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Hoping this is the right place... I had an axolotl years ago that I bought as an adult. I recently decided I wanted another, and have had some trouble finding any for sale. I did see a Gumtree ad, however from someone who is selling babies born on 26 December. He suggests keeping them in a small Tupperware box until they are big enough to go into a tank. My tank is 18 x 12 x 12in. I was wondering first, how easy the juveniles are to care for in smaller boxes. I have frozen bloodworm ready to go in the freezer, but I'm scared I'll accidentally kill such tiny things off! Secondly, at what age could it be transferred to my tank? Any advice is appreciated, and if it sounds like I should try to hold out until I can get an older axolotl then I am happy to do that! And if anyone happens to know somewhere in London that has healthy, happy ones then I'd love to hear about it! Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 15:21 on Mar 4, 2015 |
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Mar 4, 2015 15:06
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OneTwentySix posted:Tupperware boxes can work - just be sure the water doesn't foul. I've raised them in small boxes - you get less cannibalism that way. I'd wait until they're getting big for the boxes (3-4 inches maybe?) and are all the same size (or else they might eat each other). I don't really know specifically when I'd keep them together, though - if there's room and hiding places, they'd do fine together, really, provided they're all the same size. I'm only going to get one because the risk of aggression with multiple axolotls is too great, and I've only got that tank, which has limited space. Do you reckon juveniles would be ok in a tank with no substrate and a lower level of water, then maybe add in plants etc as they grow bigger?
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Mar 5, 2015 15:19
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OneTwentySix posted:That would be fine. Extra space is not a bad thing - he can still find his food in a larger tank, especially if it's live. More water means less chance of fouling it, too. Huh, I was going with advice from folk on caudata.org, who were super helpful when I had my last one. I've kinda committed to the tank now, and don't have space for anything bigger  My last axolotl seemed fine enough with a tank this size but I guess it's hard to tell.I'm in the UK so the gallon/dollar thing doesn't really apply, unfortunately! I got fake plants, too. Axolotls often uproot live ones and I figured fake ones would make cleaning easier, too.
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Mar 5, 2015 17:50
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Man, I feel awful now. I was going on what I did last time but perhaps advice has changed since 8 years ago (though I was going for something like the simple setup here but with a bunch of big rocks on the bottom) ! The tank just arrived and it does now seem smaller than I had imagined, and I'm not sure what to do since the aquatics guy ordered it in specially. drat I was so excited to get another axolotl.Would a 24 x 15 x 12 be ok? Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 19:31 on Mar 5, 2015 |
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Mar 5, 2015 18:56
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The more cube-shaped aquariums are pretty common, but getting length over depth is trickier, I've found. Plus the tank I got was £27.99 and the 24in is £49.90, so generally it seems one pays more over here for tanks. And yeah, it's easier to go to a shop and have them order something that isn't a standard fish aquarium because of those reasons. Plus I don't have a car (another UK luxury  ) so somewhere that delivers is very handy.I've spoken to the shop and he's happy for me to pay the extra so he can just order the next size up, so I'm thinking to do that and see if he'll knock a fiver off an adult axolotl rather than sticking with the original idea to raise a juvenile I'd buy from the breeder.
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Mar 6, 2015 00:13
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Meet Max! He is so adorable and tiny. Pictured also is Gonzalez the pond snail.
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Jun 29, 2015 18:32
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A mesh top will keep it cooler as there will be more air movement, but it will make keeping the humidity up a bit harder. The cool cloth sounds like a good idea, so long as it is keeping the temperatures down a bit. Could you move the viv to a cooler room in the house?
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Aug 3, 2015 16:50
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tessdaterrible posted:Hello! I got a few Axolotls this week and after making sure they settled in well, I would like to name them. I hear you are good with names. My axolotl is called Maxolotl, and my first one was Jesus IV of Charford. My partner and I decided on Max since it's a gender neutral name and we didn't think it was fair to push a gender on the little guy before he was grown... I am also a fan of using names traditionally used for fluffy things for very much non-fluffy things. Like Rex or Fido. Alternatively, old people names like Alfred or Maud. Also I'm gonna use this as an excuse to show off Max! When we first got him a couple of years ago:  And a couple of weeks ago:  The difference astounds me every time! The white rock behind him in the first pic is the now sandy-looking one in the second. He was so tiny 
Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 21:58 on Jan 22, 2017 |
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Jan 22, 2017 21:43
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My axolotl has a fungal infection because the weather's been too warm Been doing salt baths and daily water changes in the quarantine tank but it sucks to have a weird pet that is sick because it's so much harder to tell what's going on versus with a dog or a cat.
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Jun 10, 2017 11:31
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Why is my axolotl a poo dragon. I'm sure he reads my mind whenever I spot a big turd and in the time it takes for me to consider scooping, pick up the net, and open the tank, he has placed himself squarely over the poo as though he's guarding it. Naturally he then tramples it and completely foils my idea that he might like to live in a place that doesn't have poo poo everywhere. Good thing it's mostly sand!
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Feb 28, 2018 22:26
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Cowslips Warren posted:How big is your axie, and does he ever eat the sand? He's about 23cm and always eats some sand because of the way he hoovers his pellets in. Doesn't do it deliberately though.
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Mar 11, 2018 17:21
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Can someone reassure me that I am worrying more about moving house with my axolotl than necessary? We're putting him in a small plastic tank inside a cool bag with bubblewrap/towels for padding and driving for about 90 minutes. Really nothing in the grand scheme of things. I've moved with him once before with less caution but it was only about a mile and a half down the road. I know it'll be fine. I just have pet anxiety because aqua dragons are difficult to move with.
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Apr 26, 2018 21:42
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Axolotl update: as expected, he hid for a couple of days and was a bit less interested in food than usual. He is now happily trotting about as though nothing happened. Presumably because he is dumb as gently caress and has forgotten. Temperature control in the new house is also greatly improved. We've moved down a floor and the difference in ambient temperature is huge, plus we moved to an overall cooler part of the country. Last summer was really challenging so I am hopeful for an easier time from now on!
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May 7, 2018 19:59
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Cowslips Warren posted:What temps are you keeping him at? It hit 100 today and I'm debating about throwing a fan over my ax tank. We use a fan as soon as it gets to about 77f historically but we might have more leeway in the new place. Try not to keep the water above 68 where possible but it's been 71-72 a few times. Generally the water is around 57-68 depending on time of year. We don't have air con in houses in the UK. I also work in Celsius so that was a lot of temperature converting!
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May 8, 2018 23:19
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Goodness, I want a cuddly dinosaur baby!
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May 29, 2018 19:00
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I hadn't ever heard of an ackie monitor but goodness, aren't they cute as poo poo! Please post lots of photos so I can live vicariously through you.
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Jun 20, 2018 22:26
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Max had outgrown his submarine hide and we finally got round to buying a new one. After spending a long time being very confused by it - trying to dig at it, bopping it with his face, and generally viewing it with what seemed like suspicion, he decided to try it out... That isn't exactly hiding, dude. But whatever makes you happy. Since then he has figured out how to reverse about an inch of his tail into it. In a way the confusion has made me think he's a bit smarter than I was giving credit for. On the other hand, hide in the hide you idiot axolotl.
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Jul 15, 2018 18:54
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Great hat.
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Oct 7, 2018 12:04
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The tank I keep my axolotl in has had a cycle crash so now it's huge water changes in both the tank and his temporary box every day. Goddamn, little dude, so easy to look after the vast majority of the time but when things go wrong they seem to go really annoyingly wrong. I don't really want to keep him in the temporary tank for more than a few days but I'm also not cool with cycling the tank with him in. We are away for the weekend next weekend too. Frustrating.
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Oct 14, 2018 19:51
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Nope, no fish tank or friends with one! It bloody sucks. Though, thinking about it, there might be a pet shop that has fish down the way. Might see if they'll give me something. I just worry about unknown things hurting Max.
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Oct 15, 2018 22:56
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Yesss, axolotl crew! He looks pretty young and so pale!
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Feb 4, 2019 19:46
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Alright, where can I find the low-down on beardies? I want something capable of a little more love and handling than an an axolotl, and whilst a cat or dog would be great, they're not an option currently due to allergies. I know a lizard won't be like a mammal. But I'm given to believe they're better at hanging out and showing personality than an amphibian. I'm in the very early stages of research - mostly to date I've loved the idea of a lizard friend but thought I'd never get round to it - and I want to find out more. If it helps or matters, I'm UK-based so we don't have tropical climes, intense humidity, or air con in the picture. I'd really like some general information and resources to help me with my research. Thanks, herp thread! FartingBedpost posted:He’s still very young, only 4 months old, give or take a week or two. He’s super into swimming around his aquarium and then chilling in the log for an hour. We’ll probably move him into a larger tank in the next month, which I think he’ll like a lot. Max is nearly four now and he is lazy as hell and dumb as poo poo. It's a joy. He outgrew an old hide and when we put a new one in he spent about a week sitting on top of it because he apparently couldn't work out how to enter the tunnel. Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Feb 21, 2019 |
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Feb 21, 2019 22:28
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That's a fair response, but I think that if we're going to get something else to hang out with at home both my partner and I would rather get something... cool and cute and less smelly than rodenty things? (though I hear lizard shits can be gnarly!) I'm just not really interested in rats and guineas. Had a rabbit, guinea, and hamster at various points when I was younger but I find myself drawn towards the more unusual small animals. I know a beardie isn't going to want constant cuddles and I'm ok with that! I've also considered the BTS, and my partner isn't into snakes at all.
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Feb 21, 2019 23:16
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Electric Bugaloo posted:Herps can reek, my dude. But I hear you Aren't tortoises pretty hard work? I thought they were one of the 'advanced' herps. Re beardies, is this care sheet sensible?
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Feb 22, 2019 08:41
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Slugworth posted:Turtles are absolutely hard work, tortoises less so. Ahh, makes sense. I'd just had shell baby = difficult in my head.
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Feb 22, 2019 17:20
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Electric Bugaloo posted:Torts are great, they need UVB. If you’re in the right climate for them they can live outdoors or in an enclosure on a balcony (I’d put a chickenwire/screen over them bc predatory birds) I'm in a flat in England so no chance of that working!
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Feb 22, 2019 19:14
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We have no access to outdoor space that isn't the local park. But an indoor tort enclosure could work! e: Looking more at BTS, I didn't realise how much of a beginner animal they are! Very interesting... Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Feb 22, 2019 |
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Feb 22, 2019 19:56
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Leperflesh posted:Certain herps can be handleable, with bearded dragons and blue-tongued skinks high on that list, but you should not fool yourself into thinking the lizard loves you. It tolerates your handling, may respond to your body heat, and in a few cases may actually enjoy being groomed in some way, but they are not domesticated the way cats and dogs are. You are the warm food machine, not a bonded family member. The lifespan of a tortoise is a definite downside. We are looking more at skinks at the moment (and yes, I understand that could be a 30 year commitment!). We would get pet insurance and understand that animals are an investment. Please don't think this is a case of "want cool pet, must get now!" - this is a household of two responsible adults who respect the fact that pets are living things with their own needs. We would never put our desire for keeping something above its need for a good life. My posts are about wanting to start researching and doing this via reputable resources before making any sort of decision.
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Feb 23, 2019 09:53
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Cowslips Warren posted:So out of all my axolotl babies, I found an oddball. He has a shrunken body, looks almost like a balloon molly compared to a normal one. I really thought it would have died by now, but he is kicking and about half the size of his brothers. I wonder how large he will get. I've seen a few reports of axolotl dwarfism, could it be that?
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May 4, 2019 20:09
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My axie has a new house and 10 days later he's still not keen on exploring it, preferring to stay behind a decoration in one corner. There are plenty of hiding places around the new tank so I hope we see him making use of the extra space soon. I feel sorry for him.
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May 5, 2019 09:14
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It's 125l (approx. 50 x 80 x 35cm) and has a bare bottom, some stones, his old hide, two coconut shells with plants on (one of which he curled up inside for a day or so - didn't think he'd fit!) and a couple of... General decoration bits. I wondered if there was an issue with lack of floor space but he's not prevented from going on top of things like he did in the old tank.  e: Light is on currently on for the plants, we try to do this for an hour-ish each day as a boost so they don't melt. Max doesn't seem to hide any more when the light is on anyway but we know axolotls are not a light-loving species. Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 12:14 on May 7, 2019 |
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May 7, 2019 12:10
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I'd love to live somewhere it was normal to stumble over snakes just out and about. I've only seen a slow worm once and it was dead.
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May 24, 2019 20:40
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No cool wild snakes but a pond in my local park is teeming with newts at the moment and they're adorable! Bonus baby frog: 
Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 23:20 on Jun 6, 2019 |
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Jun 6, 2019 23:16
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FartingBedpost posted:
Sounds like you have things in hand. We ditched substrate when we upgraded our tank but it looks like you're not using any anyway!
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Feb 8, 2020 21:14
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Slugworth posted:How are you controlling water temp? I really, really want an axolotl, but chillers are expensive, and every other option sounds awful. Depending on the temperatures your climate hits you can do a fair bit with just fans and managing the heat of the room overall i.e. opening windows in the cooler times of day, keeping them closed when it's hot etc. We get a few days of high 20s-low 30s Celsius here each summer and whilst the water temperature does rise above what is ideal on those days, it comes back down and is controlled fairly well by a floor fan that we prop up and aim at the surface of the water. e: New page! Here's Max with his face in a plant: 
Bollock Monkey fucked around with this message at 13:46 on Feb 9, 2020 |
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Feb 9, 2020 13:44
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This inspired me to look at his baby photos. What a difference five years (well, four and a half I guess) makes!
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Feb 9, 2020 16:45
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FartingBedpost posted:For any Axie owners, what do you use to slow down filter current? Or what kind of filters do you use?
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Nov 2, 2020 19:00
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Reading this page has made me feel itchy and also glad to live in England. Thanks for taking care of our arthropod friends for those of us who hyperventilate and run away! Here is a picture of Max in his temp tank from when I moved house: 
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Mar 9, 2021 19:39
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Ok Comboomer posted:stumbled on a pet store in my area that carries lots of axolotls- wild types and leucs/albinos and gfp+ (!), for relatively cheap too ($20-30). Max had a finger (or two?) missing from being nipped by one of his siblings, they grew back just a little bit webbed and he's absolutely fine. He was probably 2in long when we got him. I guess it's about balancing not giving this guy money vs knowing that at least one animal is not staying in this poo poo situation? My first axolotl was being kept in a warm tank with a bunch of others, that was so sad to see.
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Apr 25, 2021 19:12
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Cowslips Warren posted:Do I want to ask how warm?
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May 3, 2021 17:37
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