Discount pet products are currently available instore and online (with FREE elivery locally for any order).
As well as our usual monthly wholesalers offers we have a number of other great discounts avaiable. Some of our clearance lines are a massive 78% off, many other current lines are up to 50% off (whilst stocks last).
Axolotl – the salamander that doesn’t grow up. These facinating animals make excellent pets if given the correct habitat and care. They are cold water, relatively easy to care for (no more difficult than a goldfish really, although there are a couple of important differences) and make an attractive display animal.
All axolotls in captivity originally come from some specimens sent over to Europe for study. Sadly they are extremely rare in the wild. They come from only two high altitude lakes in Mexico. One of these is no longer there and the other is much reduced (broken up into canals), polluted and full of introduced fish that like the odd Axolotl! The last survey failed to find any wild specimens.
Due to their facinating life cycle, size of embryo and strange abilities the Axolotl is used extensively in a number of areas of reseach, such as spinal cord growth, heart function, brain growth, transplantation etc. Of course there are lots of surviving individuals in the pet population too.
Wild specimens range in colour from black through olive to brown. Albinism can occur naturally but due to predation would tend to be selected against. In captivity albinos are common so colours range from “pink” (albino with red eyes), gold (albiono but gold in colour with red or sometimes whitish eyes), leucistic (white, or pink, with black eyes) to “natural” or “black”.
The Axolotl lives in “cold water” ideally between 17 and 20 C. They can and do tolerate colder temperatures in the wild but metabolism would be much slower. They do not tolerate warmer temperatures very well at all, becoming very stressed and long term warm conditions can be fatal (it has to be remembered that warm water can also carry less oxygen than cold water).
The Axolotl is basically a species of salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum, part of the Ambystoma tigrum complex) that remains in the “tadpole” stage throughout its life. This phenomenom, called neoteny is quite common as a survival strategy amongst salamaders living at high altitude but the Axolotl has turned it into the norm. Injection with thyroid hormones or with iodine or high levels of cannabilsm (an Axolotl will eat another if food is not plentiful) will sitmulate an Axolotl to metamorphose into and adult, terrestrial salamander (very similar to the naturally occuring, adult tiger slamander).
The Axolotls is famous for their ability to regenerate parts of their bodies. They can regrow damaged or missing parts of their tails and limbs. If only a part is missing or has been damaged they may extra limbs or digits. They can even regrow certain organs, even parts of their brains.
So for care of the Axolotl. A single Axolotl needs at least a 40-45 liter tank. Obviously a bigger tank is good. If you wish to keep more than one then a bigger tank is a must or you could still find yourself with still only one Axolotl one morning. They do not like currents, so if using a cartridge type internal of external filter it is advisable to point the filter outlet toward the side of the tank to still the flow. Leaving the Axolotl in what equates to fast running water will stress it and could lead to disease as the animals immune system suffers. We use under gravel filtration (I know, “GRAVEL!”, I’ll come to that soon) in the shop and that works well. You get very good filtration, aeration and nitrogen removal but low water currents in the tank. There is not a “this filtration system is best”. Many different types will work if the issue of flow is taken into account. The Axolotl is cold water, you DO NOT need a heater, in fact this could kill your Axolotl. I have heard of some pet supermarkets selling 10 liter tanks and heaters for Axolotls. Don’t buy from these places, they don’t know what they are doing and therefor shouldn’t be selling you an Axolotl or giving advice on set ups and should be avoided at all costs.
Now gravel. An Axolotl should NOT be kept on gravel. They eat anything that fits into their mouths and that will include gravel. Often this will pass through but not always, so impaction, followed by death is a real threat. If using undergravel filtration use either fine sand or large pebbles (larger than the mouth of the Axolotl) that cannot be swallowed. Some people use external filters with no substrate, just the glass tank bottom. Nothing wrong with that, as long as there is a good population of bacteria in the filter, I just find it a bit sterile looking. It’s a matter of personal taste. Large rocks work well too but can be difficult to keep clean.
In the shop we do use gravel (hold on, let me finish) but it is covered with “cage carpet” – a thin, porous, nylon matting, which is weighted down with hides and rocks. This keeps the gravel (where the nitrosomonas and nitrobacter grow) and the Axolotl away from each other. It just allows us a bit of flexibility. When we have no Axolotls we can easilly convert to goldfish without having to mature the tank and gravel is easier to keep clean than sand.
If you wish to use plants we would recommend broad leaved. There is less risk of the Axolotl tangling its gills. Thin, trailing plants present this risk. We would also not recommend keeping axolotls with fish. They will eat smaller fish and larger fish could nibble on the external gills of the Axolotl .
Axolotls eat a wide range of foods. Worms, fish, lavae etc. We use waxworms, mealworm pupae, morio worm pupae, blood worm and small fish. We also sometimes feed pinkies (usually if one of the hatchling snakes hasn’t fed). The Axolotls finds food by smell. If it drops onto its head it will generally snap it up straight away. If it falls to the side it may take a few minutes to find it. I have yet to have an Axolotl that will not feed every couple of days. They feed through air pressure really. They open their mouths extremely quickly. This creates very low presssure inside the mouth. The pressure of the atmosphere above (several miles of it!) pushing down, under gravity, on the water around the Axolotl pushes it, with the food, into the mouth. This is basically how all pumps work. It happens very fast. The video below shows this process happening. I have slowed the video down before and still couldn’t see the food move. It looks like trick photograhy (or videography) but it is in real time.
An Axolotl can grow to 18 inches. However this is extremely rare. It is rare for one to get to 12 inches. 9 to 10 inches is the norm. Male Axolotls will have a swelling around the cloaca, absent in females. Females will tend to have a wider body than the male although males are larger overall with a wider head. They can live for up to (and that is UP TO) 20 years.
To look after your Axolotl you have to look after your water. Always mature a tank before putting in an Axolotl. You need the bacteria to remove the nitrogenous waste as you would for fish. Also you MUST dechlorinate the water if it comes from a tap. Leaving it standing for 24 hours only removes free chlorine, not chloramines. These are toxic to the Axolotl and to the waste disposal bacteria. Regular partial water changes are essential to good health. For more info on how to look after the water go to our sheet on goldfish care.
Beemat and Birdmat planted on April 18th. I got home from work to find Henry had dug over the garden, dug in the compost, prepared the soil, laid the mats, covered them with compost and watered them in. So that’s all the hard work done. All I have to do now is water them and wait for nature to take its course.
I’ll be posting as the plants begin to show through and grow and we can see if the manufacturer’s claims about germination rates for the Birdmat and Beemat are true. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some shots of the birds and the bees feeding when the plants are mature.
The opening hours for Angell Pets for the weekend are as follows:-
Good Friday – 10am – 4pm
Saturday 19th April – 9am – 6pm
Sunday 20th April – 10am – 4pm (normal Sunday hours)
Easter Monday – 10am – 4pm
Tuesday 22nd April – back to normal hours – 9am – 6pm.
On line orders will processed as normal but deliveries will obviously be affected by the Easter break.
So pop in and see us at Angell Pets over the weekend for everything for your pet. For dogs and cats, birds, small mammals and rabbits, fish, reptiles, spiders and other invertebrates, accessories, enclosures food and more. If you can’t see it, we can probably get it in for you. Alternatively visit us at Angell Pets online.
James Wellbeloved dog cat and ferret food is now 10% off in store and on line. This is and extension of the 10% discount on Royal Canin and runs until the end of April.
This offer is for ALL James Wellbeloved dog food and ALL James Wellbeloved cat food in the range as well as James Wellbeloved ferret food. If you cannot see your breed size or particular product listed just call us and ask. We can still order it in for you at this discounted rate.
Don’t forget that local deliveries are completley FREE and online orders to further afield are FREE for orders over £100. As well as the James Wellbeloved dog, cat and ferret food we currrently list nearly 8000 lines of food, equipment and accessories for all sorts of pets so you can do all your shopping in one place. This range is also growing on a daily basis so keep your eye out for new deals.
SO GRAB YOUR 10% OFF BAG OF James Wellbeloved Pet FOOD WHILST IT IS AT THIS GREAT PRICE.
These fantastic offers are available until the end of this month. Then, of course we will have some more, different offers for next month. We will also be issuing more exiting offers throughout April, so sign up to recieve a discount and email notifications of the offers as they arise.
BeeMat the easy way of providing flowers bees need and love and BirdMat the easy way of providing natural feed to attract birds to you garden have been launched at Angell Pets.
Sowing normal wildflower seedsinto a prepared bed actually produces a quite low gemination rate (20-30%). Using the BeeMat and BirdMat unique system of biodegradeable membranes and commercial horticulture grade seed produces germination rates of around 85% – much higher, giving a lot more growth, resulting in more flowers for the bees.
BeeMat comes in a handy (easilly postable!) pack of a 2 metre long, 50cm wide strip. This can be cut to any size to fit pots or planted in a strip on prepared ground.
The top layer of the BeeMat strip is a weak paper that enable water and light to pass through and the seedlings to break through when germinated. The bottom layer is a patented membrane that prevents the red light necessary for seed germination from passing through thus inhibiting the germination of unwanted annual weeds already in the soil. This aids the growth of the BeeMat plants by preventing competition from invasive weeds. Putting a layer of soil over the BeeMat wieghts it down and prevents perennial weeds from lifting the mat and also inhibititting their growth.
BirdMat is a new companion product to BeeMat. Using the same technology but different seeds BirdMat provides seed heads to encourage birds into your garden. BirdMat works in exactly the same way producing the same excellent reults in terms of germination and growth and can be cut to size in the same way or planted in strips.
BirdMat also comes in a handy, postable pack making both BirdMat and BeeMat ideal gift items for birthdays, mothers day and due to the long shelf life of the seeds (much longer than packet seeds), Christmas as well.
So get out the wellies and start preparing the ground for you BeeMat and BirdMat (and coming soon ButterflyMat) and have a summer full of the smells, sights and sounds of a wildlife friendly garden which benefits you and much needed habitat and food that benefits the bees and the birds. You can purchase BeeMt and BirMat instore or online in Angell Pets webstore.
Orijen now produce a range of freeze dried natural meat trats for dogs and cats. Angell Pets now stock the full range of treats.
All dogs and cats are evolved as carnivores, biologically adapted to thrive on a varied diet of fresh whole meats.That’s why ORIJENFreeze-dried treats are bursting with 100% pure and natural meats and nothing else – so you can indulge and nourish your dog or cat at the same time. Made without cooking or preservatives, Orijen treats are gently freeze-dried to lock in ALL of the natural goodness and amazing flavours of the fresh and regional ingredients in a reward your dog will love you for!All Orijen varieties are made from 100% natural, fresh meat. ORIJEN Original features a symphony of cage-free Chicken and Turkey from local prairie farms, plus wild-caught Flounder from North Vancouver Island – all delivered fresh each dayOrijen Regional Red treats are loaded with goodness and taste and feature red meats, ranch-raised on local ranches by people known and trusted, and delivered FRESH so they’re bursting with goodness.Orijen Tundra a unique and flavourful treat which features ranch-raised Elk, cage-free Quail and Steelhead Trout – all fresh from the local region and gently freeze-dried to lock in their goodness and taste.Orijen Ranch Raised Lambare loaded with goodness and full of tender flavour, Alberta lamb is ranch-raised by local farmers, and then delivered fresh, preservative free and loaded with goodness.
Orijen Brome Lake Duck are raised cage-free on natural grains and well water in Ontario, Canada. Free run duck is delivered to the kitchen fresh each day, so it’s loaded with goodness and natural flavour.
Orijen Black Angus Beef. Brimming with goodness, Black Angus Beef is raised free-range, under the blue skies of local ranches and delivered to the kitchen fresh and bursting with taste, where it is flash frozen and gently freeze-dried.
Orijen Bison treats are nutrient rich and flavourful. Bison is ranch-raised under Alberta’s blue skies by trusted farmers and delivered to ther kitchens fresh and preservative-free each day.
Orijen Alberta Wild Boar is ranch-raised on local woodland farms, grazing on tubers and shoots, and delivered to the kitchens fresh, free of preservatives and antibiotics, where it’s gently freeze-dried to lock in all of its goodness and taste.
Angell Pets also stock Orijen dog and cat food and Acana, which uses the same high quality ingredients but at a ratio of 60% meat to 40% botanicals rather than Orijens 80% to 20%.
Hello Kitty is rising in popularity in the UK. The brand, based on the Japanese youth culture trend for manga and anime characters is gaining in popularity over here, fuelled by TV and music trends – it even featured on the Hairy Bikers recently.
Hello Kitty branded products are now available from Angell Pets both instore and from our webstore. We have just launched the range of cat play, bedding and feeding accessories and will be adding more from the range in the near future. Sorry parents but this is tipped to be the next big thing amongst young pet owners.
So far we have the following products from the range available:-