This section is very slow

[Scales Zoo]

We will have to go on a picture taking mission.

We both really like crocodillians. We started with spectacled caimens, but now have 4 of those (one is over 4 feet long, but has a short tail - he'd be 5' long if he had a regular tail), 2 american alligators, a scheiders dwarf, a cuviers dwarf, and soon to add a dwarf african crocodile to the mix.

Lets get some good posts going about the keeping of crocodillians.

I've got some ideas regarding new enclosures for the crocodillians that we keep.

Ryan

[ReptiZone]

I personaly love crocodilians. I have worked with a few during my time of employment at Reptile Ocean zoo.

I worked with....

4 Alligator mississipiensis largest being 10 feet,
2 Caimen crocodilus a breeding pair male was 6 feet
1 ostiolamus tatraspis

the rest were all babys.
3 crocodilus nilaticus
3 paliosuches palpabroses
6 paliosuches trigonatus
4 ostiolamus tatraspis
AND the one and only crocodilus Rombifer in canada.

I hope I did not do to many spelling mistakes with the latin names.

the one thing I retained about working with crocodilians is that they need to have rocks in there cages. So they can ingest them cause they have a stomac some what like a bird and they use the rock to help digest.

Anoter thing is when you com to give 50%water changes or 100% you need to have the water you want to put in the clean cage cage all reday done up to the proper tempature so you dont give your crocodilians a thermal shock by placing them in whater that is either too hot or too cold in comparasent the the water they were just in.

To do this I would prepare my water the day B4 any cleaning duties and I would leave it in the herp room with a 100% clean filter runing through the bucket of water. that way it way it would warm up to room temp witch is like 75*F I would also turn off all the water heaters the morning of the cleaning day so they water wold slowly cool down and then when cleaning time would come I would remove the animal in question. then clean the cage and place the water I had prepared the night B4 and reintroduce the animals in there cage and pluge the heaters in again. just thaught you minght like to read my daily routine.

Marc Doiron

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

I hope I did not do to many spelling mistakes with the latin names.

I seen a few, but no need to point them out.. You tried.

the one thing I retained about working with crocodilians is that they need to have rocks in there cages. So they can ingest them cause they have a stomac some what like a bird and they use the rock to help digest.

Though it's true that many of them do benefit from having stones in their stomach but it's not absolutely a necessity. I know several adult animals (Mine included) and several records from reliable friends that claim there animals do not carry stones and digestion doesn't seem to be much different. If any.


I agree, it has been slow but I expect that with most croc fourms because not very many people keep them so that lacks alot of interest I'd assume. However, I don't mind it. I'd rather have proper and actual postings on crocs and not the trolling or annoying questions that can very easily be answered with a quick search. Like one major site I know of..

[Scales Zoo]

Chondro, thanks for the post.

We don't have rocks in all of our crocodillians cages - and all seems wll with the ones that don't have rocks.

The thermal shock from water changes is a good point for newbies. Most people probably don't think about that right away.

We don't let the water sit out, but rather have the cold and hot calibrated to fill with a temperature close to what they had.

I think a slight change in water temperature is probably good for their long term health. In the wild they encounter changes in temperatures. We always keep the new water temp close to the old water temp.

Room temperature isn't always as warm as the water. We keep the caimens water over 80 F in the summer, so we add water very close to 80 F.

Ryan

[Scales Zoo]

Chondro, thanks for the post.

We don't have rocks in all of our crocodillians cages - and all seems wll with the ones that don't have rocks.

The thermal shock from water changes is a good point for newbies. Most people probably don't think about that right away.

We don't let the water sit out, but rather have the cold and hot calibrated to fill with a temperature close to what they had.

I think a slight change in water temperature is probably good for their long term health. In the wild they encounter changes in temperatures. We always keep the new water temp close to the old water temp.

Room temperature isn't always as warm as the water. We keep the caimens water over 80 F in the summer, so we add water very close to 80 F.

Ryan

[Sunrunner]

Crocodilians are an excellent and rewarding specimen to keep but they are NOT for the casual hobbyist. It is best that we who do have them in my opinion discourage people from getting them because 99% of the time it results in bad news for the owner and even worse news for the croc. I have an american alligator, a spec caimen and a curviers. I would love a dwarf african, where did you get yours Shiela maybe you could help me out!