How Good Are Axolotls as Pets?
Opting out for pets that require no grooming, no brushing, and no combing will just make your life more fun. And the spare time will make your bonding with each other even stronger.
Owning this cute small guy feels amazing. But Axolotls are too delicate as they’re mostly made with cartilage. Thus you have to be cautious when handling them. And then comes building a proper, cosy place for it to survive. If you can take care of a few things, they’re one of the best pets to have in your hectic schedule.
Before diving into the verdict, let’s start with the basics so that you can have a better understanding. So here’s first thing first—
What are Axolotls?
Although it’s a type of amphibian, it’s better described as an aquatic Salamander. Some people refer to it as Mexican Walking Fish. It lives forever in water even after developing lungs, unlike classic amphibians. They’re easily recognized with gills beside their head which is a unique feature and with a forever smiling face.
Axolotl Maintenance
They may not require grooming, brushing, bathing, or litter training, but they need to be handled wisely as they’re highly sensitive. Here are the basic things about Axolotl’s maintenance.
Tank Set up: First of all, you need an aquarium tank before buying an Axolotl. Make sure you buy it at least two weeks prior to you putting the animal inside it.
The tank base should be plain, or you may layer it with a special substrate made for fish tanks. Avoid using pebbles because these are tiny materials that could be swallowed by the mini guy. But big rocks and driftwood are essentials to create hides for it. And finally, keep it in a quiet, vibrate-free place.
Water: The axolotl skin is highly sensitive to any chemicals, pollution, or chlorine. So you have to make sure the water is clean and free of chlorine or other chemicals.
You may consider buying a dechlorinator if your area water carries a high amount of it. Otherwise you can keep the water isolated for 24 hours before adding it to the tank.
Water temperature should be around 15-18oC and never go above 22oC. And the water pH level can’t go above 7.4-7.6. You need to constantly monitor the aquarium water temperature as Axolotl skin is delicate and too warm water can cause irritation to their skin.
Then comes the water filtration. You can say, it’s the most important part to maintain pristine water condition to help your mini guy stay in its best form. Axolotl waste creates toxic ammonia in water and proper filtration purifies it again, and again.
Among Canister filters, Hang on the Back(HOB), and Sponge filters, you can choose your desired one. But remember that the water flow should be well controlled since strong water flow scares Axolotls and creates high stress in them.
Decoration: Decorations are important for them to feel like home. They come from Mexican Lakes and deserve to have some rocks, small artificial/live plants, Reptile Hammocks, Moss Balls. But don’t decorate it with lights as these little boys are sensitive to frequent changes. Keep the tanks unlit as everyone else does.
Diet: Being a Carnivore the Axolotl will only eat prey(alive or dead). They’re completely non-veg and will eat Earthworms, Mollusks, Bloodworms, Blackworms, Fish, Salmon Pellets, Insects, Daphnia, and Brine Shrimp.
Feeding the Salamander is a good choice if you plan on making it a bit social. Don’t worry, it won’t bite you because its teeth aren’t big enough to pierce your fingers.
Try to feed water-based foods directly as the aquarium water may not be safe all the time, and may cause diseases.
Axolotl Life Span
Deaths are painful. Be it a family member’s or your pet’s. So it’s a wise decision to get something with a decent lifespan. The Axolotl lives around 10-15 years, or sometimes if you give it proper love and care, 20 years. It applies to captive Axolotls, and is almost equivalent to another favorite pet, Dogs.
Anyway, wild Axolotls don’t live this long. Their lifestyle is different and there are lots of enemies to fight to survive in the race. They can live up to 5-6 years. Axolotls reach their sexual maturity between six to twelve months of age.
So their lifespan is quite decent, and it’s going to live many years, and make plenty of memories if you take proper care of it.
Are Juvenile Axolotls Better to Buy?
What age of Axolotl you should buy depends on your preference, lifestyle, and experience with Aquarium animals.
Baby Axolotls are too delicate to handle and need more care. They need more meals and more nutrition compared to juveniles or adults. And since they’re more delicate, it’s obvious you have to pay more attention to water, and aquarium cleaning.
The benefit is that the baby knows you from its young age so it becomes more social and engages more than juveniles. So, having a baby Axolotl means your bonding with the Axolotl would be stronger than if you bought it as an adult.
Pros of Having an Axolotl
By reading some pros and cons, you’re allowing yourself to take the best decision to avoid any regrets. Here comes the most important part..
Low Maintenance: This little creature doesn’t require much care like some other pets. For example, dogs, sugar gliders, and cats require frequent grooming, combing, teeth care and bathing. Other than that you have to vaccinate and spay the animals. Happily, the Axolotl doesn’t require any such care.
It only needs proper food, clean cool water, and a decent aquarium tank. You don’t need to pay attention to it 24/7 like with a Dog or other pets.
Various Colors: Axolotls come in various colors. Wild Axolotls vary from Pink to Brown, to Green to Dark. While captive Axolotls come in exotic colors such as
- Leucistic or Pink Axolotl:
- White Albino Axolotl:
- Golden Albino Axolotl:
- Melanoid Axolotl:
- Axanthic Axolotl Morph:
- Copper Axolotl Morph:
- GFP Axolotl(Green):
- Chimera Axolotl:
- Mosaic Axolotl:
- Silver Dalmatian Axolotl:
- Enigma Axolotl:
- Firefly Axolotl:
So you have so many colors to choose your Axolotl. There’s a massive chance that you find your favorite color in the range. Even if it’s not there, the other colors will make you want them all.
Lifespan: 10-15 years is a long period of time. Most pets live the same period of time or sometimes even less than that. So if you want your pet to stay a longer time with you, so you can make beautiful memories together, an Axolotl is a Good option.
Unique Biology: Axolotls have some rare biological characteristics such as their regenerative ability. They’re able to heal their damaged or eaten body parts including organs and even brains. Watching it directly is a unique experience to brag about.
Solitary Animal: It’s a solitary animal and doesn’t bother if you’re giving it attention or not as long as you feed it well and keep the water clean. But it’ll like it every time you come to observe or engage with it. So if you have a busy life, and don’t have the time for that extra attention, Axolotls are great to be considered.
Cons of Having an Axolotl
Sensitive to Water Quality: Axolotls are low maintenance pets. But when it comes to water, they need well pH balanced, clean, and cool water to thrive. Anything less than that would cause immense damage to their soft skin that’s prone to diseases.
Unable to Interact: If you’re looking for pets you can hug, kiss or take it out on walks, Axolotl isn’t for you. It won’t entertain you during your bad time as a Dog or a Cat would. You can only observe it from a distance and it’ll smile back at you.
How Good are Axolotls as Pets?
So here comes the final verdict. You must’ve already visualized how it feels to have an Axolotl as a pet. But, let’s help you again. If you’re looking for a pet to interact with you and become a good companion during your lazy hours, the Axolotl isn’t a good choice for you.
However, if you’re someone with a busy life, and barely have the time to look after a high maintenance pet, Axolotl is a great option. Remember they’re too delicate and a little negligence can make you both suffer a lot.