Are Axolotls Good Pets? 19 Pros And Cons List
Axolotls are amazing animals with a distinct appearance and the ability to regrow limbs that have been severed.But are axolotls suitable as pets?
People feel very strongly about whether or not axolotls are good pets or not. Some people think they are very easy to care for, while others think they are very hard to care for.
Are Axolotls Good Pets?
Axolotls are very interesting animals because they can grow missing limbs and organs.
Many people think that these amphibians would make interesting pets, but are they good for living in a house?
Axolotls are a unique and interesting type of salamander that many animal lovers want to own because of how striking they look and how many interesting things they can do.
People think that axolotls are pretty easy to take care of as pets, which could make them a good choice for people who want to keep an animal but don’t have the time or money to take care of animals like cats or dogs.
Lastly, whether or not axolotls make good pets depends a lot on the owner’s preferences as well as how well the axolotls get along with each other and adapt to living in a home.
At the end of the day, it’s up to each person to decide for themselves if an axolotl would make a good pet.
Pros of Having Axolotls as Pets
There are many good reasons to think about getting an axolotl as a pet. Let’s look at some of the reasons why you might want to keep these animals as pets:
1. Axolotls are Cute
People love axolotls because they have such a great smile. There are many colours to choose from when it comes to these cute salamanders.
You can get an axolotl that lives well in any colour you want. Albino ones are very well known because their red and white colours make them stand out.
These species have a surprising number of albinos. It usually costs more to buy one that isn’t albino. Other popular types are the mottled brown, melanoid, golden, and leucistic, which is white but has red gills and black eyes.
2. Axolotls Don’t Need a Huge Tank
For one Axolotl, a wide 20-gallon tank will be more than enough space. The salamander must be big because it lives on the ground. They don’t care about the top layers of the tank. They are happy to just walk around on the soft sand all day.
You will need to buy a 40-gallon tank if you want to keep two axolotls. Many salamander owners say that a single salamander needs a 10-gallon aquarium. But if you really want your pet to do well, you should make it twice as big.
If the tank is bigger, you won’t have to change the water as often.
3. Axolotls Don’t Need a Heater
In a home aquarium, axolotls need water that is cold.
The best temperature for them is between 61 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water in your aquarium isn’t cold enough, you might need to buy a cooler.
We suggest keeping your Axolotl in the basement if you don’t want to buy one and your home doesn’t have any cold places.
4. Axolotls are Easy to Feed
They need protein to live and grow. Sinking pellets designed for carnivores are ideal. Also good are shrimp, bloodworms, and earthworms. There are also pellets made just for Axolotls that you can buy at most pet stores.
You can feed it with your hand because if it bites you, it will feel like sandpaper and won’t hurt your skin.
5. Axolotls Live for Years
Axolotls may live forever because of how well they can heal themselves. Even though they can replace missing organs easily, they are still getting older and will eventually die. The length of their natural life is about 15 years.
If you take care of them at home and give them everything they need, they could live up to 20 years. Living in captivity is much safer for them. There are many things in the wild that can make them feel stressed or hurt them.
On the other hand, they can live happily and not worry about being eaten in a home aquarium.
6. Axolotls are Peaceful
Even though axolotls are predators, they might only seem mean when they are trying to catch something.
They only do this when they have to. Other than that, they are pretty quiet. Most of the time, they are just exploring the bottom of the tank when they are doing their thing.
If you keep two of them in the same tank, they won’t fight over territory very often, if at all. Of course, this assumes that you bought a fish tank that is big enough.
7. Axolotls are Easy to Care For
It is much easier to keep an axolotl at home than it is to keep any other kind of fish. If you get a tank that is big enough, you won’t have to change the water in it as often. They make a lot of trash that can be thrown away right away.
You don’t have to do anything fancy to make the water clean and fresh this way. It will be better if you take out the food that is still in the tank.
When you have an axolotl, it’s much easier to keep your environment clean.
8. Axolotls Don’t Stink
Axolotls live in water and shouldn’t be taken out of it for more than a few minutes at a time. Even when you take them out of the tank, they don’t smell. People can also have many other pets that stink.
An axolotl is a good pet if you don’t like smelly ones like rats, hamsters, or tortoises. Contamination is also not a problem, since all of the trash they make comes out at once. Then just take it out of the tank so the water stays clean.
9. Axolotls are Easy to Breed
To breed an axolotl, all you have to do is make it feel like the seasons are changing. This can be done by chilling the water just a little bit. In their natural environment, they breed at the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
During some times of the year, the water is a little bit colder than usual. During this time, the male starts to lay down “packets” that the female will later pick up and use to get fertilized. They don’t need to talk to each other to have babies.
10. Axolotls can Survive Without Food for Weeks
Are you going on a trip and going to leave your Axolotl behind? Your little pet will be fine for a few weeks, so there’s no need to worry. If you don’t want your axolotl to get stressed out, you should feed it every 3–4 days.
Live feeder fish make a lot of waste, but the water will be less dirty if you leave the filter on.
11. Axolotls Are Low Maintenance
One of the best things about having an axolotl as a pet is that it needs less care than other animals like dogs or cats.
They don’t need much activity or care, and meal pellets sold in stores make it easy to control what they eat. Because of this, they are a great choice for busy people who want a pet but don’t have much time.
A 20-gallon tank is more than big enough for a single axolotl, and it is easy to keep clean and change the water often.
Axolotls are also not known for being very dirty, so you won’t have to deal with a lot of mess or maintenance.
12. Axolotls Are Fascinating Creatures
Another great thing about having an axolotl is that they are very interesting animals. They look different, and the fact that they can grow missing limbs back is amazing.
If you want a pet that will keep you interested and busy, an axolotl is a great choice. They’ll keep you busy for hours, and you might even learn something new in the process.
How Much Do Pet Axolotls Cost?
If you want to get an axolotl, you might be curious about how much they cost. In reality, the price is very different depending on where you buy your axolotl and what kind of care it needs.
A healthy, well-cared-for axolotl will usually cost between $20 and $70. But the price can go through the roof if you want a rarer colour morph or if your axolotl needs extra care.
For example, albino axolotls can cost a lot more than $100 each. So, before you buy, you should do some research and find a reliable breeder who can give you a healthy, well-cared-for axolotl.
Depending on the size and style of the tank you choose, setting up the enclosure could cost as much as $200.
To keep the water at the right temperature, you’ll also need to buy a filter, an air pump, and a water heater. You’ll also need to feed them special food, which you can find at most pet stores.
Caring for an Axolotl
Space Requirements
Axolotls are small when they are young, so if you get a baby, you won’t need a big aquarium at first. It should be enough with ten gallons. But these salamanders don’t stay small for very long.
Your axolotl could be 12 inches long when it’s fully grown. A 10-gallon tank would be too small for such a big animal, so the recommended minimum size for an adult axolotl is a 20-gallon tank.
Tank Setup
Your axolotl will need a big tank with room for it to walk on the bottom and enough filtration. Most of the time, it’s easy to filter the water in an aquarium, but since axolotls like still water, you’ll need a special filter to avoid creating a current in the tank.
But since axolotls are known to make a lot of waste, you’ll also need to replace 20% of the water every week to keep things clean.
Because axolotls spend most of their time on the tank floor and rarely go to the higher levels, the substrate you choose will have a big effect. Most people agree that sand is the best substrate. Don’t use aquarium gravel because it’s easy to swallow and makes the soil hard.
Water Conditions
It’s not hard to take care of an axolotl. The water is the biggest cause for concern. In addition to changing the water once a week and filtering it well, you should also check the hardness, temperature, and pH level of the water. If you don’t take care of your axolotl well, it will get sick.
This species lives in cold water, so you should keep the temperature between 60 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Between 6.5 and 7.5 is a good range for acidity. The hardness of the water should be between 7 and 8 dKH, which is easy to check with water hardness testing strips.
Feeding
If you usually feed your pets every day, it will be easy to feed an axolotl because they only need to eat two or three times a week. In the wild, these amphibians eat fish, snails, insects, and even other amphibians.
They are carnivores. In captivity, axolotls like brine shrimp, earthworms, and bloodworms because they are high in protein and easy to find, and they will eat them without thinking twice.
Even though pet axolotls can eat other things, like feeder fish or even small mammals like mice, people usually don’t do that.
All you need to feed your axolotl is a long pair of forceps and the food close to your pet.Once your axolotl sees the food, it should take care of the rest.
Temperament and Personality
One reason why axolotls are becoming more and more popular as pets is that they are so much fun to watch.
When these frogs and toads realize that someone is watching them, they like to put on a show for the audience by moving around even more.
People think of these as gentle pets. If you leave your axolotl alone, it won’t get mean very often. They are not, however, good for living with other people or things. Even putting another axolotl in the same tank can be bad news.
They will fight, and as a result, they will lose limbs or their lives. Even though axolotls can grow new limbs, you shouldn’t put them in this situation.
Most likely, they will also attack, eat, or kill other fish or aquatic species. Axolotls should always live in their own tank, away from other animals, because of this.
Handling
If you touch one, you could easily hurt yourself. If you have to take an axolotl out of its tank, use a mesh net and put it in another tank of water right away.
Lifespan
You can’t buy an axolotl the same way you buy a goldfish. You will have your axolotl for a long time. They usually live about 10 years when they are kept as pets.
Still, some species can live for at least 20 years. Even though this doesn’t happen very often, you should know about it if you want to get an axolotl as a pet.
Do Axolotls Make Great Pets?
We know a lot about axolotls now, but the big question is still: are they good pets? Axolotls are great pets as long as you know that they are more of a “look and watch” type of pet than one you would play with.
They’re cute, funny to watch, and easy to take care of. If you can make the water just right, you won’t need to worry about anything. Axolotls are easy and cheap to feed, and they can live for a long time as pets.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the reasons we think you should get an axolotl for your home aquarium.
After all, who wouldn’t want a pet that looks so unique and doesn’t need much care? You’ll be proud to show this pet to your friends, who will be amazed by the strange things it does.
It’s easy to feed them, set up their tank, and have them have babies. If you want to breed them, you can choose from many different colors. Even though axolotls usually live alone, you can keep two of them in a bigger tank or many of them in different tanks.
I have been working in animal shelter for the past six years and I have been raising the puppies of different breeds. I have had experience in training the puppies in obedience, agility, and other dog sports.
My main objective is to train the puppies to become good family pets. They should be well-behaved and trained to be loving, loyal, and obedient.
Contact me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (912) 634-3631
Address: 102 Village Way Crk Saint Simons Island, Georgia(GA), 31522
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