Axolotls are quite exotic amphibians that make wonderful pets. It’s very common knowledge that they don’t have eyelids and that’s why they have poor eyesight. But have you ever wondered if they’re sensitive to loud noises too?
There are basically two distinctive classifications: naturally occurring wild axolotls and lab-synthesized axolotls. Their sensitivity to vibrations differs accordingly.
More than liking vibration, it’s about necessity and survival. Since they cannot rely on their eyesight to protect themselves from predators in the wild, they use other senses, and sound is the most important of all.
Axolotls in the wild use vibrations to detect the proximity and presence of both predators and prey. And in all honesty, who wouldn’t like something that’s their protective shield?
So, to put it simply, yes! Yes, axolotls do like vibration. That said, we don’t mean blast a music system right next to the aquarium! Axolotls utilize certain sound frequencies only. Anything above or below is going to irritate them.
Intrigued already? If yes, this article is going to be a delightful read. Dive in to understand what levels of sounds do axolotls enjoy, how sensitive they’re to loud noises, and more.
Axolotls and sound sensitivity: 6 sound facts that’ll help you keep your salamander happy
Axolotls can hear sounds very well. They detect vibrations in the water as well as those in the air. If the sound is too loud and exceeds a certain threshold, axolotls can temporarily lose their ability to hear.
The six things that’ll help you keep your axolotls unbothered and undisturbed are as follows.
1.) Axolotls won’t like it if you’ll bang your door precariously. As mentioned, these amphibians are very sensitive to loud sounds. If you’ve brought home axolotls, you’ll have to make sure that you don’t startle them, and banging the doors will startle them.
2.) If you find your axolotls reacting to the sound of loud music, don’t interpret that the pet is enjoying the acoustics. It’s moving around so much because the vibrations from such loud music are noise for them.
3.) Axolotls are extremely sensitive to vibrations emitted by sound frequencies ranging between 600 Hz and 3Khz. A temporal threshold between 6 to 12 decibels can make these creatures temporarily deaf.
4.) If they lose their hearing abilities due to loud noise, the hearing will eventually be restored when the sound frequency would return to 150 Hz (anything between 100 Hz to 250 Hz).
5.) The very fact that their ability to hear returns establishes the fact that they can heal from the auditory trauma.
6.) Axolotls can easily pick vibrations from the sound that ranges between 0.1 Khz to 6 Khz.
Interesting fact: Did you know that axolotls will lose their hearing ability if they’re constantly exposed to loud sound for 48 straight hours? And, it takes about 8 days for the hearing to return to normal!
Why are axolotls affected by vibrations?
We’re sure that as a pet parent you might have observed certain traits about your fishes. But, you’ve got to understand that axolotls aren’t fishes, they’re amphibians. So, they will react to sound differently than your goldfish or blowfish did.
You have to respect the fact that vibrations from all mediums (ones that travel through water and those that travel through air) affect them equally.
Naturally, you won’t put your speaker inside the aquarium and blast it out loud just to disturb and scare the salamander to death, but you’re doing no good by playing loud music in the same room where you’ve kept the aquarium.
See also: Do Axolotls Need Affection?
Can axolotls hear voices?
Now, you’ve been talking to your axolotls, coaxing them, trying to entertain them by cracking jokes! The reason that the axolotl isn’t responding is the fact that they can’t hear voices.
As surprising as it might sound, axolotls react to vibrations, but they cannot hear voices. Naturally, it raises a lot of concerns amongst pet lovers because they want to entertain their axolotls.
Since they can’t hear your voice, you too might want to know how to entertain your axolotl without stressing it out! If yes, keep reading the upcoming sections!
How do you tell your axolotls are happy?
If your axolotl exhibits the following signs, you’ve successfully managed to keep it happy.
1.) Axolotls like to mind their own business. So, if your axolotl is casually lounging in the tank, not being noisy, it’s happy.
2.) If they approach the tank whenever you’re close, it means they trust you to feed them and take care of them. Since eating is the activity they love the most after mating and sleeping, if your axolotl is munching at everything you feed, it’s certainly happy.
3.) Happy axolotls aren’t shy. If your axolotl is happy, it won’t cower behind a plant or find corners to hide when you approach it.
4.) Pay close attention to the gills. Happy axolotls don’t stiffen their gills. If your axolotl has its gills flowing freely, it certainly loves its tank, and you!
The bottom line is, feed it, give it companions, don’t blast music right next to it, and don’t expose it to bright lights: that’ll be all that an axolotl requires to lead a happy, healthy life.
How to keep your Axolotls happy?
If your idea of entertaining and keeping your axolotl happy is singing to it or playing music close to where it’s resting, you might want to reconsider. Axolotls hate loud noises.
Instead of bothering them with irritating music, here’s what you can do:
1.) Keep the water in the tank clear. Axolotls will keep swimming upwards if the water is dirty. So, make efforts to always keep the tank clean.
2.) Keep some live plants inside the tank. Axolotls already have poor vision and they don’t enjoy loud noises, the least that you can do is add something colorful in the tank.
3.) Never keep an axolotl alone in the tank. Keep a companion axolotl. They’ll be happy when not alone. But, don’t make the mistake of placing a different aquatic species where you’ve kept your axolotls.
They aren’t particularly tolerant towards small fishes. It will only aggravate them. They won’t bite you, but they’ll bite the other fish.
How to find out if your Axolotls are stressed?
The signs of stress that stem out of loud noises and disturbance are as follows:
1.) Your Axolotls will look for cover.
2.) Their gills will be tensed and the tail will be curled.
3.) Your Axolotls will stop feeding properly.
4.) They won’t chase your finger closely against the glass of the aquarium anymore (happy Axolotls do that).
In order to make sure your axolotls don’t go through an auditory trauma, ensure that you give them peaceful and quiet surroundings.
FAQs
1.) Do loud noises bother axolotls?
Yes. Very much! They’re quite sensitive to sound. You don’t have to shout for your axolotls to react to your presence. They will easily catch vibrations even when you speak softly.
2.) Do axolotls react to music?
Although the hearing capabilities of axolotls are least known of and constantly a matter of fascination amongst scientists, the very fact that they respond to sound should make it obvious that they do react to music.
3.) Are axolotls sensitive to vibrations?
Indeed, very much! Vibration is their way to find food and protect themselves from becoming a meal in the wild. So, yes, whether it’s a wild axolotl or the ones that are lab-synthesized, they’re sensitive to vibrations.
4.) Do axolotls recover from hearing loss?
Yes. It might take about 8 days for the salamander to get its auditory senses back, but eventually, it does!
Concluding Thoughts
Axolotls can easily detect vibrations between 0.1 Khz to 6 Khz. Whether or not they like vibration is an entirely different matter.
If the source of the vibrations is extremely loud music or thumping, your axolotls won’t like it. It’s only in the wild that axolotls use vibrations to survive.
When you’re keeping them as pets at home, they don’t really require protection from predators (unless your cat is really persistent about making a meal out of your axolotls). So, let them be on their own with a companion or two.
You don’t have to scream to get their attention either. If your axolotls love you, they will automatically respond to the sound of your approaching footsteps, catch the vibrations, and come and greet you.
