If you have kept axolotls for over two years, you would have been used to their feeding habits and territorial behavior. One such is that they will happily go after anything smaller than them (small creatures) to consume.
Pinky Mice are one of the creatures they consume if found in their territory or if fed to them by you because of their greedy nature. However, it is not healthy for them to feed on as it contains a lot of fat, and it might be difficult to digest the mouse’s bone.
This article will open your eyes to all you need to know about feeding pinky mice to your axolotls.
Are Pinky Mice Safe For My Axolotls To Consume?
No. It is not safe for your axolotls to eat pinky mice as it takes them almost a month to get it digested and pass it out, which is quite harmful to their health and might cause liver problems at the rate they digest food is slow.
Although pinky mice are sufficient in protein, they might be very harmful to your pet as it also contains high fat, which will make your pet obese and might even serve as a carrier of diseases.
Will My Axolotls Eat Pinky Mice If I Feed Them With It?
Yes. Your pets are voracious and do not know what is healthy for them to feed on, and that is why they die easily in the wild, making them dependent on you for their feeding and care when in captivity.
They will joyfully consume the mice as they love to be treated with special food occasionally but might not eat in the wild.
Can My Baby Axolots Eat Pinky Mice?
No. Giving your baby axolotls pinky mice to eat is another easy way of killing your pets without announcing it to them, as their digestive system is still tender and underdeveloped. Besides, they will not consume anything they do not eat in the wild.
What Do Baby Axolotls Eat?
Baby axolotls are very tender and should not be given just anything to eat. They are quick to have impaction because of their underdeveloped digestive system, and whatever they eat in the wild should be replicated when in captivity.
Few of the food they consume in the wild and should be given to them in captivity includes,
- Baby brine shrimp
- Small insects
- Live Daphnia.
- Fishes smaller than them. (Tadpole).
- Blackworms (should be chopped when in captivity.)
- Microworms.
- Earthworms that can fit into their mouth freely.
Furthermore, they should be fed once or twice daily in minimal proportion as excess food might result in impaction.
Do Axolotls Feed on Pinky Mice In the Wild?
No. They have difficulty feeding on mice in the wild as they are fast runners, while axolotls are slow swimmers. Besides, mice hardly stay in the water as they are always scavenging around for food on land though they can survive in water.
However, if they come across a tired or sick mouse, they will consume it with all joy, but it will likely lead to their death as they can not treat impaction or other contagious diseases on their own.
What Do Axolotls Eat In The Wild?
Axolotls are not picky regarding food and will consume anything that fits into their mouth in the wild, which is their natural habitat. Some of the food they consume in the wild includes,
- Crickets
- Mosquito Larvae
- Worms such as earthworms and blackworms.
- Small crustaceans
- Small fishes
- Frog Tadpoles
- Snails that can fit into their mouth at once).
- Insects.
- Midge Maggots.
- Blood worms.
- Goldfish and minnows.
How Best Do I Feed Pinky Mice To My Axolotls?
If you have no choice but to feed your axolotls with pinky mice, you must remove the skull, even the fur, and cook it with water before feeding your pet.
Cooking it will help the bone to be softer and rid the mice of every contagious disease.
How Often Can I Feed My Axolotls With Pinky Mice?
It has been said earlier that pinky mice should be given to your pets as an occasional treat; therefore, your pet should be fed once a month as it might take up to a month to get the mouse’s bones digested.
Can My Axolotls Digest Bones?
Yes, but not strong bones. The axolotl’s stomach contains mucus in a high proportion which allows the whole food being swallowed by your pet to move through the gut and, in the process pin down any hard food difficult for your axolotls to digest, especially bones and a hard exoskeleton.
However, when it comes to digesting mice bones, it might be difficult for your pet to digest them as the bones are hard and more than one, and this might take a long time to complete the digestion process.
Can My Axolotls Choke On Pinky Mice?
Yes. If you feed your axolotl live mouse, it might be struggling to come out and choke your pet in the process, especially if the mouse is bigger than your pet’s mouth.
Can My Axolotls Feed on Dead Pinky Mice?
No. Your pet should not be fed with a dead mouse as you do not know the source of the death. Rather, feed your pet with a prepared mouse if you need to.
What Happens When My Axolotls Are Obese Or Overweight?
As we have discussed earlier that your axolotls can become obese as a result of feeding on pinky mice in excess or other fatty foods, and this could bring about stress to the internal organs of your pets.
How Do I Know My Axolotls Are Obese?
There are different ways to know if your axolotls are obese, and the first way to know is to compare the size of the head with that of the belly; once the belly’s width is wider than that of the head, your pet is overweight.
The other way to know is to weigh your pets, and once they exceed the standard weight for each stage of life, they are obese. The standard weight for each stage includes
- Larva Stage: 2 inches long.
- Juvenile Stage:6 inches long.
- Adult Stage:7- 18 inches.
How Do I Treat Obesity In Axolotls?
It is simple to treat obesity in your pets. Still, it would be best if you were careful as you will need to withdraw all the food supplying a balanced diet, including the mouse, and replace it with one earthworm per day, which will help them to survive until they finally come back to their original size.
Once they are back to their normal size, continue feeding them with a balanced diet.
Conclusion
Pinky mice have high protein and fat content, which harms your pets’ health as they do not require food high in fat, which can bring about obesity. However, it can be fed to them as an occasional treat in a low proportion.
Moreover, pinky mice bones are stronger than what the mucus in their stomach can trap, so it should not be fed to them but rather eat what they are known to consume.
