The staff of Game Grove and friends celebrate the arrival of Frankenstein the Axoltol. Shown above, from left to right, are Brock, Ramsey, Catie, Teddy, Chris, Christie, John, and Jaydon.
Teays Valley-based game store Game Grove now has an amphibian resident – Frankenstein the Axolotl salamander.
For several weeks, Game Grove had been posting hints on their Facebook page that something big was coming to the store. The surprise was revealed at last on Saturday, January 4, when the store celebrated Frankenstein’s arrival with a party featuring an axolotl-themed pinata, pizza, snacks, games, and giveaways.
Frankenstein – named for his unique double arm – was given to Game Grove by Christy Killian of Save A ‘Lotl Axolotl Rescue. Frankenstein is a wild type axolotl with dark grayish skin and lighter speckles. He was one of 47 juvenile axolotls which were surrendered to the rescue. One of his siblings bit his arm off at the elbow, and in addition to regenerating the missing limb, he grew an additional, non-functioning one beside it. (Axolotls have special regenerative abilities which allow them to regrow lost limbs.) He also experienced an injury to his gills, which caused them to grow larger than normal.
Axolotls are a species of salamander that are native to the Mexico City region. Unlike most amphibians, which start out in the water and later transition to dry land as adults, axolotls remain aquatic for their entire life. A set of gills lined with fringe-like filaments on either side of the axolotl’s head gives the salamander its unique appearance. They have four pigmentation genes which create a variety of colors and patterns; the most common variety is the wild type with grayish brown speckled skin, although the pale pink leucistic morph is more represented in the media. They can range in length from 6 to 18 inches, and can live up to 15 years in captivity. They also have the unique trait of being able to regenerate lost appendages as well as parts of their internal organs.
Due to habitat loss and the introduction of non-native fish species, axolotls are critically endangered in the wild and may become extinct within the coming years. Axolotls kept as pets or lab specimens are bred in captivity and far outnumber those found in the wild. Because of their regenerative abilities, axolotls are studied by scientists in the medical field.
“Save A ‘Lotl reached out to me and asked if Game Grove would be interested in having an axolotl,” said Ramsey Harki, owner of Game Grove. “I said yes immediately.”
Christy Killian, a Putnam County resident from Winfield, got her first axolotl in 2022. Since then, she has acquired 22 axolotls of her own and established the Save A ‘Lotl rescue. “There is a need for axolotl rescues because people don’t know how much work go into them,” she says. “It takes 6-8 weeks to get the water right in the tank, and this must be done before the axolotl goes in. A lot of people skip that step.”
Axolotls have become popular in recent years due to their appearance in the game Minecraft, as well as the Pokémon Wooper, which resembles an armless axolotl. The How to Train Your Dragon film series also features Toothless, a dragon whose head features gill-like appendages which resemble those of an axolotl.
Game Grove encourages the public to come out and meet Frankenstein and play games at the store. Frankenstein also has his own live stream on YouTube, where he can be viewed 24/7 by people all over the world. To check it out, go to https://www.youtube.com/@FrankTheAxolotl
