My Axolotl is following me!

[Axi Nutter]

Hi. I am just interested to find out if anyone else's axolotls do this. When I walk up to the tank or if Kelvin hears me talk, he comes swimming up towards me. As well if I move to another part of the tank he follows me. I assume it is because he knows I am the one who feeds him. Is this normal? Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[ladygodiva35]

Yes normal and very adorable! My axolotls do that cute little jump when I approach the tank. I call it the moon jump. lol

 

[Axi Nutter]

That is adorable, I would love to see that. Kelvin is my first axolotl and I love him to bits and he has such a cute personality.

 

[snuggly time]

Mine used to follow me all the time when he was a juvenile. Now he's lazy and just sits and occasionally comes to the tank wall to watch me.

 

[Kaini]

I would guess they're reacting to the movement more than the fact the know you bring food - I know my Axolotl certainly isn't smart enough to associate me with food xD Or maybe not yet?

Zion will come to the front of the tank when I walk over or when I move something in front of the tank. He just knows movement = food.
And then he bonks into the glass and seems really confused about it lol. Dorky animals.

 

[auntiejude]

I know my Axolotl certainly isn't smart enough to associate me with food

Wanna bet? My axies come to the front of the tank to greet any person. But if they see its my son they soon go back to whatever they were doing, if its me they hang around and dance for me ( on their back legs) in the hope I am bringing worms for them.
They are smarter than you think, and can differentiate between people.

 

[Skudo09]

My axolotls will follow me and will greet people approaching the tank but they get very clearly more excited when I approach. Much the same as Auntiejude's axolotls. They know who feeds them . My previous axolotl would start swimming at me doing a little dance as soon as I walked in the door let alone approach the tank.

 

[Kaini]

Wanna bet? My axies come to the front of the tank to greet any person. But if they see its my son they soon go back to whatever they were doing, if its me they hang around and dance for me ( on their back legs) in the hope I am bringing worms for them.
They are smarter than you think, and can differentiate between people.

Ah I didn't mean to say that no Axolotls could! Just Zion doesn't understand the concept yet XD

I totally understand they can differentiate faces - my goldfish can and do, I've had them for years and they know when the bringer of food comes around xD

Just my Axolotl... he seems a little slow.

 

[Ariel]

It's true, I think many animals are smarter than we give them credit for.

I have a 1 inch black Moore that will play with me swimming through my fingers and such, seemingly for entertainment, and will follow me as I walk through the room, the much larger 4 inch fantail that I owned for a year longer that ignores me completely, even during feeding.
(Those are two closely related fancy goldfish species for those who don't keep fish)

Just because they don't do what we want them too when we want them too doesn't mean they are stupid.

My axolotl doesn't follow me around the room, unless I am doing something out of the ordinary, he will come and inspect. He seems more interested in things than me. He will look at a new curtain or something I left near the tank that isn't usually there. When I put my hand in the tank he will swim up to (or in, or on, or bite) my hand but if a stranger puts their hand in he swims away. I'm not sure if that is facial recognition, or smell, or something else but it's some observable form of identification and preferencial behavior.

 

[ladygodiva35]

Just my Axolotl... he seems a little slow.

Zion is a baby right? When Saskia was a a baby she instantly inspected me and watched me. (almost stalker like)...Sage on the other hand took longer to find interest with me but now he does.

As for goldfish they are indeed smart! I read they can remember up to a month and can recognize not only the owner but also another person by the vibration of the voice! This is true as I owned a lot of goldies in the past.

 

[snuggly time]

Wanna bet? My axies come to the front of the tank to greet any person. But if they see its my son they soon go back to whatever they were doing, if its me they hang around and dance for me ( on their back legs) in the hope I am bringing worms for them.
They are smarter than you think, and can differentiate between people.

I agree with this! I also think they have better eye sight than they have been given credit for. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Axi Nutter]

I agree that axolotls have better eye sight than first thought. As well, Kelvin will only react when I am talking or near his tank and doesn't react at all with anyone else. My sister couldn't believe it when I went to the tank and kelvin came swimming towards me and just sat there watching me.

 

[Kaini]

Zion is a baby right? When Saskia was a a baby she instantly inspected me and watched me. (almost stalker like)...Sage on the other hand took longer to find interest with me but now he does.

As for goldfish they are indeed smart! I read they can remember up to a month and can recognize not only the owner but also another person by the vibration of the voice! This is true as I owned a lot of goldies in the past.

Yep, he's just a baby, though he's growing up so fast *sniffle*

Zion will watch me sometimes, but sometimes I'll come over and he'll just ignore me...? I'll move, wiggle my fingers for him. Nothing. So I just don't know with him xD! I call him a dummy as a term of endearment - he can be quite silly. And tries to eat me regularly xD

And yep on the goldies - I've only owned these two but they are pretty sharp.

 

[Petersgirl]

My babies do the same, and my new two - Embry and Jack - are super alert to everything we do near the tank. The slightest movement will cause them to follow the source of the movement.

They definitely know where the food comes from! My Dad had to feed them for two days when I went on Honeymoon, and when I came back he was all like, 'they're smart, especially that Gold one, she watches me! She just sits there, looking at me. It's like she's looking into my soul! They can see me! They have really good eyesight!'

If I stand over the tank and talk down to them, they'll look up too. It's pretty cute.

 

[Smoxolotl]

One day, one of my axols started flicking his gills when I started talking to him. And then stopped when I stopped talking. And then continued when I started talking again! May be coincidental, most likely is, but it seemed like he was at least acknowledging communication. Who can say what they're capable of, really? There is still plenty of Mystery left in these wonderful little creatures!:yin-yang:

 

[NevermoreRoses]

My tank is in my bedroom, on the opposite side of my bed so quite far away.
When I sit up in bed in the morning after waking up, Poe (7 month old albino) swims to the front of the tank and looks at me. He even follows my movement, turning his head if I move about in the bed. If a friend is over and they move, Poe doesn't move at all. & if I go to the tank, he tries to swim to the surface (presumably looking for food) but if a friend does it he'll just carry on about his business.

This leads me to believe that they can definitely recognise you and it's adorable when they do.

 

[fireball99]

My axie Axl will look around if I go up to his tank and most times will come out from hiding to say hello. Sometimes I can be standing ironing and glance at his tank and he'll be standing at the side of it watching me. Also, if I run my finger along the side of the tank he will swim back and forward, following it.

 

[Sassafras]

When my dog walks up to the tank he'll sometimes growl just slightly and put his nose on the glass when the lotls start moving, and Nori will come right up to the glass and stare right back at my dog! Peut usually is following right behind Nori like he's going to be her backup if "this fights going down".
I even got a picture of them doing it once.