Axolotls are great pets; these cute little amphibians will grow to be up to 30cm long and will generally live 10 to 12 years in captivity. Axolotls have a varied diet, eating a range of food including fish, worms, molluscs and about anything else they can catch.
This aquatic character may have a slightly strange appearance and a curious smile, but its personality and engagement with owners makes it rather lovable. Easy to care for, simple to feed, entertaining to watch and boasting a considerable life span, axolotls can provide you with reams of pet fun.
They are relatively easy to care for and hardy, which makes them suitable for beginner pet owners. Plus, their dietary needs are fairly straightforward.
Cats, dogs and other common pets
There are no restrictions on cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, mice and axolotl (walking fish).
Reasons to consider before getting an axolotl (Cons):
They tend to get stressed easily. Light, water temperature, toxicity, and flow are attributes to axolotl stress. So it is very important to make sure housing is set up correctly.
Humans can touch an Axolotl anytime. There is nothing on their skin that can hurt a human. Keep in mind that before you touch an Axolotl, make sure to wash and disinfect your hands. Try to avoid transferring any type of bacteria or contaminants from human skin to the Axolotl.
Your Axolotl will be more prone to illness if it is not being kept in the right conditions, as our experience has shown that over 90% of fish health problems are caused by poor water quality. Once you do have a sick Axolotl, you will need to treat it to help it recover.
Each Axolotl requires a certain amount of space to survive and live. Buy at least a 20-gallon tank for a single axolotl. If you want to keep two axolotls, you must double the size and get a 40-gallon one. That's all you need to extend it by 20 gallons for every additional Axolotl.
Axolotls range from $20 for juveniles up to $35 for adults.
Axolotl care requirements are minimal, and provided temperature and water flow are well controlled, they are hardy, easy-to-care-for captives that breed readily in captivity. It is difficult to think of a more unusual display animal than the axolotl, and its bold and tame nature makes it an interactive pet.
Axolotls require an aquatic environment with very specific temperature, water quality and husbandry requirements. Axolotls can live for up to 10 years of age if cared for correctly. Axolotls should be kept in an aquatic environment. They require the water temperature to be maintained between 14 and 19°C.
Lifespan – 10-15 years.
No, axolotls cannot stay out of the water, like other salamanders. Axolotls are amphibians that do not undergo metamorphosis and stay underwater their entire lives. Like other salamanders, they possess both lungs and gills. However, they use their gills to breathe underwater.
Axolotls are long-lived, surviving up to 15 years on a diet of mollusks, worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, and some fish. Axolotls do not stink. They don't have a distinct smell if you try to smell them (some owners have done this and will confirm to you that they don't smell).
Axolotls typically live 10-15 years in captivity, but they can live for over 20 years when they're well-cared for. The oldest axolotl is unknown but their age could surprise as they become more common pets as some salamander species have incredibly long lifespans (more on that below!)
Biology: Axolotls are a type of salamander. Salamanders are amphibians, they usually have gills in the first part of their lives when they live in water, but after undergoing metamorphosis, develop lungs so that they can live on land.
Axolotls are not a social species, so they don't need a friend to be entertained. That being said, it is perfectly ok to house axolotls together, as long as they are roughly the same size. If one axolotl easily fits into the other's mouth, chances are it will end up as a snack.
Axolotls are very curious and appear to recognize their owners as food providers. It is common for these salamanders to actively swim toward people outside their tank. They are surprisingly interactive, but should never be handled as being taken out of the water is extremely stressful.
The only non-native (exotic) amphibian that can be kept as a pet without a licence is the axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. All other non-native frogs and amphibians cannot be kept as pets because they may become invasive and spread disease.
There is no risk in having multiple males or multiple females together.
Can you keep axolotls with fish? The answer, surprisingly, is yes — you just need to choose your fish carefully. One thing to keep in mind when keeping fish with axolotls is that those long flowy gills can start to look like food to just about any fish who's hungry enough.
The leading causes of Axolotl decline are human development, waste water disposal, and loss of habitat due to droughts. Despite their prevalence in the aquarium trade, these species are critically endangered in the wild.
Adult axolotls poop about once a week. Usually, an adult axolotl poops about once a week. Anything above this is a sign that you're probably overfeeding your axolotl. However, if you suspect that your axolotl isn't pooping at all, it is also cause for worry.