There are a few reasons to avoid feeding baby axolotls mealworms, primarily that they may not be digestible and could cause them to choke on it.
Axolotls don't chew their food; instead they swallow it whole. Mealworms contain hard exoskeletons which make digestion challenging for these aquatic animals.
What Are Axolotls?
Axolotls, or Mexican and Central American salamanders, have the unique ability to regenerate organs and limbs quickly in captivity, and therefore live long lives when kept as pets.
Axolotls are opportunistic eaters in their natural environments and will consume just about anything that fits in their mouths, from insects and small fish to worms and larvae. While in captivity they should receive both pellets and live food to remain healthy and content.
Mealworms are an increasingly popular choice when it comes to feeding reptiles and amphibians, yet they don't provide adequate nourishment for axolotls due to their hard exoskeleton that makes digesting mealworms difficult for axolotls and their high fat content which doesn't suit their diets.
Axolotls can consume earthworms and night crawlers that have been cut up so they fit inside of their mouth, then soaked in nonchlorinated water for at least 24 hours prior to feeding them to your animal. You can purchase earthworms and night crawlers at most bate shops and pet stores, or harvest your own from your garden; just ensure it has not been exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Frozen bloodworm bricks may be an alternative food source; however many axolotl owners believe these do not provide adequate nutrition.
Axolotl Diet
The Axolotl is an aquatic predator which feeds on various forms of small organisms. When in its native environment, these fish consume an assortment of insect larvae, worms, snails and other mollusks as well as small fish; while as pets they will consume anything that falls into their aquarium. There are certain foods to avoid feeding as this could cause digestive distress or even result in death for their inhabitants.
Axolotls possess barely visible vestigial teeth, and use powerful suction to close their external gills and consume oxygenated water. Furthermore, they use buccal pumping where air is taken in through their mouth and compressed against their lungs before entering their system.
Aquarium environments allow axolotls to enjoy feedings such as frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, in addition to dried flakes or pellets made specifically for amphibians. Live foods should be cleaned thoroughly prior to consumption to remove parasites; additionally, at least once weekly they should receive other treats such as daphnia or mini brine shrimp as treats.
Axolotls are extremely slow swimmers that find food by searching for it along the murky lake or river bottom. Their acute sense of smell allows them to track prey from both sight and scent; once they spot something edible they open their wide mouths wide and use vacuum action to pull it in with any nearby items (including parts of other axolotls or gravel).
Axolotl Health
Axolotls are captivating creatures that provide a fascinating window into an alien world. Evolved from freshwater pools and caves, their delicate physiology requires special care - these aquatic reptiles are sensitive to changes in temperature and quality and are therefore unable to handle large fluctuations. Furthermore, these aquatic mammals require safe escape routes from predatory fish or any potential threats; such as flowerpots with holes for escape routes or rock caves with safe escape routes for safe sheltering.
Axolotls are predators in their native environment, devouring insects such as worms, mollusks, crustaceans and insect larvae; in captivity however they should be fed dried brine shrimp, bloodworms and earthworms as well as protein-rich foods twice or three times each day for larvae and juniors, while one to two times weekly for adults to reduce waste in the tank. Any uneaten food should also be removed promptly to minimize waste production.
Axolotls in captivity can become sick and stressed due to inadequate water conditions or incorrect aquarium maintenance, which may cause them to lose their appetite or refuse to eat, with symptoms including fungus growth and curling gills as well as white coating on their skin - signs that they should be quarantined until their problems have been addressed.
Axolotl Training
Live food is ideal for axolotls as it is high in nutrients and natural proteins, including earthworms, bloodworms (both live and frozen) and daphnias - easily available at local aquarium shops as well as easy to cultivate at home. Unfortunately, they can sometimes get messy in tanks; any leftovers could trigger ammonia spikes quickly so to use tweezers to hold and offer these treats, while turkey basters provide the additional capability of picking up and disposing leftovers quickly from tanks if necessary.
Fish pellets can also provide essential vitamins and proteins. However, it should not be their sole food source as axolotls aren't designed to consume warm-blooded animals like warm blooded mammals like humans do; furthermore this food may lead to fungal infections resulting in skin lesions and lethargy for their hosts.
If you aren't sure of what type of food to feed your axolotl, seek advice from either your veterinarian or online resources for guidance. In general, adult axolotls should be fed twice or three times each week while baby ones will require more frequent meals due to weak senses of smell and sight. Overfeeding can also lead to buildup of waste in the water which puts strain on filters in tanks.