How much does an axolotl cost? A detailed guide to its toxicity, protected status and how to keep it

The axolotl is also called the Mexican salamander or the six-horned dinosaur. It is very long-lived, generally around 15 years, and feeds mainly on molluscs, worms, insect larvae, crustaceans and certain fish.So how much does an axolotl cost? Is it poisonous? Is it a protected animal? How do you keep it? According to the pet market in Shandong, today's axolotls are all captive-bred, and the price is roughly 30 to 100 yuan each.

Is the axolotl poisonous?

1. Most salamanders have bright, beautiful body colours, but they are poisonous; they use these dazzling colours to warn off intruders, so those predatory animals eager to make a move keep their distance. When a snake attacks a salamander, the salamander's tail secretes a glue-like substance, and it lashes the snake's head violently and mercilessly with its tail until the snake's mouth is stuck shut by the secretion. Sometimes a long snake ends up glued into a ball by the salamander's slime, unable to move.

2. The salamander's tiny glands also contain a deadly bacterium, and it can use this bacterium to produce a toxin, and this toxin is tetrodotoxin; when the salamander is attacked, it immediately secretes this deadly neurotoxin, leaving its opponent unable to swallow what it has bitten off and unable to get away.

Is the axolotl a protected animal?

The axolotl is an ordinary protected animal and belongs to the amphibians; it has a certain value for the ecological environment and scientific research, “wild axolotls cannot be caught on a large scale, nor can they be traded.

How do you keep an axolotl?

1. The six-horned dinosaur likes cold water; 12-25 degrees is the suitable water temperature, and lower is fine too, as long as it does not freeze. Do not place it in sunlight or in a place with strong light; this is very bad for the six-horned dinosaur and for the water quality. The six-horned dinosaur likes hard water.

2. It is recommended to change the water once a day in a tank without filtration, once every 2-4 days in a small tank with filtration, and no more than 7 days in a large tank or aquarium with filtration; moreover, change all the water each time, do not change just a little at a time, as that is the same as not changing the water at all. When changing the water, use something like a scouring pad to scrub the inner walls and bottom of the fish tank thoroughly; the fish tank, filter wool and filter media should be disinfected regularly. Feed more: feed more and the six-horned dinosaur will grow very fast and very sturdy, with plenty of vigour and beautiful gills; moreover, feeding more can avoid accidental injuries to each other to the greatest extent and reduce unnecessary losses. As for how much to feed - give as much as it will eat; it will not overeat itself to death. No sun exposure: sun exposure makes the six-horned dinosaur very uncomfortable, is very bad for the colour of the gills, and makes the water quality deteriorate quickly; the walls of the fish tank will soon grow algae and protein.