How To Care for Morphed Axolotls

M

matthew

Guest
'Allo guvs, squires, lasses and wenches.

I'll be the proud owner of a morphed axolotl next week; but I have no idea on how to care for them. If any of you lovely people can provide me with links and/or experienced tips etc I'd be very appreciative - for example: Tank set up, meal requirements, etc.

Cheers!
 
*laughs* Mostly the same way you'd keep any newt.
Jenny'd probably be the best for this, but here's my two pence worth.

Obviously they like to have it a bit damp.
They're not overexcited about swimming, but it'd be a good idea to have a bowl of water to paddle in if he/she wants.

Acid free substrate, preferably something they can dig in.
Peat is supposed to be good for this - I'm using it in my froggery with two inches of Hydro Lyca under to help maintain a balanced biotope and humidity.

As for feeding - worms and crickets I would suggest, but add a supplement, one for amphibians particularly.

I think it's 2:0 calcium/phosphorous ratio on the powder, but I may have that wrong.

Otherwise, feed at same rate as you would an unmorphed 'lotl.

Anyone else please?

(Message edited by Ed on November 23, 2006)
 
Lovely; danke much Amber! As far as humidity and all that is concerned, what about temperature? I cant exactly use a chiller to keep the lil' blighter cool :S
 
some comments

snip "Peat is supposed to be good for this - I'm using it in my froggery with two inches of Hydro Lyca under to help maintain a balanced biotope and humidity"endsnip

Peat is not recommended for most caudates as it is very acidic....

Also with metamorphed axolotls, there may be a need to maintain them with thyroxine injections otherwise there are long-term health issues.

Ed
 
Hmm. I've been told by several people that well rinsed peat would be fine.
I mean, I've been told this by a few amphibian breeders too.

So in that respect - what would you reccommend?
 
I've bred hundreds of axolotls over about 12 years or so and have had three morph during this time. I have had one for the past couple of years, and you couldn't hope for an easier salamander to keep. I have it in a thirty inch long x twelve inch wide aqua terrarium. The tank is divided with a piece of glass across the middle and on one side i have about four inches of soil (pesticide free compost) with cork hides and lots of moss. In the water i have a rock to gain the animal easy access in and out of the water (though it doesn't really need that) and a few plants.
My axie-mander spends about eight months of the year in the water section and only goes onto the land when it gets very cold...come early spring he's back in the water again.
It eat large earthworms as often as i offer them and is about 10 inches long.
 
ok so if I have a relatively low water level, how do I keep it clean? It will be too shallow for a filter...so I assume just by manual water changes daily?
 
I change the water in his tank about once every three weeks or so...more often if its needed. I don't use a filter in there. I just use aged tap water...but look into the water quality in your part of the world before you do that as it may not be as good as it is in my area.
 
Cool, thanks for the advice - I'm still not sure on whether to go with a terrestrial setup with a dish or a vivarium with a proper aquatic system as well as some land :S

Also, how will I know if the little guy needs thyroxine injections?

Hmm, I'm trying to think of anything else...Oh right, temperature. In the setup I'm thinking of putting together, I would have a rock waterfall with a fogger/mister device to help maintain humidity. Will this also help lower the temp? As I cant use a chiller to cool down the entire tank, and I cant leave my air con on all day while I'm at work; what can I do to keep the temp in the area that morphed axies like?
 
Personally, i'd only keep them in aqua terrariums. It's a morphed animal and not giving it a choice between land and water could cause problems. I not go with the fogger...they can add heat to an enlosure and are pretty much a waste of time. I spray the land part now and then but when my animal is on the land for a few months it does burrow into dry soil...if it needs to moisten itself,it just goes in the water for a short while.
As for temps, i can't help you with that as Australia is slightly hotter than England!
smile6.gif

I can tell you that last summer it was really hot here..95f ish...and my animal only started to show signs of stress when temps got in the high 80's. I then moved his tank into the coolest room of the house and put it on the floor. The temp in the winter for him often gets to 40f.

Most of the axies that morph seem to crop up in Europe and Australia. We have stock that is decended from breedings in Paris about 100 years ago. Axolotls were bred with tiger salamanders which is why we get these morphing now and then...it doesn't seem to happen in America. I have seen a true mexican axie morph and it looked nothing like what i'm used to seeing. Ours are more Tiger salamander looking. I'm not sure, but maybe Ed is talking about axies that are forced to morph with regards to their needing thyroxine injections as non of mine, or my friends morphs have ever needed this. However, if your animal shows signs of not being right then i guess Ed would be the best guy to talk to.

(Message edited by andrew on November 25, 2006)
 
ditch the fogger eh? Bah, the product website told me that it creates moisture and helps with humidity, but then i guess they're gonna say that to make a sale :S

Thanks for the tips on the temp; luckily the room i keep my axies (and him shortly) is shared by my girlfriend; who will undoubtedly have the airconditioner on during the hot summer months :D

I guess now I just need to think about the final layout of the tank, sans-fogger/waterfall etc
 
hey,

Please post pictures of your newly morphed critter
happy.gif
Would be cool to see ;)
 
lol sure, i wont have him until ive completely set up his tank though :p
 
Andy - the morph I will be receiving was unfortunately forced to morph; hence my desire to take it away from the conditions it is living in now. I'm guessing now that I shall recieve a rather unhealthy morpholotl and have a long road of thyroxine injections ahead of me
sad.gif
 
id love an axiemander....
shame your one was forced to morph
good luck
 
Ok so I've bought some soil - here in Aus' we call it "native organic" - low phospherus and neutral PH (around 7). I've also got peat moss AND sphagnum moss; which I mixed into the native organic soil (it's essentially composted bark etc). I'm concerned though, as I heard peat and sphagnum moss are acidic, ph around 5? Im worried that it harm the aximander :S Any advice?

Secondly, it looks like the morph ill be receiving was previously a white axie; so it should look pinkish/flesh colored with some golden spots; should be interesting. Photos asap!
 
It has been shown that many terrestrial caudates have issues with acidic substrates as they disrupt thier ability to osmoregulate. It is not recommended to use acidic substrates with most caudates.

Ed
 
I've heard that adding small amounts of lime to the soil can raise the PH back into alkaline levels, but you make me think it'd be easier and safer in the long run to just remove the peat and sphagnum all-together; so I'll just do that.

(Message edited by gaara on November 28, 2006)
 
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