Question: Axolotl struggle to feed

[trickthekick]

Hi! New member here. I’ve had an axolotl for a few months, and it was hatched in September last year.

I’ve been running into a few difficulties with him, during feeding.

I started on bloodworm blocks, and I’ve been trying to transition him on to more filling foods, because he’s bigger now.
I did mealworms for a little bit out of desperation, because he LOVED to eat those, but I know the chitin isn’t good for them and hard to digest.
Then I tried to transition him to the smaller of the red wrigglers I have in my worm farm, and he happily ate those twice, before one of them squirted him with their defensive stinky slime, and now he’s decided he doesn’t want to even try and eat them now. He shakes his head whenever I hold a worm in his face, and if I hold it there too long he swims away instead. Sometimes he’ll snap and hold it in his mouth for a few seconds, before spitting it to the side.

The newest issue is the sinking pellets I got him. He’ll happily eat them, but ONLY if he manages to catch it if it falls. He will not eat it once it hits the bottom of his tank. He’s also terrible with aim, so he can’t catch them often

 

[hunterwho]

Hi! I struggled with the same problem you're having a little while ago. I eventually caved and got some big earthworms for my axolotl, which I have to cut up (he isn't big enough to eat a whole one yet) and dangle in front of his mouth with tweezers. He gobbles them right up, and he's gotten over his worm fear from the red wrigglers and started to gain weight again.
As for the sinking pellet problem, I highly recommend purchasing a turkey baster (or using one you already have and don't mind repurposing) to suck up uneaten pellets and try again. It wastes much less food, and you can control where it sinks a lot more precisely, so it's right in front of their face for them to snap up.

 

[Chinadog]

I think earthworms (nightcrawlers) or pellets are the best foods for Axies. They love to eat them and they contain everything vitamin and mineral wise them to grow and stay healthy. As you say though, pellets can be clumsy to feed, especially if you're Axolotl is a bit "dense" lol! My friend feeds his pellets in a shallow dish on the bottom of the tank, they soon learn where the food is by the smell and any waste can be easily removed with the turkey baster once they've finished.