A healthy Axolotl is not dangerous to humans at all. It is only dangerous if it carries diseases that can affect humans. Axolotls are also known as Mexican salamanders. In Mexico City and its surroundings, people consider it as gourmet food.
It is quite easy to prepare it because this salamander doesn’t have any poisonous parts. It is safe to eat and safe to touch as well.
Axolotl bite doesn’t hurt either so if you keep it as a pet, it is completely safe to touch it. The only thing you should be careful about is that they can carry salmonella.
But this applies to pretty much every reptilian or amphibian out there. Also, salmonella is only dangerous to children or people with a weakened immune system.
If you have kids at home, they need to wash their hands after being in contact with the Axolotl.
However, it is no reason not to practice good hygiene anyway.
Are Axolotls Poisonous?
The body of an Axolotl doesn’t contain any poison. In some countries, there are elite restaurants where they prepare them as delicious gourmet food. People can eat it without suffering from any side effects.
Is it OK to Touch an Axolotl?
You can touch your pet any time you want to. There is nothing on their skin that can hurt you. Before you touch your Axolotl, make sure to wash your hands. There can be a million different bacteria and contaminants on your skin.
Whenever you reach to your salamander, gentleness is key. Don’t squeeze or push them too hard because you can easily hurt him. Also, it is important not to take them out of the water.
They are underwater animals and walking on land and breathing oxygen is not pleasant for them at all. Even in the water, you need to be gentle because of their thin and slimy coat.
This coat defends them from various illnesses and it’s quite effective against injury. You can easily damage it, which makes them vulnerable.
Since there is a wide range of chemicals that can stick to your hand, it is best to wash it before you touch your salamander.
All in all, your Axolotl won’t get anything out of you petting it and it’s best to leave it do its thing alone.
Do Axolotls Bite?
Axolotls tend to bite everything that gets near them and your hand is no exception. If they notice your hand while you are cleaning the tank, they might bite it. However, this is nothing to be afraid of. Their bite doesn’t hurt much so feel free to feed them with your hand as well.
It usually happens while you feed them because they can see your fingers moving and they immediately consider it food.
They also bite fellow Axolotls that live in the tank if they get near each other. When they bite your finger, it rarely gets through the skin. With their teeth, they can’t cause much damage.
What to do if Axolotls Bite You?
Although the teeth of an Axolotl are quite small, it still can cause mild bleeding. After you got bitten, make sure to clean the wound properly and give it some time to heal. Meanwhile, you shouldn’t risk another bite so stay away from the tank until the wound is fully healed.
The chances of such salamander hurting you are very slim. Therefore, you can feel free to hand-feed them whenever you want.
Their bite rarely goes through the skin and even if it does, it is not going to hurt that much.
Now you don’t want to hurt your Axolotl either so make sure not to pull out your finger immediately. You will most likely damage its teeth so it’s best to wait until he lets go of it.
When an Axolotl bites you, it pretty much feels like Velcro or sandpaper rubbing into your skin. It is not pleasant but not the worst feeling either.
Do Axolotls Carry Salmonella?
Axolotls can actually carry salmonella just like any other amphibian. Once they get salmonella, it is impossible for them to get rid of it.
It can be found in their digestive tract and it will stay there throughout their life. Therefore, they are carriers which always poses some additional risk to the owner.
However, this risk can be eliminated by taking appropriate measures. It is the same as the risk you take by contacting other people or handling raw meat. All you need to do is to wash your hands before and after and you are going to be fine.
Salmonella poses no threat to a healthy immune system. If there are babies or young children in the house, then you need to be a bit more cautious.
It is best to keep them away from the aquarium. In case they get in contact with the water or the Axolotl itself, tell them to wash their hands immediately.
Of course, the surefire solution would be to get rid of the pet. The problem with this is that children are often attached to these pets. You don’t have to get rid of your salamander if your kids wash their hands regularly.
Conclusion
As you can see, Axolotls can’t be considered a threat to humans at all. They are harmless creatures and even if they bite you, it won’t cause any noticeable damage most of the time.
The only way they can be dangerous is if you try to keep them with other fish.
Since they are predatory salamanders, they are going to eat the fish around them viciously.
If you are curious how Axolotls catch their fish prey, buy a couple of smaller ones and then just wait. Also, make sure that your pet is hungry.
If any other animal in the aquarium invades their territory, they are going to start biting off their body parts. During these behaviors, they can seem quite dangerous.
They are violent creatures but because of their size and small teeth, they can’t do anything to hurt you.
