Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

When to fridge an Axolotl? Possible Constripation?

BitterFanged

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Washington
Hello everyone,

Wanted to ask and get a general consensus of what to do and wondering if I'm just being a worry wort or should tackle this as this is the first time I've considered fridging. (Also apologies if this is posted in the wrong section of the forums) I currently have a one year old axolotl (who is actually turning 1 tomorrow the 25th) and have had them since early February of this year, so in a sense grown a general idea of temperament and behavior of them. I've begun to notice that they haven't pooped recently and am starting to get a little concerned seeing it has been a good two weeks and normally I see a poop from them once a week at most and upon reading other forum posts that say fridging is a good thing to help with healing but also slowing down appetite and allowing them to pass stool/stones/etc. as well.

They are not floating or struggling to get around, they like to swim (I call it zoomies) at night/early morning then immediately stop when they notice someone before just wandering off again and exploring. I've seen their back legs forward at times but nothing that points out that they're constipated/impacted and I've never seen them with their rear in the air and struggling to sit on the ground. In addition to that, they haven't lost appetite as I've dropped a pellet in and they'll eat it with no signs of spitting it up so they're still interested in food.

----
They're about 9" long, wild/copper and most likely female

Tank parameters:
Size: 20G Long
Substrate: Sand, has live plants that are mostly floating with a few buried in the sand/tucked behind hiding spots (2 hiding spots)
Sponge Filter attached to air pump and Fluvial Canister filter (flow is turned down to half to reduce current and is facing wall)
Temperature range: 64f to 69F (depending on when we have AC on/time of day)
PH: 6.6-6.8~
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10-20ppm
Water changes are once a week (20-25%)

Feedings:
I feed them half a night crawler 2x a week, and sometimes will add pellets that are bought from the breeder (NorthernAxolotls). I did a transition from feeding them once daily when they were a juvenile and in the last month to feeding twice a week as they were primarily on pellets then shifted to red worms (which they grew to hate) and finally night crawlers which were cut into fourth's to now halves as they've grown.

-----
Overall they haven't had a huge change in personality, if anything maybe starting to slow into the general axolotl dopey self (they used to be at the glass all the time to see people and would get "upset' if they couldn't see/something was blocking their view but now seem to chill in one of their hides during the day, come out at night) and that their appetite is still good, its just not seeing them poop is making me worried a little since this is a bit out of their usual norm.

I can post pictures if needed of the tank and axolotl, but wanted to get an idea before stepping any further as I've never done fridging before and is suggested as a last resort and I don't want to cause any stress when I didn't need to in the first place. Would it be safe to fridge them incase I suspect it to be constipation or would it be best to let it go for a bit longer to be better safe than sorry?

Thank you for your time in reading my ramblings!
 

Murk

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2018
Messages
271
Reaction score
119
I think you'll have a hard time finding consensus on anything :p

Fridging is a relatively inoffensive treatment, which is why it's a popular first step.
On the other hand, sure, it can still be stressful to the axolotl.

Personally, I'm hesitant to do anything when "doing nothing" is still a viable alternative. (It sounds horribly lazy when I type it out like this)

So your water quality is good (pH a bit on the low side, but still OK), you haven't seen any behavioral changes, no loss of appetite, no floating, no bloating... I would wait it our, for now. Axolotls can go a while without pooping.
Or she has pooped and you just haven't noticed it - maybe it's buried, hidden in a decoration, or she ate it. It happens.

If you see any symptoms of impaction, fridging is relatively harmless to do. But if you don't see any symptoms... eh, why risk it?


---
Edit: In general though, sand is always a risk for impactions. It's usually fine, but did you say you drop pellets? If you drop pellets on the sand for the axolotl to eat, she basically eats sand with every pellet. Sooner or later that will lead to problems.
Nothing wrong with sand, but discourage eating it. Don't put food on it.
If you have sand as a substrate, either feed pellets from hand or tweezers, or put them in a bowl/on a plate.
 

michael

2010 Research Grant Donor
Joined
Apr 12, 2003
Messages
3,406
Reaction score
156
Location
Ephrata,Pa
Other than not seeing feces it sounds like a description of healthy axolotls to me. It is possible they are doing fine and you just haven't seen the feces. Maybe it is breaking up more than they used to.
 

Binditheaxolotl

Active member
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
363
Reaction score
106
Location
Pennsylvania
Hello everyone,

Wanted to ask and get a general consensus of what to do and wondering if I'm just being a worry wort or should tackle this as this is the first time I've considered fridging. (Also apologies if this is posted in the wrong section of the forums) I currently have a one year old axolotl (who is actually turning 1 tomorrow the 25th) and have had them since early February of this year, so in a sense grown a general idea of temperament and behavior of them. I've begun to notice that they haven't pooped recently and am starting to get a little concerned seeing it has been a good two weeks and normally I see a poop from them once a week at most and upon reading other forum posts that say fridging is a good thing to help with healing but also slowing down appetite and allowing them to pass stool/stones/etc. as well.

They are not floating or struggling to get around, they like to swim (I call it zoomies) at night/early morning then immediately stop when they notice someone before just wandering off again and exploring. I've seen their back legs forward at times but nothing that points out that they're constipated/impacted and I've never seen them with their rear in the air and struggling to sit on the ground. In addition to that, they haven't lost appetite as I've dropped a pellet in and they'll eat it with no signs of spitting it up so they're still interested in food.

----
They're about 9" long, wild/copper and most likely female

Tank parameters:
Size: 20G Long
Substrate: Sand, has live plants that are mostly floating with a few buried in the sand/tucked behind hiding spots (2 hiding spots)
Sponge Filter attached to air pump and Fluvial Canister filter (flow is turned down to half to reduce current and is facing wall)
Temperature range: 64f to 69F (depending on when we have AC on/time of day)
PH: 6.6-6.8~
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10-20ppm
Water changes are once a week (20-25%)

Feedings:
I feed them half a night crawler 2x a week, and sometimes will add pellets that are bought from the breeder (NorthernAxolotls). I did a transition from feeding them once daily when they were a juvenile and in the last month to feeding twice a week as they were primarily on pellets then shifted to red worms (which they grew to hate) and finally night crawlers which were cut into fourth's to now halves as they've grown.

-----
Overall they haven't had a huge change in personality, if anything maybe starting to slow into the general axolotl dopey self (they used to be at the glass all the time to see people and would get "upset' if they couldn't see/something was blocking their view but now seem to chill in one of their hides during the day, come out at night) and that their appetite is still good, its just not seeing them poop is making me worried a little since this is a bit out of their usual norm.

I can post pictures if needed of the tank and axolotl, but wanted to get an idea before stepping any further as I've never done fridging before and is suggested as a last resort and I don't want to cause any stress when I didn't need to in the first place. Would it be safe to fridge them incase I suspect it to be constipation or would it be best to let it go for a bit longer to be better safe than sorry?

Thank you for your time in reading my ramblings!
Sometimes I thought my lotl was impacted when she wasn’t producing solid poo. Turns out she was just stepping in it before I saw it😂 I got my little girl from northern axolotls as well! Almost got one from
That copper batch but didn’t even have the stuff for an axolotl and was still on the fence😂😂
 

EasternRomioi3

Active member
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
470
Reaction score
79
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
@BitterFanged

How is your axolotl? I am actually concerned about this myself. My axolotl has been very active, she eats, she isn't swimming around frantically, her tail isn't bent at all, she comes to the surface when it's time to feed but I haven't seen her use the bathroom in a while. It may be because I am currently using two filters. @Murk has taught me that with these little critters, it is often good to wait and see and that an anxious owner can be the most dangerous thing for your axolotl, of which, I am guilty of that.

Have you had any success? Did you have to tub your little buddy?
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top