croc

[Guest]

was thinking of getting a crocodile. but in need some advice.what species is teh smallest? allagator/croc and what are some of the things u need? substrate,heat,cage size. and about how long will it take to tame one down enough so that it wont try to kill me.or if it even can be. any info will be great.=]
iv wanted one ever since i can remember.

 

[chelvis]

wow now this is no small task taking on a crocodilian. Think first can i house an aquatic reptile that can get over 10 feet long? Do i have a basment or backyard i am willing to give up (a room in the house will not work this is going to be a very big and demanding animal)? Can i afford to feed this animal while it is growing and once it gets to the full adult wieght (can be up to a ton in some crocs)? Are the legal where i am? Does the family or people i live with feel safe with a very large reptile? Will i be ok if this animal does not tame down? Will i be willing to take care of this animal for its life? If my animal will out live me will i have arrangments made before hand?

I know it seems wierd on some of those questions its just crocidlians are not like most reptiles. Some may calm down but should never be thought as tame. A tegu will bite and you will laugh about it later, a croc will give a "love nip" and that could be it. So getting one of these guys is not a simple or rushed diections.

Don't think cage in the terms of housing, think enclouser. There is no min cage size, but the larger the better for the animal and the easier for you. Pool wise thinks 1,000's of gallons and if you do inside think of a very powerfull pond filter. I know these are for an adult but that cute little guy wonts stay small forever.

Some of the most common crocs kept are the American Alligator (can be 15feet long), Niles (15-20feet), Caimans their size depends on the speices but between 8 to 15 some records have said possibly 20 feet. The smallest ones on the market are west african drawf crocs they come in at about 6 feet. To get one of them there is alot of paper work if its out of state and they are not cheep. Temperment on crocs vary, many keepers i have talked to say gators are the easiest to work with but the ones people let thier guard down the most with. Yes they can be slower and that makes the seem calmer but the have a surprising about of speed on them. Caimains i have heard are bipolar, they will be calm one day and nuts the next. As for the crocs some can be very complancent, you dont bother me i dont eat you sort of thing while other will just sink to their pool when you come around.

When they are young some people will handle them and they are great fun (i had a 2 foot gator dropped off at my house in a cooler, i had him for three weeks while waiting to see what animal control wanted to so with it and he was a cool pet to have, at the end of the three weeks i was very happy to see him leave!). Just keep in mind that little two foot gator in a year or so you will not be able to pick up and in 5 years will be able to rip an arm off.

Just some food for thought.

 

[Guest]

Try a dwarf Caiman ..

They max out [in captivity about 4 feet ] ...

They can be kept in an enclosure the size used for tegus ...

They can be kept out side a good part of the year ...

They are hardy and eat well ...

Personaly I would rather have one of those than say a Reticulated Python ..

 

[Guest]

wow thanks for all the info.yeah i have mulled all those things in my mind.i dont think im going to get one till get an actual house.but if i can get a dwarf caimen i will. i been researching their behavior since i was little. i know how fast cuddle time can turn into going to the icu.=/ if i can actually get a hold of one of these things i will make sure i can handle it. umm if i forgot to respond to anything tell me i just woke up lol.

 

[chelvis]

I always forget the drawf caiman, i have heard people being able to keep them in aquariums and they are not that hard to get ahold of. Still if your moving alot it can be one of those things some landlords may not allow.

 

[Guest]

well for now i can keep reltiles of their in a cage. but if the dwarf caimen dosent get that big i can prolly get it without worrying about having abasement.lol

 

[james.w]

Here is a dwarf baby Caiman. he is looking to trade, but would probably sell too.
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[Guest]

thanks. unfortunatly i dont have anything to trade him.and if i was going to buy one id want it from a breeder or a trusted site.

 

[Guest]

i was looking some up a little bit ago and prices range from 75 to 200...anyone know a good price to pay for one? iv even seen one for 300.

 

[RobK.]

I remember the day when you could buy a baby Cayman alligator in California . Not anymore . I had one when i was a kid and new nothing about taking care of one and kept it in cold room temp water and it died . :s My wife would shoot me if i got one !!

 

[TayyB]

I have had plenty herps but I have never heard of anyone keeping caiman's, the most I have is a Caiman lizard but anywho thats very interesting I would look into that but will wait until I finish up my shed that im making into something I call a reptile den.

 

[Dana C]

I remember the day when you could buy a baby Cayman alligator in California . Not anymore . I had one when i was a kid and new nothing about taking care of one and kept it in cold room temp water and it died . :s My wife would shoot me if i got one !!

I remember that well. We lived across a field from Knott's Berry Farm in the late 50's and 1960. It was free then with no fences. Across the street was the Alligator Farm which had Alligators a couple of Crocs and a bunch of snakes. They also had a gift shop where you could buy a baby alligator or cayman, (I don't remember which), for a few dollars.
I wanted one badly buy my mother, in her wisdom, thought that having a pet alligator was a bad idea and a worse one for a 10/11 year old. LOL...boy those were the days. Selling babies when there were 15-18 foot adults in a pool 20 feet away also helped people, (my mom), make informed decisions. Of course I just knew it would work out if I kept it in the bathroom and in a Doughboy pool during the summer. I could share sandwiches with it, and the liver that mom made and that I hated.

The snakes were cool as well and it made no difference that one of the keepers was bitten by a Tiger Snake and almost died. It couldn't happen to me because I read super hero comics and some of that had to rub off on me. LOL....fond memories.

 

[frost]

haha i think this was one of my old posts. i might still get a gator when i get a big enough house/yard.

 

[Dana C]

I really did live in Buena Park during most of elementary school and part of Jr. High. We used to spend our weekends hanging out at Knott's Berry Farm, (Walter and Marie were still alive then), and when we got the price of admission we would spend a whole day at the Alligator Farm.
Honest, you can't imagine how many times I tried to talk my mom and dad into letting me have an alligator from the tune I was 9 to 14.
I just couldn't see how keeping one in my bathroom would be a problem and after all if we bought a Doughboy plastic pool, I could swim in it too with the alligator. We would be pals!.......I really thought this.

 

[frost]

haha in a short time they little buddy of yours would be like a dragon guarding and cave that was too big to get out.

 

[Dana C]

I know. It is fun to remember though.