Do Axolotls Like To Be Touched? 7 Cool Tips To Handle Sensitive Pets

The axolotl, also known as Ambystoma mexicanum, is a paedomorphic salamander affiliated with the tiger salamander. The species was predominantly found in several lakes, like Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City. So what about when it comes to touching these animals, what is the best practice?

Do axolotls like to be touched? Being sensitive animals, axolotls don’t fancy being touched regularly. Although they can be touched, you should do this while considering certain things such as washing your hands before touching them. Furthermore, when touching them, make sure you do it gently and initiate the process by spreading out your hand for your axolotl to touch first.

So with this in mind, can you touch your axolotl? Yes, but before doing it, consider some things. Be gentle and never be forceful even if it takes time for your axolotl to get used to your touch.

For pet owners who already have axolotls and for those who may be planning to keep this unique pet in the near future, let’s look at the topic, do axolotls like to be touched along with other relevant questions that may arise.

Do Axolotls Like To Be Touched?

Axolotls don’t fancy being touched every too often since they are generally sensitive animals. However, they can be touched, but you should do this with a few things in mind.

For instance, always remember to wash your hands before proceeding to touch your axolotl. Furthermore, you should never be forceful when going about touching your axolotl instead you should always be gentle. 

You can initiate the process by spreading out your hand and letting your axolotl touch your hand first. This will make it feel comfortable and free towards you.

So considering this, do axolotls like to be touched by humans? No, axolotls prefer keeping to themselves since they are by nature reclusive animals.

According to what we’ve learned here, do axolotls like to be touched? Though axolotls are solitary animals by nature and they don’t necessarily like to be touched, you can touch your axolotl anyway.

However, always remember to do it gently.

Do Axolotls Like To Be Held?

No, axolotls don’t like being held, let alone being touched. This is because they are sensitive animals that like keeping to themselves.

 Therefore, do axolotls like to be touched? No, from what we’ve learned we can conclude that axolotls are reclusive animals that like keeping to themselves.

Do Axolotls Like To Be Pet?

Even though axolotls don’t like to be touched, they are friendly aquatic animals that can make great and fun pets if taken care of properly. They are also easy to look after once they are adequately housed and fed.

So we can say, yes. Axolotls like to be pets, that is if they are well taken care of. Considering this, do axolotls like to be touched? Not necessarily, but with time an axolotl can get used to its owner.

Do Axolotls Feel Affection?

Even though axolotls can’t bond like humans do, at many times they become familiar to their caregivers. Carefully hand feeding them often makes them very open to their owners.

Knowing that axolotls aren’t good at bonding like human beings are, do axolotls like to be touched? As we have seen above, not quite. Axolotls don’t like being touched often.

How Can I Know If My Axolotl Is Happy?

Like any other living creature, axolotls have their ways of having fun, playing as well as resting. Even though axolotls don’t show emotions as humans do, that doesn’t mean they can’t be happy.

So, in regards to this, how do you know if your axolotl is happy? Some of the most common signs that indicate that your axolotl is happy are your axolotl letting its gills flow freely and effortlessly with no stress, eating normally as well as approaching to observe you whenever you near its tank while showing excitement and activity. 

Also, the skin color of your axolotl can show you if your axolotl is happy. When happy your axolotl’s skin color usually looks healthy.

What about touching them? Do axolotls like to be touched? Maybe touching them can make them happy.

There is not much evidence to indicate that touching your axolotl will make it happy. That said, axolotls are generally withdrawn creatures that value their privacy.

Are Axolotls Friendly To Humans?

Although axolotls aren’t unfriendly, it would be far-fetched to call them sociable. They are solitary creatures that like keeping to themselves.

Despite having no interest in humans, they don’t even spend time with their kind unless they are mating.

According to this, do axolotls like to be touched? Probably not. Axolotls are reclusive animals that like keeping to themselves.

Do Axolotls Recognize Their Owners?

Yes, axolotls can recognize their owners after some form of training, and they usually show this by reacting to their owner’s hand signals. Otherwise, axolotls are generally solitary animals that like keeping to themselves. 

So with this in mind, do axolotls like to be touched? No, although axolotls are not in essence unfriendly, they don’t fancy being touched.

Do Axolotls Have Feelings?

Not much evidence is available to ascertain whether or not axolotls have feelings. In fact, their senses are not the best in the world, and they will hardly even recognize their owner unless they pass through some form of training.

Having learned this fact, do axolotls like to be touched? No, as we have seen from the above statement, axolotls are reclusive creatures that prefer keeping to themselves.

This depends on the personality of your axolotl. That said, does your axolotl require any form of special attention?

Not really, just make sure you feed your axolotl and allow it to see the light of day. Be playful with it, wiggle your fingers around its tank, and watch your axolotl follow them. They can be fun to watch and play with.

What about touching your axolotl while playing with it? Do axolotls like to be touched? Axolotls are not fond of humans, let alone being touched.

So it is advisable to try touching them gently to see how your axolotl will react to avoid scaring it off.

Are Axolotls Dangerous To Humans?

When healthy, your axolotl is not dangerous to you in any way. It can only become dangerous to a human if it carries diseases that can be transmitted to a human.

Otherwise, axolotls are perfectly safe to keep as a pet as they cannot attack a human. If an axolotl has a probability of carrying dangerous diseases to a human, is it safe to touch it, and do axolotls like to be touched in the first place?

Yes, an axolotl is generally safe to touch unless it has a dangerous disease that is communicable to a human being. As for liking to be touched, axolotls are by nature solitary creatures that don’t like to be touched as they prefer keeping to themselves.

How Do I Get My Axolotl To Like Me?

When you release axolotls in open water, they will usually swim around devouring every fish and enemy in their surroundings. To get an axolotl to follow you, and maybe get to like you, hold a tropical fish either in your main hand or off-hand.

Can touching an axolotl make it like me? And do axolotls like to be touched? Though axolotls are not fans of getting touched, you can try touching your axolotl gently.

However, it doesn’t guarantee that your axolotl will like you, but well, there is no harm in trying.

Do Axolotls Play Dead?

Yes, when playing dead axolotls usually stop moving and flow with the current if the water happens to be moving. They may lay on their backs or sides for anywhere between 10 and 40 seconds showing no movement at all.

That said, can you touch an axolotl to confirm if it is indeed dead or if it is just playing dead, and do axolotls like being touched in the first place? Yes, you can but do it gently.

Final Verdict – Do Axolotls Like To Be Touched

It is safe to conclude that axolotls are by nature solitary creatures that like keeping to themselves. However, the behavior of one axolotl can vary from the behavior of another axolotl, therefore it depends on the axolotl’s personality.

Some axolotls can get accustomed and even develop a liking to their owner faster than others. However, some might never reach this point, in any case just give your axolotl time and it may come around.

Also, remember axolotls are naturally sensitive creatures so if you decide to touch your axolotl, do it gently and try initiating the process to make your axolotl more comfortable towards you. You can do this by stretching out your hand for your axolotl to touch first.

That said, as long as you take good care of your axolotl and feed it properly it can be a wonderful and fun pet to keep.

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️