LibertyLand Axolotl Rescue

06/01/2026

🇺🇸 Our Veterans Discounted Adoption Fees (VDAF) Program is now active, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to support those who have served. 🫶

If you’re a U.S. veteran interested in welcoming an axolotl into your home, this program helps make adoption more accessible while ensuring every placement is safe, informed, and supported.

Special thanks to the New England Herpetological Society for helping to fund this program with a generous grant!

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply on the Lessons Learned blog linked below: Our Veterans Discounted Adoption Fees Program is now active, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to support those who have served.
If you’re a U.S. veteran interested in welcoming an axolotl into your home, this program helps make adoption more accessible while ensuring every placement is safe, informed, and supported.

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply:
https://www.libertylandaxolotlrescue.org/lessons-learned-lla-blog/honoring-veterans-with-discounted-adoption-fees

05/30/2026

Everyone, meet Blackberries — a healthy adult axolotl who has been thriving under our care and is now ready for her forever home.

She’s peaceful, fascinating to watch, and has a wonderfully gentle temperament. Blackberries make amazing companion for another female axolotl or would also LOVE being adopted with her best friend Mu.

If you’ve been considering adopting an axolotl, Blackberries would love to be your new little lady.

05/29/2026

We see it often: a well‑meaning new axolotl parent sets up a tank, brings home an axolotl... and suddenly things go wrong.

Most of the time, the root cause is simple: the tank wasn’t cycled. 😭

Our new blog explains the 🔬science ⚗ behind cycling and how to avoid the most common water‑quality mistakes.

A healthier tank starts with understanding the basics.

Read the full blog on our website 👇👇

An uncycled tank can cause ammonia burns, stress, and long‑term harm to axolotls. This guide explains how the nitrogen cycle works, what axolotl parents need to watch for, and how to create a stable, fully cycled tank that supports long‑term health.

05/25/2026

Today, we honor the service and sacrifice of U.S. veterans.

In recognition, Libertyland Axolotl Rescue is launching our 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝘀 (𝗩𝗗𝗔𝗙) 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, offering reduced adoption fees for veterans seeking to welcome an axolotl into their home.

This program reflects our commitment to community, compassion, and creating safe, stable homes for every animal in our care.

Even though we're announcing it today, our VDAF program will run year-round thanks to funding from our friends at the New England Herpetological Society 💕 If you're not familiar with NEHS, we encourage you to check them out and attend a monthly meeting to learn more about amphibians like axolotls and other herps and reptiles!

Learn more about the LLA VDAF program 🫶👇

Launching Memorial Day, Libertyland’s Veterans Discounted Adoption Fees Program offers reduced adoption fees for U.S. veterans. Learn who qualifies, how to apply, and how this initiative helps axolotl owners provide safe, informed homes for rescued axolotls.

05/22/2026

$5 Friday: Your support keeps education free

We regularly publish free educational content because good information should be accessible to everyone, whether someone is brand new to axolotls or has supported them for years. Our goal is to make clarity easy to find and easy to trust.

Your $5 helps us keep it that way. It supports the research, photography, writing, and community outreach that go into every guide we publish.

If our posts have helped you understand something more clearly, a $5 donation helps us continue offering that clarity to others. If donating isn’t possible today, sharing this post still helps us reach the next person who needs guidance. 🫶✨

A recent post worth exploring:
✨

Axolotls are one of the most iconic amphibians in the world, yet in the wild they are approaching ecological collapse. On National Endangered Species Day, we’re taking a closer look at the science behind their decline, the pressures shaping their future, and why rescue organizations like Libertyla...

05/22/2026

New to axolotls or helping someone who is?

Our latest Lessons Learned blog breaks down what really happens inside an uncycled tank—and why water quality is the foundation of axolotl health.

Clear guidance, real examples, and steps you can take today to keep your axolotl safe.

Read the full post 👇

An uncycled tank can cause ammonia burns, stress, and long‑term harm to axolotls. This guide explains how the nitrogen cycle works, what axolotl parents need to watch for, and how to create a stable, fully cycled tank that supports long‑term health.

05/14/2026

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄… We realized as our foster network has grown we’ve never actually shared how our foster capacity system works—and it’s one of the things we’re most intentional about at Libertyland.

Here's how it works:
• 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟱 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘅𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. If a foster is caring for a medical or complex case, that number is reduced. Capacity isn’t a guess; it’s something we track deliberately through our internal systems.
• 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. They review each foster’s current space, experience level, and case complexity before assigning any intake.
• 𝗪𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿‑𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. It tracks each foster’s available space, experience level, and the complexity of cases they’re equipped to handle. This ensures every axolotl is matched to the right home from the start.
• 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Some of our fosters have veterinary or vet‑tech backgrounds or years of hands‑on experience. They take on the more complicated cases. Newer fosters start with stable, lower‑risk animals while they build confidence, skills, and knowledge—a progression we support intentionally.
• 𝗜𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘅𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗹’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. No one is ever left to manage a case beyond their comfort or skill level.
• 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲: Libertyland is a multi‑person, multi‑role rescue. We have 𝟳 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝟰 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 (Intake, Foster, Adoption, and Partnerships & Education), and 𝟭𝟳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 throughout MA, NH, CT, RI, NY and VT. Our structure allows us to share responsibility, support one another, and ensure every axolotl receives appropriate, experienced care.

Transparency and animal welfare are at the center of everything we do, and we’re proud of the systems we’ve built to support both our fosters and the animals in our care.

📸 Darin Zullo, Northeastern University

05/12/2026

✨🧀Cheese Babes update 🧀🧀
With us since January 31st, the Cheese Babes' progress gives us a chance to talk about something we're seeing often in rescue: developmental delay in older juveniles and young adults.

The Cheeses are about a year and a half old, but many are presenting more like much younger animals. That isn’t a flaw in them—it’s an unfortunate result of the conditions they lived in before arriving at Libertyland. When axolotls spend their early life without stable water quality, consistent feeding, or appropriate space, their bodies shift into survival mode. Growth slows, development stalls, and their systems focus on basic function above everything else.

Now that they’ve had several months of predictable, individualized care, we’re seeing early signs of catch‑up progress:
• steadier appetites
• calmer responses during routine care
• more consistent engagement during target feeding
• secondary s*x characteristics developing

These are the markers we look for when an axolotl’s system is finally getting the chance to recover.

We’ll continue sharing updates as they move through this long‑term stabilization process and show us what becomes possible when animals finally get the conditions they’ve always deserved.

05/10/2026

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐱𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤’𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. Holtfreter’s solution is one of the most widely used mineral mixes in axolotl care, but most guides don’t explain what it is or why it matters.

This post covers the basics in a clear, practical way.
❓What Holtfreter’s solution does.
❓Why axolotls benefit from mineral support.
❓How it fits into long term stability for surrendered axolotls.

It also includes a simple recipe and an overview of the history behind the formula.

If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of foundational axolotl care, this is a helpful place to start.

Read the full blog: https://www.libertylandaxolotlrescue.org/lessons-learned-lla-blog/holtfreters-solution-what-it-is-and-why-axolotls-need-it

If you want to explore more care topics, you can revisit axolotl tissue transfer basics or general welfare considerations on the LLA: Lessons Learned Blog: https://www.libertylandaxolotlrescue.org/lessons-learned-lla-blog

A clear guide to Holtfreter’s solution, why axolotls need mineral support, and how this balanced salt mix stabilizes healing during quarantine and rehabilitation.

05/09/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘇𝘇𝗶𝗲 & 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀
Some names come with a little folklore, and these two lean into it beautifully. Libertyland is based in New Bedford, just a short hop from Fall River, so having a Lizzie of our own feels a little on‑brand for the South Coast.

Lizzie is a large‑and‑in‑charge GFP wild who has decided that food is optional. She’s gorgeous, opinionated, and currently working through her list of acceptable menu items. Once she settles on what she’s willing to eat, she’ll be ready to meet her person—updates to come.

Rosemary West is a beautiful melanoid lady with a signature Pharaoh dance that shows up in nearly every photo. She has a wonky arm she’s had for years, and it doesn’t slow her down at all. She’s sweet, steady, and eats her worms without hesitation. She’d do well as a single or would happily join a peaceful female tank. She’s in southern NH and can ship to any legal state, though since she’s a bit older we’d love to place her locally if possible.

Their names may sound spooky, but their personalities are nothing but charm. If you’re in MA, RI, CT, or NH and thinking about fostering or adopting, keep an eye on these two—they’re unforgettable for all the right reasons.

🤍