Axolotls are very popular among aquarists for their strange look, outside gills, and smiling faces. They live in a salamander family.
Nevertheless, as a new axolotl owner, you will notice that suddenly your pet hit the glass, aquarium decorations, and plants as well as sometimes struggling to find their food. For instance, one question will come to your mind: why are they hitting the glass or plants? Are axolotls blind?
In short, they are not blind but their eyesight is not as good as humans. And they have eyes without eyelids.
In this article I will give your question answer and also describe their lackings to consider. So read this article till the end if you do not want to miss any important information about your favorite pet.
Are Axolotls Blind?
Axolotls are not blind. There are two eyes on the front side. But their eye vision is not good. Also, their eyesight is not comfortable to light as they have no eyelids. Hence it is not true that if anyone has poor vision it means they are blind.
Moreover, axolotls have poor vision yet they can identify movement, light, and prey. Also, they can recognize the opposite gender and predators.
As well as their eyes help them to scavenge the tank to find food. Hence it is true that they are not blind but they do not have powerful eyes like other animals or humans.
Do Axolotls Have Eyelids?
No axolotls have no eyelids. Pdza website published an article that they have taken a wellness exam of their axolotls Alduin whose age is 5 years.
Their veterinary and animal care staff checked the axolotl’s complete health. They measure its weight, examine its heart, eyes as well as X-ray the axolotls also.
They share that they hear the Alduin’s heartbeat sound and it uses their skin and gills to take breath.
As well as Dr. Colin have checked its eyes. He found no eyelids on their eyes. So we can tell that axolotls have eyes without eyelids.
Are Some Axolotls Born Without Eyes?
Actually, if any axolotls have developmental issues they will not have eyes. This type of axolotl is a spontaneous mutation.
Though they can regenerate their many body parts including the tail, limbs, heart, brain, spinal cord, and eye lenses also.
But if scientists transplant the eyes into an eyeless axolotl the eye’s nerve fibers discover the exact place.
How Do Axolotls Find Their Food?
As axolotl’s eyesight is very bad a common question arises about how they find their food. Actually, they do not only depend on their eyesight.
They have more sensory systems. Generally, to find their food they apply their smell and movement system.
Nevertheless, they have an olfactory system to get the smell and a lateral line system to locate the movement.
So if their food moves in the water they find the location using their lateral line system to feed them.
Moreover, if you notice your pet is not getting their food location the reason is no movement. So you can use tweezers to feed your axolotls. It will assist them to find food very easily.
Can Axolotls See Their Owner?
With poor eyesight, they can not see their keepers. But some axolotls recognize the owner if they present there. As they are able to understand the movements, if you are present in their room they will realize it and absence also.
However, if you maintain a specific formula such as when you enter the room you open the lid and keep food for your axolotls and then close the lids, it will set up in your pet’s mind.
And when you go in front of them they will be more active and wait to get food. Hence if they become more active seeing you it does not mean that they see you yet they wait for their food.
Are Axolotls Sensitive To Lights?
Now it is clear that axolotls have poor eyesight and do not have eyelids also. Though their eye vision is very poor yet they are sensitive to light. They especially can not bear the strong light.
As well as for lacking eyelids they can not protect their eyes from the lights also. So they are very sensitive to light.
Additionally, this strong light makes them stressed. Also if you keep the light on for a long time they not only get stressed it will make their health issue along with diseases.
For instance, you should avoid the strong light and keep dim light for your axolotls tank. This step will help you to keep your pet stressless and healthy.
Why Do Axolotls Have Poor Eyesight?
It is not disclosed by research what are the reasons for axolotls eyesight. But if you notice them, some common reasons can be shown for their poor eyesight.
First of all their thriving water is murky and dark. In this environment axolotls do not get strong light which makes their eyesight poor.
Also their eye position in their head sides which is not a good position to look into the front side straightly.
As well as if you compare their eyes with other animals you will see axolotls have small eyes. Additionally, axolotls’ eyes move constantly.
That’s why they can not see properly because they can not keep their eyes on any single thing.
Which Types of Axolotls Have a Better Vision?
Some axolotls are available who have better eye vision compared to others. Including:
Albinos: They have better eye vision than others. Their retina gets enough light to see well as their eyes have no pigment.
Wild axolotls: Among all other axolotls their eyesight is very good. Since naturally they spend most of the time in front of light which helps them to see very well.
Leucistic axolotls: Their eyesight is also better than other axolotls. They get enough light in their retina as their eyes have a less number of pigments to prevent the light.
So if you want to keep axolotls as your pet in your tank you should think about the above mentioned types of axolotls for their better eye vision.
Can Axolotls Become Blind?
Axolotls can experience blindness because of their old age. Though they can regenerate the eyes and other body parts, they can prevent this problem easily and keep the eye vision like previous time.
Also some other factors can make them blind or decrease their eye vision. Such as infections, poor water quality, injuries or bright lights also. Hence you should take care of your axolotls carefully.
In a nutshell, axolotls have a poor eye vision, they are not blind. Also they have other sensory systems to help them without depending on eye vision.
Axolotls can find their food by smell or movement. Though you can use tweezers to help them to feed their food easily. Additionally you can keep axolotls who have good eyesights.
