Caiman Lizard - year update (with pictures)

[chelvis]

So its been a year scense I got my first caiman lizard, Bacardi. Its hard to believe the growth that has happen and the learning. I will have to tweek somethings in the info thread but wow was a rewarding year so far. I got very luck, Bacardi is more like a dog/alligator gross than the name sake animal. He is very calm now and does not tail whip or puff anymore. If I open the cage he comes walking out onto my arm.

Anyway enough talking here are some pictures!

Bacardi when he was at Ben's: these were taken from the ad and I asked for the one pictured. Glad I did he was a cubby little gem!

Here are some pictures of when he arrived the first week of March last year:

Here are some from just this morning. Wow how much he has changed. I think Caiman lizards might out compete tegus in the glutton arrena, mine is knocking a tray of snails, some shirmp, talapia, and croc diet each week.

Head shot, the red is just getting brighter and brighter with each shed;

Full boady, and he is calm enough to do this with him everytime. Think he will be a great ambasador.

And a gurth shot, that green is also just getting better and better! I was waiting for him to drab up in color but it hasn't happen!

Now the real work has started, getting a jungle gym of an adult cage set-up.

 

[reptastic]

That's one fine looking caiman, I think you're doing Great job

 

[RamblinRose]

He is just beautiful... Lucky you!

 

[Rhetoric]

He's got some awesome coloring. How big are they usually when they max out?

 

[dragonmetalhead]

He's looking spectacular. Great colors. Where did you get that harness?

 

[Maro1]

Beautiful! What is the cage you are going to build him look like? What makes for an excellent adult cage?

Maro1

 

[Grendel]

Wow, he looks great, I think I'm might have to get one if they have any at Repticon this weekend.

 

[chelvis]

Hey thanks all. These guys max out at 4 feet but a buddy has one that is currently just shy of 5 feet. So they get about the same size as a red tegu really.

I got the harness at petco, you have to look in the cat collar section, its the kitten style. I love this kind of harness its easy to adjust and this same harness I can us for my little caiman lizard and for each of my tegus, lol.

I am still designing the cage right now, but I am going to have lots of arboreal space and a hammock, he loved the last one. The water is going to be I would say about 2x3feet, maybe one of those small stock tanks. I have to design my cages so they are easy to move, looking to modify the Repti-Rack like cage.

 

[TeguBuzz]

Damn he has some stunning coloration, beautiful. The mountain view is also amazing!

 

[Maro1]

Typically, what happens to their colors as they mature?

Maro1

 

[chelvis]

I have heard some people they get better with age and others say they drab up.

 

[cheezy]

Nice he's gotten pretty good amount of red on him. Has he ever pooped on you or anything? Lol just wondering if I should be cautios of that in case I have chicks over.

 

[laurarfl]

That is such a gorgeous lizard! And the background of the area you live in is beautiful as well!

 

[chelvis]

He has never pooped on me, he has been a pretty chill lizard to have. I can see this guy catching some eyes. Thinking when he's bigger taking him to petsmart and see what people think. My co workers call him reptar alot, lol.

Ya the background is amazing, what you can see is I-5 in the valley, lol. My mom has a great place, I live further east in the actual mountains and love it. Downside is that electricity tends to be wind and solar and with temps dipping before freezing I had to move all the reptiles down to her place for the winter.

 

[cheezy]

He has never pooped on me, he has been a pretty chill lizard to have. I can see this guy catching some eyes. Thinking when he's bigger taking him to petsmart and see what people think. My co workers call him reptar alot, lol.

Ya the background is amazing, what you can see is I-5 in the valley, lol. My mom has a great place, I live further east in the actual mountains and love it. Downside is that electricity tends to be wind and solar and with temps dipping before freezing I had to move all the reptiles down to her place for the winter.

Got a couple questions for you chelvis.

Have you ever had temps go in the 60s? Is it ok to let my caiman lizard run around my apt in the summer when I have the a/c on? I'm guessing the temp would be in the 60s.

Do you know if caiman lizards more cold tolerant than rhino iguanas?

 

[chelvis]

Do not chill Caiman Lizards. I have lost one Caiman lizard due to cold, I was luck Bacardi did not got the same way. I try not to let the cage drop below 70 at night. It would be find to have them out for a little bit when its cold, its not going to harm an older animal, but if you keep the apt at 60 I would not let him free roam say the whole day he would still need a warm cage.

My guy when I first got him went through a night without a water heater and it almost killed him, the water was still warmer than the air around him but it was cool to the touch. Once the water heater was in and the CEH was on he came around really fast.

 

[cheezy]

What should the min humidity be? I been trying to find a care sheet that tells me but its hard to find much about these guys. I will be switching to a natural diet he would be eating in the wild. I have access to all types of seafood. What kind of supplement are you using?

 

[chelvis]

Min humidity is hard on any animal, I would say 60% is a good jumping point and adjust from there.

I use a Repti Calcium and then different foods, I try not to offer to much of similar foods too often, the exception in snails and mazuri croc those two make up about 80% of the diet. So for example chicken has a lot of protein some fat but lacking in almost everything else, so I give that one week, the next week I make sure to add a whole food item like shrimp which has more vitamins in it but less fat. I try to look at what I am feeding rather than adding vitamins and what not, its how I raised my tegu and he is in great shape and health so running with the notion if it an't broke don't fix it.

I would get the setup taken care of first.