Since Axolotls have really bad vision, the shapes they observe don’t really mean anything for them. Your pet is most certainly not going to recognize you at all.
Even though they are not attached to their owners, they are still interesting creatures that are worth your precious time.
All in all, your Axolotl is not going to care about you in particular. They are going to be grateful, however, for the food you give them no matter who you are.
If you are looking for a pet that is loyal to its owner in particular, then Axolotls are definitely not for you.
Despite this fact, it is worth to mention that people usually keep these salamanders for their interesting appearance and behaviors.
If them not recognizing you is not an issue for you, then you are going to have a lot of fun taking care of them.
Can Axolotls Recognize Faces?
With their eyesight, it is not likely at all that they are going to be able to recognize your face. They can tell if there is some movement going on in front of them and that’s it.
They can probably recognize shapes too, but not something as complex as a human face.
Nevertheless, people choose to keep them at home because they don’t require much space and have a 15-year average life span.
Them not recognizing their owner doesn’t mean they are not curious. Pretty much anything that happens inside or outside the tank can get them excited.
Even though they won’t realize your face, they are going to walk or swim up once you put your hand in the aquarium. It is best not to touch your Axolotl too often because they are delicate creatures and you can easily hurt them.
Why does Your Axolotl Interact with You?
It is all based on feeding habits. Your Axolotl is going to associate sudden movements with feeding time, especially if he is alone in the tank.
After all, you are going to approach the tank every time you are going to feed your pet.
This is when your salamander will start swimming or moving around. He will get excited for food and that’s how he is going to react.
It takes some time for them to associate movement with feeding time so this is not going to happen immediately.
Why does My Axolotls Follow Me?
Just like we mentioned above, it will take a few days for your Axolotl to associate movement with feeding time. From then on, every time you walk near the aquarium, your pet is going to follow you in hopes of getting some food.
They are going to associate almost every movement with feeding time because they can hardly tell humans or human parts apart from each other.
The other reason why your Axolotl follows you is because he is curious.
If you put your hand underwater, he is going to check it out simply out of curiosity.
In case you typically hand feed him, then of course it is going to approach your hand in hopes of getting fed.
They pay attention and get excited especially when you approach them during feeding time.
Do Axolotls Need Human Interactions?
You can think about Axolotls as solitary salamanders. They don’t need any interaction with humans because they are not used to it out in the wild either. These salamanders can live a wholesome life without interacting with anyone.
As long as they get their food, they are happy. This is also why it might seem like they want to interact with you. In fact, they are only following you because they expect some food from you. Human activity didn’t do any good for them overall.
In fact, humans are the main reason why Axolotls are about to go extinct on our planet. What makes them interesting to humans is the goofy smile that they have on thanks to their face mimic.
Do Axolotls Like to Play with Their Owner?
Axolotls don’t like to play and they most likely don’t even know how to play. Unlike cats or dogs, these salamanders don’t have such needs.
They are perfectly fine alone and without anyone interacting with them. Food is pretty much the only thing they care about.
Every time you give them food, they are going to be happy about it. They are definitely not emotional creatures but they are intelligent for sure.
When you switch the light on or off, your Axolotl is going to walk or swim there out of curiosity.
They sometimes even start to “dance” when you go near the tank or put your hand in the water. Although they don’t particularly like to play, you can touch them gently.
If you want to pick up your pet, the rule of thumb is to just lay your hand down and wait for him to hop on it.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before you touch your salamander.
Conclusion
If you feed your Axolotl on a regular basis, then he is certainly going to be happy to see you.
Through their excitement for food, they are going to appreciate your presence as well. However, they are certainly not going to recognize you through your facial features.
Their eyesight is simply too bad for that kind of stuff. If you want to see your Axolotl dance or move around in the tank, all you need to do is to go near the tank so that they can notice the movement.
They are instantly going to get excited. After all, it’s feeding time when that happens!
If your salamander interacts with you when you go near the tank, it only means that you take good care of him.
You feed him regularly and take good care of the water conditions. Although there are not many signs that can ensure you about the well-being of an Axolotl, their excitement when you go near the tank speaks a thousand words.
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the unusual behavior of Axolotls and their relationship with humans in general.
