Despite having a solid bond with our companion animals, any pet has the potential to bite, including axolotls.
Although axolotls can bite people on rare occasions, some caretakers have had such an unpleasant experience.
Did your axolotl bite you, and you can’t remove from your mind the worries about why that did just happen?
Many things can provoke even the friendliest axolotl to bite anyone interacting with them.
Finding out the reasons behind your axolotl biting you is the first step to addressing the issue. Read on to know why axolotls bite.
Contents
Do Axolotls Bite?
Axolotls biting people is not unheard of, and this informs us that it is indeed true that these creatures do bite. They can bite anything wavering or present in the tank to swallow it.
Axolotls’ gummy mouth is more apparent, but they have small and slender teeth on their upper and lower jaw.
The teeth do not have real spiked edges; they exclusively grasp and attach to prey before the axolotl proceeds to swallow it.
Axolotls’ teeth can bite humans or their owners; however, they don’t cause harmful wounds.
Their teeth do not inflict harmful injuries since they are tiny and not serrated. Furthermore, axolotls have no poison in the bodies.
It is not the nature of axolotls to be aggressive all the time. They are friendly pets that show deep affection to their humans. Therefore, most axolotl bites are not due to aggression.
Do Axolotl Bites Hurt?
Most of the time, an axolotl bite is not an alarming thing. The chances of these animals hurting you are slim because their teeth are tiny and do not have jagged edges.
Axolotls’ bites have minimal pressure, and their teeth are not sharp enough to puncture human skin. But it’s possible to experience minimal bleeding from an axolotl bite.
You shouldn’t be afraid because your axolotl bit you; these animals do not produce any poison within their bodies that they will inject into you.
The far they can go with their bite is only causing mild bleeding.
Even though axolotl bites are not dangerous, it can be an unpleasant experience if the previous wound is not fully healed and they bite you a second time.
Why Is My Axolotl Biting Me?
The ultimate reason why your axie is biting you is that they are mistaking your finger with food. Most often, axolotls don’t see anything stationary but can perceive moving animals.
They consider everything they see moving in the tank as something that can stop their hunger, especially if it doesn’t pose a threat.
The axolotl’s poor eyesight denies them the ability to discern between your wavering finger and their potential food. It will bite your finger, thinking it to be food.
Moreover, axolotls can also bite if they feel startled in some way. Moving your hand suddenly in their vicinity can provoke the axolotl to bite you out of fear, although this is typically rare.
Most axolotls hate the idea of being touched. Since they can’t talk, axolotls usually show signs of stress, or they will give a black look to warn you to stop touching them.
The last thing an axolotl wants from you is you touching them.
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What Should You Do If Bitten?
Axolotls’ teeth don’t grow, and because of this, their bite is light and does not cause pain. An axolotl bite is not something that should send a chill down your heart.
Therefore, when an axolotl gives you a bite, please don’t rush to pull the finger out of its mouth; only be calm and let it go on its own since you don’t want to damage your axie.
However, if there is food available, you can try to distract the axolotl with it. As an axolotl owner, you can be sure your axolotl can bite you anytime as long as you put your hand in its tank.
Simply because axolotls bite is not severe doesn’t mean you should ignore the wound they cause. I know you’re safe, but it’s imperative to prepare for any or all eventualities.
The best thing you can do is clean the bitten area with an alcohol squab and eventually put an antibacterial band on it.
As much as you’re worried about getting bitten, ensuring that your axolotl was not hurt should be your first approach.
How to Avoid Being Bitten
No matter how common axolotl bites may be, there is a solution to this problem. You can interact with your axie every day and never receive any bite.
Since most bites occur when humans feed axolotls using their hands, it would be wise to use tools, such as tweezers instead. The axolotl will grab its food from the tweezer without accessing your hand.
Now that you know axolotl doesn’t like being touched, touching your axolotl should be the last thing you do.
It’s advisable only to touch these animals when necessary, which could be during their medication or when cleaning the tank.
Always handle your axolotl gently to avoid subjecting it to stress or even hurting its delicate body.
Both you and your pet need to be safe and healthy. So then, ensure to clean your hands with antibacterial soap before and after putting your hand in your axolotl’s aquarium.
It will prevent you from carrying any diseases to your axolotl, and you will also be safe from things like salmonella.
Axolotls may be carriers of salmonella, which they can transmit to people handling them.
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Conclusion
Anything moving before an axolotl’s eyes triggers its mind to think of nothing but a predator or food.
Even when you’re moving your finger in the tank, the axolotl doesn’t see the finger, but it sees food. Your finger appears as food to the axolotl; hence, it will not hesitate to come and take a bite.
Axolotls’ teeth are not designed for chewing at food but rather gripping and holding it. They don’t bite painfully, and the furthest the bite can go is causing mild bleeding only.
Axolotls’ bodies don’t produce poison, so their bites are not of big concern. The wounds these animals cause heal quickly.