We all know about constipation and how uncomfortable it can be, but can the same thing happen to your axolotl?
An overfed axolotl can suffer from a build-up of food in the digestive system, causing constipation.
Read on to find out how this happens and how to make it better.
Can Axolotls Get Constipated?
There is a difference between constipation and impaction. In many cases when your axolotl is not pooping it can be a sign of impaction, as the food is not able to process through the digestive system, therefore not producing any poop. Although in some instances the blockage isn’t total and pooping does still happen.
Constipation can happen if the axolotl has eaten way too much, or eaten something that has gone off. If their digestive system becomes too loaded this can slow down the digestive process.
Symptoms Of Axolotl Constipation
Axolotls tend to enjoy floating at the top of the water, it’s a bit of fun. They will gulp down some air and start floating. When they have had enough they’ll get rid of the air and go back down to the substrate. For the axolotl that’s a bit of fun. They like to do this every now and then and for some it might be quite regular.
If your axolotl is floating, swimming back to the bottom, and keeps floating back up continually, this might be a sign of constipation, especially if it is showing signs of stress, like the tail is curved, or the gill filaments curling forward.
Other symptoms could include –
- no appetite
- no poop
- vomiting
- swollen cloaca
With a bulked-out digestive system, it’s unlikely that the axolotl will want to take food. In fact, they may vomit recently taken food back out. The axolotl might also be straining to poop and their cloaca (where the poop comes out) may have become swollen.
Axolotl Is Refusing To Eat
In isolation refusal to eat doesn’t necessarily mean constipation. When an axolotl is full it may not be interested in any more food. Each axolotl is different, as another one might take the food and later throw it up.
Sometimes it’s possible for an axolotl to kind of forget how to eat and needs cajoling into eating again, maybe with some tasty bloodworms.
Refusal to eat could also mean there is something wrong with the axolotl, like impaction or some illness. To check for illness look for other symptoms and changes to the body, but importantly check all the water parameters to make sure their environment is as it should be.
How Often Does An Axolotl Poop?
There isn’t a hard and fast rule as to the exact frequency of your axolotl pooping. It can vary, each will have a slightly different metabolism and food intake. As a rule of thumb pooping twice a week is a good sign.
The key is getting to know the habits of your axolotl. Both feeding habits and pooping habits. That way it’s easier to spot if there is a problem.
Identifying Axolotl Poop In The Tank?
If there are no other symptoms and your axolotl is feeding well and appears healthy, double-check that the poop is not hidden away where you can’t see it. Their poop is very fragile, like a sack with liquid in it. Once touched it will explode and fragment into multiple pieces. If there is debris in the tank this might actually be the axolotl poop disintegrated.
What Foods Could Give Your Axolotl Constipation?
There is a subtle difference between what food is given to an axolotl and whether the food itself causes constipation or impaction. Anything with an exoskeleton is a struggle for your axolotl to break down and digest and can lead to impaction. The same applies to fish if any were present in the tank. If eaten the bones will not be easily broken down and cause impaction.
If food is off, such as a worm this can lead to constipation because the worm can upset the digestive system and it may not be functioning as it could. This will lead to a build-up of food inside your axolotl.
There are no other foods that will specifically give your axolotl constipation.
How To Help Your Axolotl Fix Their Constipation?
Initially, the best way to resolve constipation for your axolotl is to stop feeding. Their digestive system is slow at working through, so halting food gives them a chance to naturally work through what is already in them and poop it out.
If the axolotl will take food it’s a good idea to try some oily/fatty food to help the poop travel through and out. Sinking pellets can be high in oils so might be a good option to try. If the cloaca is looking swollen and sore this option might be of help.
Another option is to put the axolotl in slightly colder water in a container, remembering to change all the water each day. You may find that after a day or so poop is being made by your axolotl, which is what you want to see. This combined with oily food should be all that is required to resolve constipation.
A popular method is to place the container in the fridge, as this drop in temperature is supposed to trigger the digestive system, making the axolotl poop a lot sooner. This method is also used for treating some levels of impaction too. Just remember to make sure the temperature gradually rises before adding back to the tank.
But don’t rush your axolotl back to their tank. It’s best to monitor and check subsequent pooping to ensure all is ok. In many instances this may be up to a week before being ready to return to the tank.