Do Axolotls Sleep? It's Not As Simple As You Would Assume

An axolotl is a cute, friendly salamander that can also be kept as a pet in captivity.

A pet’s activity level and the time of day it’s most active might play a role in picking a companion that fits your lifestyle and tastes.

Axolotls are genuinely one-of-a-kind. As a result, we’re left wondering if we share their qualities, inclinations, or actions. One such example is sleep.

Do axolotls sleep? Although axolotls are known to sleep, their sleeping habits are very different from ours. It is also difficult to tell if your axolotl is sleeping or awake because it lacks eyelids. Therefore, your pet’s behavior may be the only way for you to know if they are sleeping or not.

Nature’s species exhibit diurnal and nocturnal rhythms of activity. Others are sedentary by nature and spend their days half-asleep or doing very little physical activity.

As with any other species, axolotls’ day and nightly routines are unique, just like any other. But the Mexican walking fish prefers dark, chilly, and shady waters to bright sunlight.

Do Axolotls Sleep?

They do, in fact, sleep. However, axolotls do not sleep in the same manner as humans do. Instead, their sleeping habits are more relaxing than sleeping, and they don’t move around as much.

Because they are crepuscular, they do so in the darkest hours of the night and again in the day. Axolotls sleep with their eyes open because they lack eyelids. The practical methods to identify if an axolotl is sleeping are retreating to hiding locations, remaining still, having a lesser frequency of gill movement, and being usually paler in color.

In the natural world, an axolotl that doesn’t hunt, likes to stay out of sight, and doesn’t move around too much is thought to be sleeping.

Additionally, this salamander is more active at night than during the day. Axolotls, as previously stated, are nocturnal creatures who prefer to hide out in caves and plants during the daytime, as sunshine is not one of their favorite things.

Know More About Axolotls:

How Do Axolotls Sleep In Captivity?

Your axolotl does not have eyelids, as you can see if you look closely. This makes determining whether or not your pet is asleep difficult.

Even in captivity, it is clear that an axolotl has varying activity levels. Because they’re in an artificial environment and expected to be less active. There isn’t much room for it to move in the first place. In addition, axolotls don’t have to spend their energy tracking down prey or keeping watch for intruders because their food is provided. The axolotl is less weary as a result of all of this.

Axolotls are most active at night when they hunt for prey, and they are mostly silent during the day. So if your axolotl appears drab or out of shape during the day, don’t be frightened. Instead, look at it at night, or at least when it’s becoming dark. Once the sun begins to set, you’ll see a gradual activation of the device.

How Do You Know Your Axolotl Is Sleeping?

Your axolotl is bound to make you wonder at times if it is asleep or merely sitting still.

Axolotls are nocturnal creatures, and they enjoy scurrying around in their burrows. During the day, they tend to conceal more to avoid being seen. Pets who spend more time in their hiding spots during the day are almost certainly taking a sleep.

Axolotls’ gills move slightly when they’re resting. This could be a hint that your pet is fast asleep. In addition, the absence of physical activity may cause it to become paler when you’re resting.

As long as you don’t see it in its hiding spot, your axolotl will likely take a break and won’t move.

You can tell if your pet is napping by looking at these signals!

Retreats to a safe spot and remains motionless for a short period.
The gill should be examined. The gills will move a tiny bit when the fish is resting.
Their appearance becomes paler.
Your pet doesn’t wander around the tank searching for food or water.

When Do Axolotls Sleep?

They sleep when it’s darkest at night and when it’s light during the day (usually around mid-day). So you will see them active at other times and will most likely be seen wandering around the tank.

At dawn and dusk, this includes – as a matter of fact, this is the time when they’re most active. Crepuscular is the technical term for this phenomenon. The word “crepuscular” comes from the word “twilight” (a term used to refer to the time shortly before sunrise and after sunset).

Not only do axolotls exhibit this biological pattern, but so do a wide range of other animals, including mammal and insect species as well as fish and reptiles.

Why do axolotls live in this fashion?

According to some scientists, it is a natural defense system. They have evolved as a means of remaining secure and unnoticed by predators.

The primary predators of axolotls in the wild are storks, herons, and large fish. The majority are active and hunting during the day.

As a result, it makes logical that axolotls sleep when their predators are active. And for a pet axolotl, too. Well, at least they haven’t completely lost their instincts.

As a result, if you have a pet axolotl and happen to pass by their tank after sunset or just before sunrise, you won’t be astonished to see them awake and active!

What Is The Sleeping Duration Of Your Axolotl?

Even researchers find this question difficult to address. It is tricky to know because there are no evident symptoms of sleep.

Based on studies and observations of other aquatic organisms, it is assumed that axolotls, like other aquatic creatures, require at least a couple of hours of rest to recharge their energy.

How Can You Tell If Your Axolotl Is Sick Or Sleeping?

Be on the lookout for indicators of illness in your pet if you observe any changes in their behavior. You are intimately familiar with your axolotl’s routines and should be able to detect any abnormalities.

An indication that your axolotl’s digestive system is malfunctioning is if it sits still all the time and does not move at all from the bottom.

If it cannot sink to the bottom of the tank, this could be a symptom of bubbles in the digestive tract. Regardless of day or night, axolotls are rarely seen actively swimming in the water. If you notice your pet behaving this way, consult a vet immediately.

Other unusual behaviors include refusing to eat, evidence of infection, or swimming wildly.

How Can You Make Sure Your Axolotl Gets Enough Sleep?

Axolotls have a high threshold for stress and are therefore prone to it. Like all other living things, they require solitude and downtime to recharge their batteries. Ensure your axolotl is well-cared for and gets enough rest by following these tips!

Keep the aquarium out of direct sunlight in a shady spot: Keep the tank out of direct sunlight to ensure a good night’s sleep for your axolotl. Your axolotl’s sleep patterns may be disrupted if exposed to bright light for an extended period.

Add enough plants and hiding places to the aquarium: Keep the tank dark by covering it with enough plants and hiding spots to block off the sun.

Keep the room temperature at the lower side and provide cool water when feasible: Cool water is ideal for axolotls, and they thrive there. Therefore, keep the aquarium’s water at a comfortable temperature and at a cooler room temperature. Avoid dining in the middle of the tank or placing an air conditioner directly in front of it.

Keep your axolotls separate from one other and from other fish: Axolotls are solitary animals. To minimize stress and promote healthy sleep patterns, do not keep your axolotl or fish in the same tank as another axolotl or fish. This is only going to make it more anxious.

Give them a balanced diet: You must take care of it and feed them the correct nutrition to maintain their health, which will help them get a good night’s sleep. Those who are undernourished will be unable to get adequate rest and will be more susceptible to stress.

Do not disturb them at resting times: It’s best not to disturb your pet axolotl during its sleeping hours, primarily during the daylight, as we have observed. However, it’s best to avoid slamming on the tank glass, calling, poking, or picking up your axolotl at this time. And for the sake of peace and quiet, some pet parents only allow feeding to take place at dusk or dawn.

Keep the tank water clean: When caring for a pet axolotl, ensuring that all of its water parameters (temperature; pH; ammonia nitrate, chlorine & chloramine levels; heavy metal level) are appropriate is maybe the most crucial component. Your axolotl’s overall health, including its resting patterns, will be impaired if the water is of poor quality.

Where Do Axolotls Sleep?

It is common to find axolotls resting at the base of logs, nestled between boulders, or concealed among aquatic plant leaves.

Axolotls have evolved to live in waterways such as canals and lakes. And they are primarily bottom dwellers who thrive in gloomy, suffocating settings.

Their bottom-dwelling lifestyle allows them to feed on various food sources that sink to the bottom of these ecosystems (such as insects, worms, etc.) and the shade and concealment provided by rocky outcroppings and aquatic plants that grow at the bottom.

Because of this, axolotls will seek out peaceful, dim, or gloomy hiding places to sleep, whether in the wild or in captivity.

Do Axolotls Float When They Sleep?

Axolotls can float when asleep, but it’s also not a typical occurrence. When an axolotl is hovering, it may also indicate that it is sick, especially if it shows signs of constipation or impaction. This is more probable if they are floating upside down or on their side.

Do Axolotls Sleeping Habits Make Them Good Pets?

One good reason to keep an axolotl as a pet is that they are active at night, just like some humans enjoy nighttime. Because axolotls are most active at night, this is the best time to spend with them.

There is no requirement for partners, and axolotls can survive on a basic diet of commercial pellets (trout/salmon, bloodworms, earthworms, waxworms, and tubifex worms). Tanks for axolotls are simple to set up and keep clean.

Axolotls are recognized for being low-maintenance pets, making them ideal for anyone looking for a friendly companion to watch at night.

Wrapping Up

Finally, axolotls do sleep. However, they sleep in a distinct manner from what we consider sleep. You can’t tell if an Axolotl is asleep because their eyes do not have eyelids.

In addition to retreating into a hidden location for extended periods, other indicators of their sleeping include refusing to move about much and being paler than usual. And they are more likely to become dormant and hidden when they need to recharge.

Keep an eye on your axolotl and record their sleeping and activity routines. Try to figure out when they’re most likely to sleep and make sure you’re providing a safe atmosphere for them to do so.

If you observe that they don’t rapidly return to there, which was before state, you may need further investigation. There are two possible explanations for this: either the axolotl is ill, or there is a stressor in their environment.

Do Axolotls Sleep? It’s Not As Simple As You Would Assume