DOC: Add a warning that ticks are not persistent

Author: timhoffm

lib/matplotlib/axis.py

@@ -619,6 +619,18 @@ class Axis(martist.Artist):
         The acceptance radius for containment tests. See also `.Axis.contains`.
     majorTicks : list of `.Tick`
         The major ticks.
+
+        .. warning::
+
+            Ticks are not guaranteed to be persistent. Various operations
+            can create, delete and modify the Tick instances. There is an
+            imminent risk that changes to individual ticks will not
+            survive if you work on the figure further (including also
+            panning/zooming on a displayed figure).
+
+            Working on the individual ticks is a method of last resort.
+            Use `.set_tick_params` instead if possible.
+
     minorTicks : list of `.Tick`
         The minor ticks.
     """
@@ -1591,7 +1603,20 @@ def get_minor_formatter(self):
         return self.minor.formatter
 
     def get_major_ticks(self, numticks=None):
-        r"""Return the list of major `.Tick`\s."""
+        r"""
+        Return the list of major `.Tick`\s.
+
+        .. warning::
+
+            Ticks are not guaranteed to be persistent. Various operations
+            can create, delete and modify the Tick instances. There is an
+            imminent risk that changes to individual ticks will not
+            survive if you work on the figure further (including also
+            panning/zooming on a displayed figure).
+
+            Working on the individual ticks is a method of last resort.
+            Use `.set_tick_params` instead if possible.
+        """
         if numticks is None:
             numticks = len(self.get_majorticklocs())
 
@@ -1604,7 +1629,20 @@ def get_major_ticks(self, numticks=None):
         return self.majorTicks[:numticks]
 
     def get_minor_ticks(self, numticks=None):
-        r"""Return the list of minor `.Tick`\s."""
+        r"""
+        Return the list of minor `.Tick`\s.
+
+        .. warning::
+
+            Ticks are not guaranteed to be persistent. Various operations
+            can create, delete and modify the Tick instances. There is an
+            imminent risk that changes to individual ticks will not
+            survive if you work on the figure further (including also
+            panning/zooming on a displayed figure).
+
+            Working on the individual ticks is a method of last resort.
+            Use `.set_tick_params` instead if possible.
+        """
         if numticks is None:
             numticks = len(self.get_minorticklocs())