Anyways, axolotls already ARE salamanders, they don't "turn into" salamanders they already are. They're just fully aquatic paedomorphic mole salamanders. They're in the exact same family as the tiger salamander, ambystoma, which includes other mole salamanders.

The reason you can't have them in California is the same reason you can't have ANY Ambystomatidae in that state. Because they like to FUCK and will fuck all the time. Axolotls can and will cross with tiger salamanders.

California has some vulnerable salamander species, including the California Tiger Salamander. They do not want to risk captive populations of other tiger salamander species like the eastern or barred tiger salamanders escaping and mating with the California tiger.

The same goes for axolotls. Axolotls can cross with tiger sals, and since axies are common in the pet trade, well, it's better safe than sorry. They're included in the Ambystomatidae ban because they are mole salamanders. It doesn't have anything to do with them being exotic.

Though California does have a lot of rules about exotics and which ones are allowed into the state as pets. I don't live there, but it would be wise, like in any state, to review your laws regarding exotic animals before you move forward and purchase one.

I'll end this thread I didn't intend on being a thread with this: amphibians can be really challenging to keep. Some species have incredibly specific conditions and many will die in captivity. This is esp true of salamanders.

There are a lot of laws regarding keeping salamanders, transporting salamanders, and selling salamanders. These laws are all different depending on the state. This is because many species are currently in a population decline across the nation.

Unfortunately many salamander species aren't as down to fuck as some Ambystomatidae. This means many are wild caught. It's important to research where you're getting your pet and how it's sourced. Wild amphibians tend to get over stressed in captivity.

For a basic start on amphibian care, esp with regards to axolotls, I would check out the resources on the http://Caudata.org  forums. There are a lot of experienced keepers there and some good threads. (there's also a lot of new keepers asking questions you probably also have