Axolotls are cute and one of the affordable exotics animals that you can keep as a pet. The cost of buying an axolotl is quite cheap. However, you will also need to consider some other costs like the cost of food when you decide to buy an axolotl.
The main recurring cost when it comes to axolotl is the cost of food. The good thing is that feeding axolotl is quite cheap, and you can even spend about $120 – $240 annually based on the type of feed you give them. This is because adult axolotls only eat a few times a week in captivity, which helps to save cost.
As a responsible axolotl owner, you may be wondering what the average cost of food for your axolotl is. This article will provide everything you need to know about axolotl food price.
How Much Does It Cost To Feed An Axolotl?
Generally, axolotls can eat live food, frozen food, and pellets in captivity. However, the price of axolotl food may vary based on the type of food you choose, its quantity, and where you are buying it. The good thing is that the difference in the price is not that significant.
Young axolotls need to be fed daily, while adult axolotls can eat live or frozen foods, and pellets every 2-3 days.
Axolotl food price is anywhere between $10-$20 per month. However, this can go up to about $120 – $240 annually, depending on which type of food you feed them.
Axolotl Food Price
Axolotls are carnivorous animals, and they love eating live foods. When it comes to the price of axolotl food, the main diet is the most expensive. On the other hand, the pellet is the least expensive food for axolotls.
Types of food | Some food items | Prices | Average costs |
Main Diet | 1/ Earthworms 2/ Bloodworms 3/ Blackworms 4/ Frozen Shrimp 5/ Prawns | $30 per pound $8 per dozen $50-$60 per pound $6 for 12oz $30 per pound | $8-$60 |
Frozen Foods or Treats | 1/ Mealworms 2/ Lean Chicken 3/ Lean Beef 4/ Fresh Tuna | $13 per 1000 $9 per pound $10 per pound $30 for 6oz | $6-$30 |
Pellets | 1/ Invert Aquatics Soft Pellets 2/ ABF Gourmet Axolotl Soft 3/Hikari Fish Food | $4.7 per ounce $4.75 per ounce $3.45 per ounce | $5 |
Main diet:
Axolotls are known to be voracious eaters and will feed on anything smaller than them. Axolotls have rudimentary teeth used for latching on to their prey, but their teeth are not for biting or tearing their prey (read more).
This shows that they swallow their food whole. Therefore, axolotls can easily get impacted if they try to eat anything bigger than them.
The healthiest food choice for axolotls is earthworms. You can buy earthworms in bulk for about $30 per pound (about 400 worms, like 10 cents per worm). However, it can be quite expensive to buy worms locally (around 20 cents per worm).
Some of the main diets for axolotls are bloodworms and blackworms. However, bloodworms and blackworms are quite more expensive than earthworms. You will need to budget about 70 cents per bloodworm and $50-60 per pound of blackworms.
The good thing is that axolotls don’t need extra vitamins or minerals supplements. This means you can spend between $5-30 for feeding your axolotls per month based on the type of food you choose.
Furthermore, you won’t break your bank when treating your axolotls with bits of pork, chicken, or live brine shrimp. This is because they will not eat that much.
Tips for Axolotl Food
Here are some tips to follow when feeding your axolotls to keep them safe and ensure they get enough nutrients.
- It is advisable to breed live foods like worms or fish yourself to help ensure they are safe for your axolotls.
- Avoid feeding your axolotls with worms or fish you caught outdoors, as they may contain parasites or chemicals.
- Try to isolate feeder fish or worms that you dig from the garden to help avoid parasite infestation.
- You can occasionally give your axolotl a tiny bit of beef or chicken as treats.
- Ensure that you store pellets in a dry place free from moisture and keep an eye on their expiry date.
- Avoid feeding your axolotls with anything with a hard exoskeleton
- Only feed your axolotls with feeder fish occasionally.
Conclusion
The main recurring cost when budgeting for axolotl is their food. However, the good thing is that adult axolotls only eat a few times each week, which makes the cost of feeding them quite cheap. The most expensive food for axolotls is the main diet (earthworm, bloodworm, etc.).
On the other hand, the least expensive food is the pellet. However, you can easily feed them for about $120 annually based on the type of food you buy.