Cuvier Dwarf Caiman Housing Questions

[Herpguy55]

I am seriously thinking about getting a Cuviers Dwarf Caiman aka Smooth Front Caiman and have some questions. What is the best water pump and filter i can use for a large enclosure and a smaller enclosure? What size enclosure can i buy for it to last a while until i get the real big one built? What is the best way to heat the water? What substrate should i use? how can i make the bank or land area? Would a 16 foot long, 8 feet tall 4.5 feet wide enclosure be big enough for a female? Does any one keep them? What is your diet regiment? i have heard they need a well balanced diet, so just a variety of meats, rats, fish, insects, crabs, etc.? any other info or sources would be great!!! and if you could tell me anything else i might need and where to buy everything if there is a cheap place on the net thanks

- kody

[Herpguy55]

Anyone?

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

I would say the bigger the better but that may be big enough if you let it out to get more exersize out of the cage. I would recomend a large room or a corner of the basement. Remember that they are wild animals and will tear your arm off if they get ahold of you. Do you really want that kind of a responsibility and threat to deal with on a daily basis? I would say a land area of about 6' by 6' and about 8' by 8' for a water area. If you are going to do it at all, put in the extra money and do it right with a large area and the proper setup. I can not say it enough, SPACE, SPACE, SPACE!!!! I would say about diet that variety would be best. I would say craw fish, snails, mollusks, mice, rats, beef and chicken parts, and any other kind of fish you can find that will be free of disease.

[Herpguy55]

Thanks guys i have been researching for a while and i have been keeping and researching reptiles since i was about 11. I know they are alot of time, money, and work, but i love these guys i think they are some of the most beautiful crocodilians around and there size! I have had numerouse reptiles and amphibians but had to sell my collection because we were renting at the time and the land lord would only let me keep 1, so i chose my ball python. I am slowly starting to buil back up my collection, and i want to add a cuviers dwarf to it. As for why i want one? Why does any of us want a pet reptile or amphibian? Because we have a true passion for them and love working with them and watching them, and all the joy they bring us! I have checked the laws on crocodilians in my state and it says that it is legal to keep and i dont need a permit to keep them. I have never kept a crocodilian befor but i have handled them and fed them, i have a friend that has an adult american alligator and about a 2ft american alligator. And the only real way you can gain experience with keeping crocodilians is to get one or you will never get the experience. One day once i am older i will eventually breed them. I have been talking to a few people who have kept them in the past and they all say they have enjoyed working with them! Since i am going to buy it as a baby i am going to keep it in a 100 gallon long until i get the big enclosure built, i will fill it half full of water, with a pump/filter. Half the tank will be land area and half water, i was told they will stay on land more than water and hide during the day and most generally will even deficate on land. i was also told that they prefere higher current waters so do you think i should use a power sweep head from zoomed? What pump/filter do you recomend? How should i controll the water temps, heatpads? I am really thankful that you guys are willing to help me get some info on keeping these beautiful animals! I have a few little facts about a few different things they eat but they are very vage, and i have temps but what about humidity? High? Low? Moderate?

Any other info would be greatly appriciated!!

-Kody

[mouseboy]

All I know is that the 1 crocidilian ive ever held or been near was a 4 foot gator and when it whipped me with its tail that was it, no more gators at ALL. So good luck and I hope you can figure that one out Im looking foward to hearing about that.

[Macholizard]

Dwarf caiman grow about a couple an inch to half a inch every 6 months. By the 2nd year it should be 2ft long depending on its living conditions (temp, how much food, etc) When it is a juvenile it is a good idea to keep it in a semi-small (20 long) enclosure to make it easier for it to find secure and feel secure overall. I have mine in a 20 long and she is about 8in to a foot. Soon she will be moved to a large rubbermaid. Feed every other day, every day for hatchlings, 3 times a week for adults. Feed mice, bugs and very little fish. If you feed fish stay away from oily fish like goldfish, herring, capelin. Mine at home has no fish just crickets dusted with a good supplement and then every other feeding a fuzzy mouse dusted with supplement. At work the 2 females I work with get small mice 2x a week and on sunday they get one fish (capelin) and half a fish stuff with 25 mg B1 and 100 IU of vitamin E. This is too replinish the b1 lost during the freezing process and and for the anti-oxidents in the vitamin E to keep ceroid pigment from oxidizing in the animals body. Any other questions feel free to email me.