Axolotls are cool-looking creatures! They’re famous for their large, expressive mouths. They always seem to be smiling! They look so innocent, with their beaming, toothless grins. It’s no wonder people love them so much!
From a distance, it looks like their mouths are all gums. So, you might wonder if axolotls actually have teeth. Well, what you’ll read below might come as a surprise.
Axolotls have teeth. There are actually upper and lower rows of teeth inside their mouths – although they’re not quite like the teeth you might be used to!
If you’ve ever wanted to learn about axolotl teeth, then this is the article for you! Read on to find out what axolotl teeth are like, what axolotls eat, and if an axolotl will ever bite you!
Table of Contents
What Are Axolotl Teeth Like?
Tiny Teeth
Axolotl teeth are tiny! So tiny, in fact, that you’ll have to look very hard to see them – if you can see them at all! They have teeth on their upper and lower jaws. But, because they’re so small, it can be easy to miss them and think that their mouths are toothless.
Owners can often think that their axolotls don’t have teeth! This is because they’re so small – they’re not as prominent as teeth on other animals.
Blunt Teeth
Axolotl teeth are not very sharp either, unlike lots of other animal teeth. This means that they can’t really pierce or chew their food with their teeth – they’re just too blunt and small for the job. They’re not hard enough for chewing either. In fact, they’re a little rubbery!
This means that axolotls can’t eat the same way we and many other animals do, by chewing food apart with our teeth.
Instead, axolotls just use their teeth to hold on to their food! They actually eat by sucking food in whole. As they can’t bite their food into smaller pieces, this means that they can only eat small food. They can’t safely eat anything bigger than the size of their mouth!
Food can easily get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract of the axolotl if it’s too big. This can cause problems like constipation and impaction. This is why it’s important only to feed your axolotls small chunks of food.
Axolotls Are Carnivores?
Axolotls are carnivores! This means that they only eat meat, whether they’re in the wild or in captivity. They love to eat smaller crustaceans, fish, worms, and insects. Exactly how much your axolotl will eat will vary, according to its size and age.
And, of course, the size of food that they can physically eat!
They love to eat live food too! Earthworms are great for axolotls to eat – although if the worm is too large for the axolotl to eat comfortably, then you’ll have to cut it up for them. You should wash any soil off the worm too, as this won’t be any good for your axolotl.
You can also feed them specially-made pellets for axolotls. Good axolotl pellets will have all of the nutrition that an axolotl needs to thrive, and will come in convenient sizes for their tiny mouths! This is a great way to feed axolotls, as it guarantees a good food source for them. It also reduces the risk of infectious diseases that could come from live food.
As they are carnivores, it’s no good to try to feed them plant-based food. Not only will it not provide your axolotl with the nutrition that it needs, the axolotl likely won’t eat it anyway! Proper axolotl food given in the right amounts will get devoured by a healthy axolotl!
Remember, you only need to feed an axolotl every 2-3 days at most. They’ll need that long to digest their food! If you give them too much food, they might overfeed – which can cause constipation! Remember, feed them in moderation, and in small pieces!
Conclusion
Yes, axolotls have teeth, but they’re not like a lot of other teeth! Instead, they’re small, rubbery, and blunt.
They use their teeth to grip prey, not to bite it into pieces! They just hold the prey in place while the axolotl eats – which means that the axolotl can only eat food that’s small enough to be swallowed whole!
There you are – a quick introduction to axolotl teeth! Hopefully, you’ve learned something about axolotl teeth, and what can happen if an axolotl bites you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Axolotls Have Sharp Teeth?
Axolotls do not have sharp teeth. Instead, their teeth are small, rubbery, and blunt.
Do Axolotls Have Tongues?
Axolotls have thick tongues, which are fixed in their mouths (like the tongues of fish).
Do Axolotls Have Lips?
Axolotls do not have lips.