One day, your axolotl was a frilly-gilled, smiley-faced aquatic creature. Then seemingly overnight, your axolotl shed its gills, lost its dorsal fin, and gasps for air at the water’s surface. After checking the aquarium’s water parameters and consulting with some experienced axolotl keepers online, you come to a stunning conclusion: your axolotl will soon start a new life as a mostly terrestrial salamander. That means you’ll soon own a land-dwelling amphibian!
Learn more here!
Know the Signs of an Axolotl Morphing
As Morphed Axolotls explains, you did nothing wrong to cause this sudden change in your pet. Some axolotls have a recessive gene that causes their thyroid to trigger metamorphosis. In most axolotls, their thyroid stops sending these signals as they near adulthood, which is why they retain their juvenile-like traits upon maturity. Nobody’s exactly sure why some axolotls morph, but some believe that the introduction of tiger salamander DNA into the pet axolotl gene pool is a contributor.
Before rushing out and buying your axolotl a new home, first, make sure they’re actually morphing. Adverse changes in water parameters, for example, could cause gill shrinkage that could look similar to morphing. This would likely require tubbing and recycling the tank to reverse this loss. Some signs that your axolotl is morphing include:
- Inward-receding gills
- Hooded eyes
- A disappearing tail crest
- Blinking
- A free-moving tongue
Axolotls have a slime coat that protects them against injuries and promotes movement in the water. Morphing axolotls will lose their slime coat, as they don’t need it anymore. This may look like sheets of film peeling in the water.
Your Axolotl Needs a New Habitat
Once your axolotl has fully morphed, it will no longer be an aquatic-dwelling creature. Instead, it’ll be a type of mole salamander that burrows underground. While it may spend some time in the water to keep its skin moist, it won’t spend hours upon hours underwater anymore. As your axolotl morphs, start to drain water from the aquarium, offering logs, branches, and other decorations that allow access to the water’s surface. Over time, you may see your axolotl (now salamander) crawling on these items and spending their time out of water.
Your salamander’s habitat should be half-water, half-land. Morphed Axolotls recommends using a mix of cocofiber and organic topsoil to create the perfect salamander substrate. Make the substrate deep enough for your pet to hide and burrow. You’ll also need to keep this material fairly damp, as salamanders thrive in moist environments. Avoid using material like acidic moss, as this can burn your salamander’s skin and throw off their water’s pH.
Encourage Your Morph to Eat
During this transitionary phase in your axolotl’s life, it may eat less than before—or not at all. There are a few reasons for this. First, your axolotl’s digestive system is undergoing major changes, shortening by as much as 70 percent! Your pet also has a tongue, which takes some adjustment.
Encourage your morph to eat by cutting up small waxworms. Normally, you wouldn’t offer these very often; these worms are high in fat! Yet, your axolotl needs energy, so it’s fine to offer these treats in moderation. They may also enjoy earthworms that are cut into bite-size pieces. Gut-loaded crickets can also offer a nice meal supplement.
Unlike axolotls that enjoy “the thrill of the hunt” when it comes to live meals, morphed axolotls are not hunters. They will not chase down wriggling worms or attempt to catch live crickets. Hand-feed or bin-feed your morphed axolotl to ensure they get proper nutrition.
Feel Free to House Morphs Together
In the wild, axolotls are solitary critters. And because there are potentially less than 1,000 in the wild, these critically endangered animals seldom encounter each other! Because of issues involving accidental breeding, aggression, and injury, many axolotl enthusiasts advise against keeping these animals together. Yet, that changes if you have two axolotl morphs.
Mole salamanders are not opposed to spending time with others of their species. In fact, some share burrows and enjoy each other’s company! If you have multiple morphed axolotls, do some research about what size tank you need, along with their meal requirements. With the right conditions, you could have multiple salamanders under one roof.
Contact Your Axolotl’s Breeder
If your axolotl morphs, tell the breeder. A reputable breeder will want to know if any of their axolotls have morphed. Why? Because this means breeding parents have genes not conducive to selling ideal axolotl specimens. Upon telling the breeder about your experience, have various details on hand, including when your axolotl morphed and what water parameters they had. This information can help breeders ensure that they only sell axolotls that retain their neotenic traits permanently.
How Can I Prevent My Axolotl From Morphing?
The short answer? You can’t. Your axolotl was destined to morph into a land-dwelling amphibian from the moment they were hatched. It’s part of their DNA. However, while you can’t stop an axolotl from morphing, you can avoid getting one that will. Axolotls only morph between the ages of five to 10 months. Once the 10-month mark passes, the odds of your axolotl morphing tank drastically.
So, if you want to avoid having an axolotl morph, adopt one older than 10 months. These pets can easily live longer than a decade, so you’ll still have plenty of years together. Many people get axolotls and then choose to rehome them. You could “rescue” an older axolotl and rest assured they’ve achieved their final form.
You can also get an axolotl that won’t morph by only conducting business with reputable breeders. That means avoiding non-specialty pet stores, eBay, and Craigslist. There’s power in being informed by customer reviews, one-on-one consultations, and research. Keeping an axolotl is easy—granted you get what you pay for!
