How does this look?

[Jeepers]

This is for my soon to be Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman. They're more aquatic than they are terristial at the hatchling stage, and my guy will be just a little fella, roughly 4 - 6" long with tail. I'd honestly expected him to be a smidge smaller, but, oh well. More space for him!

It's a 125g, 6' long and around 2' tall, maybe a smidge over. Nearly 2' across.

Jazzed it all up with a lot of natural looking aquatic hides, a shady 'tree' on the land to lay under, and a nice little cave to lurk in on the land side, as well.

Go my water heater going, my filter/flow generator running(procudes and current while filtering), got a night and day bulb, and a UVB bulb as well.

Here's the pics:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o27/Neutralized/caiman/IMAG3944_zps40c1e997.jpg

This is the water side. Takes up most of the tank, gives plenty of room to swim around and hunt feeder items. Has a swamp like tree stump with vines providing a little shaded hidey spot. A large aquatic branch/vine piece that arches up out of the water. Provides a lovely basking spot or just a piece of surface area to sit on out of the water. Another wood piece that allows hidey areas under the various 'levels' the wood walls stick out at. Little plant piece that adds some more natural look to it. There's a water heater back there to warm up the water. Also have a filtering system that produces a current. There's also a nice floating log to just chill in or hide around.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o27/Neutralized/caiman/IMAG3945_zps710ae1cf.jpg

Here's the land side. Obviously nowhere near as much space as the water has. Still, for the size of this little guy, it's a nice hunk of land to just cruise around when he feels it's necessary. Has a little cave to hide in, if he wants, and a shady tree to lay under. Sorry about the dirtiness on the side that makes it a little difficult to see. The substrate was very messy to deal with, especially since I had some issues with the divider and some flooding, but I fixed it.

Opinions? Anywhere where there can be improvement?

[Ms. Medusa]

I have no input other than to say--- WOW it looks amazing! That's from a totally uneducated standpoint in regards to Dwarf Caimans--other than to know I'd be afraid of them! lol

[Jeepers]

I have no input other than to say--- WOW it looks amazing! That's from a totally uneducated standpoint in regards to Dwarf Caimans--other than to know I'd be afraid of them! lol

Haha! They call me crazy 'cause I look forward to getting bitten by the little bugger. LOL I've just grown to expect blood and bites when it comes to owning reptiles, so might as well grow to love it, should it happen. :wacky:

Anywho, thanks! I've spent over $500 on it, not including the price of the tank, but it was well worth it!

Edit: I'd estimate this thing easily weighs 500+ lbs. with everything in it... I swear the tank itself is at least 150 lbs., if not more. All I know is, it was HARD to get it up a flight of stairs. Near impossible to lift it off the ground with two people. Very thick glass, very very big and heavy.

[Ms. Medusa]

Haha! They call me crazy 'cause I look forward to getting bitten by the little bugger. LOL I've just grown to expect blood and bites when it comes to owning reptiles, so might as well grow to love it, should it happen. :wacky:

Anywho, thanks! I've spent over $500 on it, not including the price of the tank, but it was well worth it!

Edit: I'd estimate this thing easily weighs 500+ lbs. with everything in it... I swear the tank itself is at least 150 lbs., if not more. All I know is, it was HARD to get it up a flight of stairs. Near impossible to lift it off the ground with two people. Very thick glass, very very big and heavy.


lol, I don't mind snake bites at all---- I'm not keen on lizard bites cause they are like armored pitbulls-- I can ONLY imagine a caimen's bite is much worse than that.... Of course worst of all is a hamster/mouse/rat- lil buggers are horrible to get bitten by!

[Falconeer999]

I have no input other than to say--- WOW it looks amazing! That's from a totally uneducated standpoint in regards to Dwarf Caimans

Same response!

[Jeepers]

lol, I don't mind snake bites at all---- I'm not keen on lizard bites cause they are like armored pitbulls-- I can ONLY imagine a caimen's bite is much worse than that.... Of course worst of all is a hamster/mouse/rat- lil buggers are horrible to get bitten by!

Yeeeahhh... I used to work at a pet store. I despised the hamsters for biting me. I'm used to lizard bites. My tegu actually bit me this morning. :bouncy:

[Gungirl]

How large will this guy get once full grown? Do you know how fast they reach adult size?

Set up looks good depending on the size of the new guy.

[Jeepers]

How large will this guy get once full grown? Do you know how fast they reach adult size?

Set up looks good depending on the size of the new guy.

I've seen some conflicting information. I know one source says they grow quick, but I've seen other people with them and they seem to take up to 3 or so years to grow to full size. One source states they grow up to 6 inches a year if fed well and the habitat they're kept in is suitable.

They get between 3.5' - 5' long, nose tip to tail tip.

[Gungirl]

Thanks for the info..

So how long do you think it will be living in the set up? I would think it would need a room at full size

[Jeepers]

Thanks for the info..

So how long do you think it will be living in the set up? I would think it would need a room at full size

Probably until it reaches 1'. Maybe 2' maximum, but any further would be pressing luck, in my opinion.

[aaron_cg]

From what I have read online, a 5' long one would need one about 10'x5'. Not sure on height, I would say 6 feet or so, so you can create a decent sized pool for them.

[Jeepers]

From what I have read online, a 5' long one would need one about 10'x5'. Not sure on height, I would say 6 feet or so, so you can create a decent sized pool for them.

Yeah, they definitely need a lot of space full size. Probably gonna give mine a small room with a pond in it once it's full size. I've seen very similar set ups like that, and they work wonderfully.

[medicinhed]

Amazing. My Rainbow Boa would love that place.

[Jeepers]

Amazing. My Rainbow Boa would love that place.

Brazilian Rainbow? Beautiful snakes <3

[medicinhed]

Now that I've read up on your Cuvier's, I really want one.

[medicinhed]

Brazilian Rainbow? Beautiful snakes <3
This one is mine. Can't wait to see the caiman. Just found out caimans are felony level illegal here.

[Jeepers]

This one is mine. Can't wait to see the caiman. Just found out caimans are felony level illegal here.

Absolutely stunning. <3

Are you sure it's Dwarf Caimans? Alligators are illegal here because they're 'inherently dangerous animals', but the -Dwarf- Caiman species are not. They only places that aren't ok are NY, FL, and CA as far as I know.

[medicinhed]

I'm in NorCal. Which is good for my herpetobsession.

[Corey209]

I'm in NorCal. Which is good for my herpetobsession.

A family member is selling 1.1 Guyana red tails CB2012 and a red phase coastal carpet python with set ups if interested.

[NBLADE]

Looks like a real nice little set up for a baby cuvier's. I hope the new company you are ordering from can send you a nice healthy animal that will thrive in there for you.

[Pareeeee]

Great looking set-up! I like naturalistic enclosures. What about adding some duckweed and/or water lettuce? I think it would look great in that tank - also give a feeling of security from above for the little guy.

[Jeepers]

Looks like a real nice little set up for a baby cuvier's. I hope the new company you are ordering from can send you a nice healthy animal that will thrive in there for you.

Thanks! I hope so too! They said they only hold an animal for 1 - 2 weeks and the weather looks like it won't be permitting for more than that, so I may have to wait, but the moment I see an opening, I'm taking it. I'm hellbent on having one!

Great looking set-up! I like naturalistic enclosures. What about adding some duckweed and/or water lettuce? I think it would look great in that tank - also give a feeling of security from above for the little guy.

Never heard of it, but I was looking into maybe getting some plant life for the aquarium. :freakedout:

[Pareeeee]

Should be able to get both at a local pet/fish store or pond store.

[Snakeman8]

it looks amazing!

[Herpophiliac972]

Awesome setup! Looks like it took forever. With my setups (I only have local species of Herps, no Caimans in PA) I like to use real stuff that I collect. I like to use fungi, rocks, branches, etc. I am thinking about making a semi terrestrial tank for frogs or toads of some kind. Probably Firebellys or North American Toads. How do you keep the water from soaking into the land? I was thinking maybe some plastic covered with gravel or sand, something like that. Any tips? I just don't want to pour water in and end up with no water and drenched substrate. Can you post some pics of the little guy once you get him?

[Jeepers]

Awesome setup! Looks like it took forever. With my setups (I only have local species of Herps, no Caimans in PA) I like to use real stuff that I collect. I like to use fungi, rocks, branches, etc. I am thinking about making a semi terrestrial tank for frogs or toads of some kind. Probably Firebellys or North American Toads. How do you keep the water from soaking into the land? I was thinking maybe some plastic covered with gravel or sand, something like that. Any tips? I just don't want to pour water in and end up with no water and drenched substrate. Can you post some pics of the little guy once you get him?

Thanks!

We took a custom cut piece of Plexiglass(9" tall, 17" wide for our specific tank), and placed it in the desired area for land cut off. 'Glued' it in place with Silicone.

One thing I definitely recommend... PUT IN LAND FIRST. Majority of my problems was with -this-. I put in my water first, and the water pressure caused one side of the plexiglass to detach from the silicone. Why one side held up better, I dunno. I immediately tried to equalize the pressure with substrate, I'd underestimated how much I needed... so in the 10 minutes it took to get 40lbs. of substrate, what was in there had flooded... so I had to take a bucket to the water in there to drain it, and pack down as much substrate as possible to equalize the pressure on the side. Packing it down, if this happens, applies more pressure against the water. Just don't put too much pressure, because then you'll wind up in the same situation, just reverse.

Once ya have the water in and that happens, the only option is to move on to substrate ASAP, or drain it and replace the silicone, because there's no way you can do that -with- water and the silicone wet.

Edit: And yes, it took foreeeever! So much hard work! We first had to get the heavy tank up the stairs to the second level. Just a straight up flight of stairs. Then we had to get it in our room on the other side of the house... I mean, that tank is HEAVY. We drove an hour just to pick it up from a very lovely couple. The picture was so deceiving as far as the weight went.. but we managed. I had to stand in the tank, on the surface we placed it on, just to tape and level out the back ground, make sure it was tight-fitting and not wrinkled or anything. After placing everything for the water side, we took a large 20g bucket, filled it with water several times, and carried it back and forth between our bathroom several times to fill the water side(and this is where my problems began with the silicone), Then did the land side. The water heater had to adjust for a little while before being adjusted to the proper temperatures. Cured the water and everything... It easily took me 6 hours just to set it up, not even including our travel and getting it in the house.

[moshirimon]

Awesome enclosure. I always looked at the Cuvier's as the crocodilian that I would most likely own IF I did own one. Really happy there's someone on the forum who is going to have one. Cant wait to see!