Elmo

H

hayley-jane

Guest
Elmo hasn't ate in 6 days now, I can't find a reason as Elsa is eating loads.

His gills have lost their pinkness too, he's nearly all white now.

Is he sick?

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This is how pink his gills usually are...

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Well that is weird how his gills are so light. I've noticed sometimes my axies gills will get a little lighter when they are given salt baths but they regain their color about a day after the baths are stopped.He doesn't look to thin. You'll have to look for someone more experienced to help you on this one.
 
Hayley - Elmos belly looks large for not eating in 6 days.

I would move him to a food safe container with dechlorinated water and put him in the fridge.

Keep his water clean (keep extra water in the fridge to change his water with) and offer him food each day.

There are many different things that could be wrong; gravel in belly, bacterial infection, constipation etc...

Please keep us updated on his condition.
 
I have no gravel, so it must be bacterial infection?

You don't think the size of Elsa has stressed him do you?

I'll go put him in the fridge....
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Cynthia, what do you think about the colour difference in his gills? Have you ever seen that before?
 
Hayley - He could of been in gravel before you got him.

I have no way of knowing for sure what is wrong with him. It could be any number of things.

The fridge is a "good place" if you are an axolotl who isn't feeling well.

I have seen axolotls go pale when they are not feeling well. I have a lucistic and its gills went pale when it was constipated.
 
Just been to the fridge to check on Elmo, he has done a massive poo considering his size
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- there was no gravel in it though, just plain old poo.

Should I put him back in the tank or leave him overnight to be safe?
 
Not sure if you know but he prolly won't eat right after you take him out because his metabolism will be slowed while he is in the fridge : )
 
Hayley - When it is time for him to go back in the tank; he needs to sit out of the fridge in his little container until he comes to room temperature (mine took about 6 hours). So you don't shock him with the temperature change when you put him in the tank.
 
Update
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This morning I fetched him out of the fridge....4 massive poos! How the hell he was storing all that I'll never know!

In the poo I could see non-digested food, so I guess he just ate too much and it went straight through him without being digested. Little gannet!
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He looks a lot thinner now, but the colour in his gills has not returned. I searched the old posts last night and found a post from JOHN (the founder on this site) saying that loss of gill colour is called Temporary Anaemia and is caused by soft water - only I don't have soft water? *confused*

Elmo has been sitting in a tub for 8 hours now, so I'll go and replace him into the tank in a bit.

Thanks guys
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Its such a relief when its just a little thing like constipation rather than something else.
 
Hayley - Pale gills can be caused by soft water, but if you don't have soft water that isn't what is causing Elmo's pale gills. Light colored axolotls tend to lose gill color when they are not feeling well.

If Elmo's gills stay pale after being back in the tank or if he refuses to eat over the next 24 hours I would put him back in the fridge until he eats.
 
Okay, Elmo's gill colour didn't return after I replaced him into the tank, so last night I left him in the fridge again.

His gill colour still has not returned and he is refusing food.

He is also still floating - it does look like he is struggling to stay on the bottom, but I don't think it is a gut infection as he knows that as soon as he burps he goes back down. He's simply gulping too much air - I know this is supposed to be 'hangout' but he is constantly making himself float at the top.

Any suggestions?
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Hayley - Check your water sometimes axolotls will go to the surface a lot if the water has ammonia or nitrite.

As long as he can go to the bottom, just keep an eye on him. He has been ill and probably isn't feeling 100%.
 
Hi

Just got back from holiday, Elmo has seriously deteriorated.

The water in the tank at home is fine, all levels perfect.

On holiday he has spent the last full week in a fridge, in fresh water.

He hasn't ate at all since I first posted this thread.

He still seems desperate for air - purposely filling himself and then floating, only now he can't seem to stay down at all and is floating on his side
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The air seems to be in his bum, because its his bum that he can't keep down.

Also, behind their head where their 'neck' is, its usually thin right? Well he's so full of air that He is putting inside him that his neck has now swollen and appears to be full of air.

He hasn't pooed since he pooed in the fridge at home.

He's in the fridge again now, still floating on his side - I don't think he's going to last much longer
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I don't get what is wrong? Its so frustrating - I'm not cut out to look after axolotls! I just can't seem to get it right!
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that doesn´t meant that it´s your fault, in my case , I work with more than 10 axolotls, and it´s in my home that I had problems, with two of them that I bought in the pet store.
when we buy axies or any type of animal from a pet store, sometimes, or most of the times, the animal unfortunately does not come in the better conditions, cause of the suppliers of that store, or the transportation , or the store owners just don´t know how to treat the animal, several reasons...
probably is like someone told you before , that elmo used to be kept in a aquarium with large gravel.
well I hope that elmo get´s better, and let us know about it.
also have you tried live food.
 
Tried every type of food, live, fresh, frozen, nothing works.

Just been to see him in the fridge and I don't think he will last the night
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He's floating on his side and looks large, like heavily bloated.

I've just read a previous post from a girl who had an axie called Spunky who's condition looked exactly the same as Elmo's and her axie died
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Hayley - I am sorry, Elmo doesn't sound good at all.

Lower the water in his container so it barely covers him. This may help him stay upright. Keep him in the fridge.

Don't blame yourself for Elmo's illness you are doing all you can for him.

If you decide to put him down please read this article.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/euthanasia.shtml

(Message edited by cynorita on August 21, 2005)
 
He is in the fridge now, with water barely covering him.

Everytime I go to check on him I think he's dead.

Is there nothing I can do other than the fridge?

Does anyone know what it is that is causing this?
I mean I love Elmo and don't want him to die at all, but if it contagious I don't think I could bare losing Elsa at all
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