Feeding options????

[Greenmoon]

Today I was at my local pet store looking for alternative options to feed my juvenile Axolotl, the fish assistant person said that bloodworms are the most nutritious option to feed a young Axolotl (I'm currently feeding her bloodworms) but he also said that some other options until she is big enough to eat larger worms and pellets would be to feed her very small pieces of raw chicken or pork.... Would this be a safe option to feed her sometimes and what are some opinions please

 

[auntiejude]

NOOOOOOO! Would an axie eat a pork chop in the wild??!! No. Mammalian meat is right at the bottom of the list in terms of things you should feed an axie.

Axies can eat:
Worms of almost any kind, maggots and other insect larvae, insects of a suitable size, water bugs of various kinds (small axies), live freshwater shrimp, fish such as guppies and WCMs, slugs and soft-shelled snails, or pellets made specifically for carnivorous amphibians.

If you want something to keep in your freezer for emergencies try raw scallop slivers, raw prawns, raw white fish pieces etc.

Axies can take worms, whole or chopped, at 2-3 inches, so there should be plenty of choice.

 

[Bette]

The only thing I would add to what auntiejude said, is that to be careful not to feed insects that have hard exoskeletons. I just wouldn't want to risk them getting a blockage from them or anything. And some insects could actually bite axolotls...even internally.

 

[Ange]

Starting a worm farm is fun, some axolotls don't like the taste of the composting worms so if you find any garden worms pop them in the farm too. You can tell the difference as the composting worms are a reddish colour & the garden worms have a collar of a whitish grey around their necks, just wash them before feeding.
Crickets are easy to cultivate in tubs.
I do a lot of organic gardening & being in Australia there is always an abundance of insects on the veggies. Some axolotls like grubs, some don't, it also depends on what type of leaves they have been feasting on, only non toxic greens so nothing that has been on the tomato leaves & the nightshade family, but they are ok in the worm farm. As part of the garden I have a feeding area for the ducks & chickens so occasionally there are maggots there or under the fruit trees.
Glass shrimp seem to be working in my tubs & they breed readily in the dam as do the feeder fish, gudgeons. platies & gambusia. There are other creatures & crustaceans in the dam like dragon fly larvae, yabbies & freshwater mussels but anything that looks like it may bite gets its head crushed first.
Back up food in the freezer can be raw prawn & fish or beef, lamb or chicken hearts.
Oh & of course pellet feeds are always handy to have.

 

[Ange]

I should just add that the dam I use is on my property & guaranteed clean, if you start any cultures yourself be sure to quarantine, quarantine & quarantine !! I grow anything new in tubs first for a few generations before adding to an existing system or using as food.