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worms and axolotls

Neotenic_Jaymes

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I my axolotls never eat worms dont know why? Is it that they only eat certain kinds of worms? Even chopped up worms they wont take them. Through all the years I've had axolotls they have refused the worms almost all the time. Worms I use are store bought.
 

Bellabelloo

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My adults at first where very reluctant to eat worms at first, they had only ever dined on non livingfood and dried food.When they first tried them they clearly disliked the worms wriggling around their faces and mouth, but in time they got used to it. I needed to be quite persistant in getting them to eat the worms, now mine have live worms as their main diet. The larvae that I raised where only introduced to pellets because I wanted them to be able and happy to eat what ever their new owner prefered, but their main food is chopped worms. My worms come from our compost bin so I have a ready supply for my brood.
 

gr33neyes

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worms

My axolotls eat mostly worms, however there is a spot in my garden I took some worms from once and they spat them out when offered. This part of my garden had different soil to the rest and it had obviously affected the taste.
 

Abrahm

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Did your axies ever try to eat them and spit them out? A lot of pet stores sell red wriggler worms, or Eisenia fetida which secrete rather foul tasting/smelling compounds. This could be why your axies don't like them. If you can try to buy Canadian night crawlers instead next time you feed your axies.
 

Daniel

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Some earthworms shed a bitter tasting secretion (usually species "Eisenia"), but when you bought them at a shop they will be Dendrobena I presume - these should be fine.
Nevertheless, these worms, too, shed some secretion (yellow drops).
In my experience it is best to put the worms in a glass with water for some seconds / minutes before feeding them to the axolotls so some of the bad taste will be washed away.

edit: okay, if they sell Eisenia in the US that might be the problem...just read the post of Abrahm
 
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    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
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  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
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    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
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  • Clareclare:
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