her i was looking at filters for when i get my Axolotl and she was like yes i know about them, a women i meet at a car boot sale says she breeds them and uses an under gravel filter and i asked, but wouldn't sand go straight through it too? and the shop women said she uses gravel. I told her gravel was bad, and the women tried convincing me other wise saying this womens a breeder and she said gravel was fine. I just politely said to the women, well i have to say i believe otherwise and that i do chat on a forum where many of you say how bad gravel is, and i will believe them, she just went well fair enough.

Never feel pressured if your pet/aquatic shop keep telling you to buy gravel and your unsure/know its bad, just say I'll think about it or i don't believe it is. You've got to remember, they run a business, As far as most of them concerned (and I'm not meaning all) a sale, is a sale. They are making money from getting you to buy something.