Sick Sonny

[kate]

Please help. My axie is not eating.. He hasn't eaten for 2 weeks. The petshop has told me to take him out of the tank I have him in and remove all the pebbles. They think he may have eaten them and now thinks he is not hungry, although he is. Is there anything else I can do to ensure he will survive? Has anyone has this happen to their axie before? This morning is looked as tho he was going to thrown the pebbles up, he was jerking and dry reaching. Can anyone help????}

 

[sharn]

pebbles can block them up which would be one reason he is not eating, it is very likely this is the problem, do what the pet shop said and remove all the pebbles from his tank.

fill up a container (food safe and big enough for him to lie straight in) with tank water, put the axie in, lid on, wrap in a towel (to stop light getting in from the fridge) and pop him in the fridge. as long as your fridge is above 5C he will be fine. you will need to do water changes daily with fresh water (change the whole lot). keep a spare bottle beside him in the fridge so the temp is the same. the fridge will slow his metabolism down making him less hungry. we put axies in the fridge when they stop eating so they wont starve to death, in the fridge they can stop eating for a month or more! where abouts are you?

hope this helped, have a read around this section to find some more stuff on the fridge or just ask more questions if you are unsure.

 

[kate]

He has just started lifting up like he is going to float.. but then he comes back down.. he seems to not be able to stay on the bottom all the time.

How do I get the pebbles out of he's belly? Will the fridge help that, or will it just stop him from starving?

Thank you for your help.. I have no idea what to do!

 

[lcd]

My Shakespeare is the same! I think it is the QLD heat. I am in Brisbane... I remember he did this last year... I think he went nearly a month without eating... I have just put him in the fridge... I so hope nothing happens...

 

[kate]

Will the time in the fridge help the gravel in he's belly? or will it just make him not hungry? I really need to get the gravel out, any tips on how to make him vomit it up?

 

[sharn]

it will slow any parasites down/make him not starve. it will give him some time to pass the gravel, however he may not- some peoples axies pass gravel for months after.

sorry i dont know of any way to make them vomit it up, i think they could only vomit it up if its in the stomach, if its blocked him itd be in his intestines.... only time will tell

 

[kate]

Thank you very much, I'll see how he goes over night and I might end up putting him in the fridge.

Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[joan]

Just a note, two weeks is not an excessive time for an axolotl to go without eating. Mine occasionally refuse food for up to a month.