caiman

[krokodile]

I’m seriously considering adding either Paleosuchus palpebrosus or Caiman crocodilus to my collection. I’m 15 years old, but despite my age I feel that I have gained enough knowledge from working with large Varanus (mainly Waters and Niles) to handle/care for the smaller species of crocodilians.
I currently have in my collection (or have had in the past):
0.1.0 Mangrove snake
0.0.1 False water cobra
1.0.0 Burmese python
0.1.0 Green iguana
1.0.0 Ball python
0.0.1 Pixie frog
0.0.5 RES
0.0.1 Yellow bellied slider
0.0.1 Common snapper
1.0.0 Matta matta turtle
5.6.10 corns
1.1.0 Plains garter
0.0.1 Viper boa
0.0.1 Nile monitor
0.0.1 Water monitor
+ Many more colubrids and inverts etc
I also have a shed witch I have converted into a reptile house its 17ftx 8ft so accommodating a fully grown specimen shouldn’t pose any real problems. I travel to Hamm Germany every six months to attend the TERRARISTIKA (largest reptile expo in Europe) and the only crocodilians I have seen for sale are hatchling dwarfs and spectacleds so these are probably the crocodilians I will be get my hands on. I plan on using a glass tank enclosure that is 6ft by 2.5ft and then use something larger when it reaches about 2ft. would this make suitable housing for a yearling???
I have also been offered a pair of Osteolaemus tetraspis that are 70-80cm but there way too expensive since they are listed at CITES I & EU Annex A, but if they make a better captive I might be able to get them (after saving up for a **** long time!!!)
I’ve read up on these a lot and I’ve checked out most websites (http://www.crocodilian.com/crocfaq/), I’ve even got the video on keeping crocodilians by lightning media, but could someone please give me some advice on the basic husbandry and day to day maintenance of the species I described??

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

I've never judged someone's potential to owning a crocodilian with his abilities to own other animals, however, I've never deterred anyone who is serious.

The tank you currently have is very compatible for most Paleosuchus. Under ideal conditions, you will have a good two to four years (Also pending on the actual animal) to house that animal. However, for the Spectacle, you may have to switch enclosures sometime in the second year of it's life. (Again, pending on the animal) Either way, the ending enclosure sounds suitable for your quest.

When cleaning the "pond" of the enclosure, partial water changes are in order once a week to help ensure a healthy balance of water quality. Another efficient idea is to remove food items and fecal matter once it is noted. Depending on the filtration system and the pond set up, a full breakdown of the pond should be done every two to four months.

For my indoor enclosures I use pond pumps that filter 500 gallons of water in an hour, other keepers have had success with Fluvals, wet/dry filters and regular fish pumps-for the young.

If you do not choose to use a filter, not a good idea with an enclosure that large, I suggest you do a complete water change every seven to ten days and possibly more than that if you have a gravel, sand or both bottom. Basically, it depends on the feeding regimes.

Young crocodilians should consume approximately twenty percent of it's body weight daily and should be fed a diet of aquatic and invertebrate life along with small rodents and other young animals. When dealing with small crocodilians, it is not always an option to feed whole items, so when feeding portions of an animal is the case, try feeding different portions at every feeding interval. Adult crocodilians should be fed every three to four days, allowing the animal to feed until it is full. This is my personal method.

Keep in mind that a hatchling's digestive system is fragile and cannot handle everything you feed them. Overfeeding insects with hard, chitinous exoskeletons, such as crickets, can block the gut. Another item to watch out for is fish. Many species of fish contain large amounts of thiaminase within their bodies and should properly be fed with vitamin B 1 supplements. Another problem with feeding fish, is the possibility of vitamin E deficiency. Take care with feeding fish and at all possible avoid it as a large part of the diet.

Basically, don't over do one food item.

Um, keep the water temps at around 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit with the ambient air temperatures at five degrees warmer. You can also provide a hot spot at around 90ish degrees on land; And you could have a nice warm spot in the water if you do not have a strong flowing filter.

I believe that's the basics, generally, provide as much space as possible; feed a variety; and sit back and enjoy.
Zane