Three questions (feeding; colours; extra limbs)

[matt]

Hi,


Am a new axolotl owner, having branched out from fish / fire sals / fire-bellied toads. I've three queries about the chap I've brought home from the pet-shop.

1) He was described when I bought him as "Golden". To me he seemed white, which I believe is also called leucistic. Examining him at home he is a pinkey-white (reddish eyes and gills)- seems more albino. Are white-leucistic / golden / albino all different things? Can someone help me discriminate?

2)Next, am feeding blood worm, tubifex and earthworm so far. I've heard someone say they can be trained to take dry, commercial food either on the surface of falling from it. What experience have people have had of this? What is the product I could try him (her?) on?

3) One of his front legs is... ermm ... how can I put it? ... two front legs. It forks into a second limb, growing upwards. Is this a developmental abnormality? Is it rare? Is it healthy? The result of an injury? (Personally I think it just adds to the charm.)

Thanks for any help you can offer.


Best//Matt

 

[john]

1- In axolotls, pink/red eyes means albino. If the animal is white as well, then it's both leucistic/white and albino. Normal axolotl albinos are golden.

2- Avoid dry food. The only commercially available proprietary food that I would feed axolotls is trout/salmon food pellets that are used in fish farms.

3- The animal's leg was damaged at some stage and it didn't regrow correctly. It's harmless but not rare.