If you own an axolotl, then you surely have encountered the question of what will the axolotl eat. As we know, these animals are biased towards a carnivorous diet, so they won’t eat plant-based foods. But what type of meat-based foods will they eat exactly? Will my beloved axolotl eat crickets?
The answer is yes, axolotls will eat crickets. In fact, it’s possibly one of the best foods to feed to your axolotls, because it’s easily obtainable and in many forms. But, just about any pet shop in the world will sell crickets, including your local pet shop. Crickets can come in many forms and shapes when it comes to pet shops.
You can buy frozen or live crickets, depending on your preferences. You can also collect live crickets outside or breed them on your own, and then feed them to axolotls. But note that crickets should by no means be the only source of food for your axolotl.
Let’s take a look at whether axolotls can eat crickets and more about it.
Live or Freeze-Dried Crickets – Which is Best for Axolotl?
When it comes to choosing the type of crickets to buy, there are two main choices – live crickets or freeze-dried crickets. Both choices are just fine for your axolotl, it just depends on what your individual axolotl prefers, and what you like more.
Crickets are one of the best foods for axolotls, and in various shapes and sizes. If you prefer to get your crickets from your pet shop, you will be able to get mostly freeze-dried crickets. Sure, this is a relatively safe option and it’s not that expensive either, but for some people, it might not be as exciting as live crickets.
You see, an axolotl will actively hunt down and prey on the crickets, and it’s also a form of entertainment as well as food for them. The axolotl will have much more fun catching the prey and swimming around to get it. Not only is it a good source of food, it’s also a good form of entertainment.
But no matter which option you pick, you should never rely on crickets only to feed your axolotls. Instead, crickets should be provided as more of a treat instead as the primary source of food for the axolotl. Sure, they do bring plenty of nutrients and the axolotls will adore the crickets. But try to keep more variety.
How Many Crickets Should You Feed to Your Axolotl?
As we already discussed, axolotls should only be a supplement in their diet, and should not be considered the primary source of food. Instead, it should be looked at as a treat that is fed to the axolotls from time to time.
The best way to feed them is to give them one cricket per week. You can even give two crickets to the axolotl per week, but not more than that.
Why? Because crickets can cause a digestion problem if there are too many in their digestive system. So, you should be moderate with the number of crickets you feed them. Just like with anything else, keep moderation when feeding crickets.
What Other Insects do Axolotls Eat?
Axolotls will eat many types of insects, because they are primarily carnivores. Besides crickets, you can feed them various types of insects.
- Mealworms
- Waxworms
- Butterworms
- Superworms
- Fly larvae
Worms are one of the best alternatives to crickets when it comes to insects. You can consider mealworms, waxworms, butterworms, superworms, or even bloodworms. The best thing about them is that they are readily available in many forms, including the live form, and the freeze-dried form.
Fly larvae is also a great option as they are not too big for their mouths. In any case you should avoid the insects that have hard exoskeletons, which can cause digestive problems, and it might not be possible for axolotls to consume those animals.
Another thing to keep in mind is to try and retain a variety in their diet. Don’t rely solely on these foods.
What to Consider When Feeding Crickets to Axolotls?
The most important thing is to buy crickets from a reputable source, and one that you find reliable. It’s not the best option to buy crickets from sources where the quality is questionable. These crickets might be full of pesticides and herbicides, and might also have various bacteria and illnesses. So, you might want to be sure of the quality before you buy them.
Another thing to keep in mind is to try and keep as much variety in their diets as possible. By no means should you feed your axolotls only crickets, or only live or frozen insects. Sure, these can add to the variety, but they shouldn’t be used as the primary source of food. You can combine it with meat-based pellets, live fish, and other live or frozen foods.
Keep in mind that it might not be the best idea to feed them crickets from your backyard. These crickets might be full of pesticides and herbicides that you or your neighbor might use, and that is very harmful for axolotls. Be careful when you choose them crickets from your garden.
Lastly, don’t overfeed your axolotls; this goes for all types of diets, not just crickets. You might want to feed them one or two crickets weekly; anything more will lead to digestive problems and obesity. The same goes for other live and frozen foods. Especially if you feed them other foods, you should be moderate and wary of how much you feed them.
Conclusion
Axolotls will love to eat crickets and other similar foods. They are carnivores, and will happily feed on crickets. But you should be wary to not feed them too many crickets, and you must make sure they are from a reputable source. Usually, a pet store will be the most reliable in this matter, although many owners have crickets that they have bred at home.
