Most of the four-legged animals that we rescue and rehome are furry or hairy, and the majority are cuddly and affectionate â?¦ but every so often we come across an animal that can’t be described in any those terms.

The axolotl is one such animal.

We were recently asked to rehome four of these amazing creatures, which are sometimes referred to as ’walking fish’. They’re not fish, though, and they are a type of salamander that originally came from just one location in Mexico.

A study in 2013 failed to find any axolotls in the wild, and they are considered to be critically endangered.

Not only are they rare, and of great interest to conservationists, they are also the subject of much excitement in the scientific world.

Axolotls never complete the metamorphosis into adult salamanders, which develop lungs and can live in or out of water.

Instead, axolotls keep their gills (the ’feathers’ around their heads) and their dorsal fin and, in effect, stay ’forever young’.

Scientists are not only interested in the axolotl’s ability to control the aging process, they are also keen to find out more about the creature’s ability to regenerate limbs.

An axolotl can re-grow a leg, or a tail. It can even regenerate parts of internal organs and certain areas of its brain.

Scientists have transplanted damaged organs from other animals into axolotls and these have re-grown, and it’s hoped that this research will eventually benefit human medicine.

So, having established that this is a really special amphibian, what are axolotls like as pets?

Despite their amazing ’powers’, they are actually quite delicate and need careful husbandry.

They live in freshwater, and an adult can grow up to 35cm long which means that they need a sizeable tank.

They can live alone or, as adults (juveniles tend to nibble at each other), in pairs or groups and a rule of thumb is that each axolotl should have a minimum of 40 litres of water.

They are quite messy, which mean they need a good water filter and weekly partial water changes, and careful water quality control.

They are carnivores, but because they don’t mature fully they don’t develop teeth (another amazing fact!) and so they have to suck their food. They enjoy eating worms, which can be purchased from pet shops, and they need to eat every day or every other day (an axolotl’s belly should be as wide as its head).

A well cared-for axolotl can live for more than 10 years, and so they are a big commitment.

If you would like an axolotl in your life we have three brown ones that need new homes.

They are all juveniles, about 12cm long, and they are in excellent health. The pink one, pictured, has found a new home already and has been called Rosie (although we’re not quite sure if she’s male or female as yet).

Our team in the small animals unit can help with advice about how to set up your tank, what to put in it, and where to source the right food.

We’re open 1pm to 4pm every day apart from Thursdays, and so please come and meet the axolotls and talk to the team.

Needless to say, we have several hairy dogs and an abundance furry cats, guinea pigs and rabbits if you’d prefer to adopt a more conventional and cuddly pet.