Getting the axolotls

Buying axolotls

When buying a pet, many people first turn to the traditional and established pet store. Unfortunately, however, pet stores often give bad advice. This is not only the case with axolotls, but also with other popular pets like rabbits, hamsters, etc.

Also, pet stores often sell axolotls that should not be given as gifts. Some animals are injured or sick and are sold anyway. In addition, up-to-date BD testing (see "Common Diseases") is often not done at the pet store and so pathogens can easily be picked up. Also, pet stores often sell axolotls that are too small and not yet ready to be given away. Axolotls should be at least ten inches in size when they are delivered. In most cases, this size is reached at the age of three or four months. 

It is therefore a better alternative to buy axolotls from a reputable breeder or get them second hand. The animals should of course look healthy and have no injuries. In addition, an up-to-date BD test should be submitted at the time of delivery to make sure you don't bring this deadly disease into your home. 

A reputable breeder will prepare the animals for transport. It is best to bring a secure food box with you to pick up the animals, which can be used later as a quarantine box. The breeder will pack the axolotls in a suitable transport bag. The bag should be one-third full of cold water and two-thirds full of air. These bags should be carefully placed in the transport box. The exact procedure should be discussed prior to harvesting. 

First of all, it is necessary to acquire healthy animals. To do this, look especially at the skin and gills. The skin must be normally colored, free of wounds, veils, spots foreign to the normal coloration of the animal, fungal growths, lumps and tumors etc... The gills must be in the required number, free, long and, with blood capillaries well present and well irrigated, well red in depigmented animals. The eyes should not be cloudy or whitish, a sign of bacterial infection or excess fat in the diet. Axolotls should be of normal weight, neither emaciated (the body is much smaller than the head) nor bloated. We will also make sure that the cloaca does not present any abnormal growths. Refusal to eat is a symptom of disease. So is floating on its back. 

 If the axolotl is to be transported in the summer, it is best to carry cold packs or a large cooler bag. This ensures that the water does not get (too) hot during transport.  

Cost Of Getting One  

Continuously obtain a creature from a trustworthy raiser or salvage gathering. It's best not to purchase an axolotl through the web or an arranged promotion except if you've spoken straightforwardly with the dealer, and they're ready to give you sufficient data on the creature. On the off chance that they can't give you careful documentation on its cause and wellbeing history, that is a warning. It's likewise ideal to talk with individuals who have procured creatures from that dealer to reveal any worries. Also, a neighborhood extraordinary veterinarian regularly can guide you to a decent raiser or salvage. 

Hope to pay somewhere in the range of $20 and $70 by and large. Creatures with more uncommon shading, for example, copper, will in general cost more. A sound axolotl will be dynamic, and it may acknowledge food in the event that you offer it. Its skin shouldn't be flaky, and its body ought to be fairly full (instead of underweight), however it shouldn't have any unusual expanding. 

Capturing and transporting the axolotl  

To avoid damaging the protective mucus of the axolotl's skin, it is preferable to capture it with a container rather than with a net. If you have to handle it, you must wet your hands beforehand. For transportation, the animal must be able to access the atmospheric air, so never in a container filled to the brim. The buckets (up to 18 liters) used by fishermen to transport live fish, preferably with a flat bottom, are suitable for long term transport. These buckets contain a removable plastic mesh cage that can also be used to capture animals. The water remains aerated. A water height of 5 cm is sufficient. To avoid the production of excrement and regurgitation due to stress, the animals should not be fed for 48 hours before transport  

Quarantine  

Before an axolotl moves into its new home, it should first be kept in quarantine. The quarantine period is usually four to six weeks and is completed individually. Several axolotls should not be placed in the same quarantine box. 

One food-safe plastic box per axolotl is used for quarantine. Of course, an axolotl can also be placed in another, empty tank if one is left. It is important that the quarantine home is square. Round boxes or other containers are not suitable, as an axolotl orients itself to the walls (the so-called lateral line system). 

The boxes should be able to hold about 10 to 15 litres of water ( about 2.7 to 4 gallons ). The lid does not need any holes, as axolotls absorb their oxygen through the water. The colder the water (ideally 12°C to 17°C / 53°F to 63°F), the higher the oxygen content of the water. 

Quarantine boxes are particularly important in the following cases: 

1. A completely new tank is set up in which no axolotls live yet. This must first be brought into a healthy equilibrium (see ‘cycling phase’). In the meantime, the axolotls can spend their quarantine phase in the boxes described above. 

2. A new axolotl is to be integrated into the group. Example: Only one axolotl was previously kept in solitary confinement (not species-appropriate!) or a new friend is to enrich the existing group. Regardless of whether this axolotl comes from a breeder or a previous owner: the quarantine period should be completed so that the new axolotl does not introduce any pathogens and can first recover from the stress before it moves into its new home. 

3. A slight illness has been detected, for example a fungal infection or a slight bite, and the affected axolotl should first recover, receive a salt bath or similar. Fungal infections should not be confused with more serious diseases. 

Socialisation  

Usually, axolotls are offered dead food - dead worms, small pieces of fish, pellets with a large proportion of animal protein and the like. However, some keepers also want to offer their axolotls living food. This is often not recommended, for good reasons. 

The only creatures that can possibly be kept together with axolotls are endler’s guppies, dwarf shrimps ( neocaridina ), bubble snails, post horn snails, cardinal fish and zebra danios. Please note, however, that these animals are eaten by the axolotls in 99% of cases! 

All other animal species must never be kept together with axolotls! There are several reasons for this. Firstly, many animals are simply too big to eat, but this does not stop the axolotls from trying. There are often "accidents" where an axolotl tries to eat a large fish and it gets stuck in its mouth. This is not good for either the axolotl or the fish and can be fatal! 

It is particularly bad when an axolotl tries to eat a catfish, for example. For one thing, a catfish is too big to be eaten anyway and will get stuck in its mouth. However, it also has barbs on the end of its head, which make removing the fish very dangerous! The barbs of the catfish hook into the mouth of the axolotl. Sometimes a skilled vet can cut it out, sometimes both animals die trying. This is just one example of many. 

There are also fish species (even small ones which “look harmless”) that nibble or suck on the axolotl. The gill branches or even the tail is particularly often injured in the process! 

It is therefore safest and most advisable to keep axolotls only with other axolotls! Please do not confuse axolotls with Andersonis and do not keep them together either! Due to the similar appearance, the layman can sometimes confuse an axolotl with an Andersoni. Andersoni only occur in the pattern/colours of the wild animal. With a size of 18 to 20 centimetres, Andersoni remain smaller than Axolotls. There is a risk that an adult axolotl will try to eat an Andersoni. In addition, Andersoni are diurnal, while Axolotls are nocturnal. Andersoni are still much more active than axolotls and often more aggressive.

Jack Nelson

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