considering a caiman...

[randolph.jamie]

Hi all,
I have been considering getting a dwarf caiman. I have alot of experience with snakes, burms retics a few anacondas and stuff like that, never had any crocodilians tho. I would obviously want a dwarf seeing as how they are the only ones i believe i could house and handle as they reach adulthood. Anyways... my question is, would a fifty five gallon tank setup with 50/50 water land be alright for a young one? also, as for food, do you just put guppies in their water and let them eat as they want and maybe offer a pinky here and there? any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated...
thanks
jamie

[Mike Gay]

Hey Jamie, while we haven't had dwarf caimen, our experience with gators, specs and a nile suggests that a 55 would house a dwarf for almost 2 years.
That would be pushing it, but alot depends on how much you feed it. A hatchling nile can grow almost an inch a week if kept at 85 degrees and fed every day. If you do venture into this, only get one, because the only company they need is their food. M&M's (mice & minnows) are the perfect foods. Offer them from forceps or long tweezers for a more personal experience. Many croc keepers don't like fish tanks for enclosures, however for the first timers and in the first couple years, the visual info you get is carried thru for the life of your ward.
Three inches of water over an inch of gravel with a basking light over a land area---super simple set up especialy if you're familiar with under-gravel filters and submersable heaters. Place in a quite area of the room and avoid sudden movements in the first few days and you'll me amazed at how fast he'll acclimate to his new surroundings. Keep it simple to make cleaning easy and you'll have a blast. I have not owned a dwarf camen, however I don't believe their care is any different than a spectacled.
Good luck and by the way, you can get minnows from any bait shop and keep them alive in a styro cooler.

[randolph.jamie]

ok, thanks for the great advice! do you know any quality breeders? seems the only place i can find them is outback reptiles i think... i haven't done any business with them..
thanks again for all the help
jamie

[Mike Gay]

You can check Backwater Reptiles.com I believe they have both kinds at really good prices. We ordered a green anaconda from them lat Feb. that arrived in great condition.
Just a note on the "land area" in his tank. We've been using trex decking to make a little dock that sits above the water with some air space between the two. It's heavy enough to be stable and afford him a little cover if he chooses. Just two 4" pcs holding up a 16" pc that's placed off center along the back side. You can find small scrapps at any building center especially if you tell them what you're using it for.

[RussellA]

Dwarfs, both types, prefer more land area that water area. 1/3 water:2/3 land area is better than 50-50. Also provide a hiding area as Dwarfs like to hide during the daylight hours and dig burrows for this purpose in the wild. You will be lucky to get two years out of a 55 gal. I got mine from someone that couldn't keep it when it was 9 months old. I kept him in a 75 gal and he outgrew it in a year.

[randolph.jamie]

ok thanks guys.. i think me and my buddy are actually going to just build an enclosure rather than use the tank.
jamie

[RussellA]

This is just my 2 cents. You and your caiman NEED to form a bond while it is young. You are the only companion it will ever have. I can only speak from personal experience but, if you get one, understand that your caiman will be afraid at first but will learn to recognize you very quickly, will associate you with food and cleaning, etc. However, this can only happen if it is in close proximity to you a few times a day. Your Dwarf must become familiar with you and your movements in a non threatening way. That is why I think the first year, or maybe longer, in a glass terrarium is good for the bonding that must take place for the both of you to be safe. If you build an enclosure don't make it so large that you have trouble finding the little thing. Start small but proportional. Provide a hide of some kind. Dwarfs don't bask in the sun, are mostly nocturnal, and spend most of the daylight in a burrow. I've attached two photos. The first is the 75 gal. setup that lasted about a year before he outgrew it. The second is the enclosure he is in now. He has outgrown this one and I am building the next, and hopefully last, environment for him and hope to move him in next spring.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm30/Russell4136/Reptiles%20and%20other%20critters/Dwarf%20Caiman/DSCI0365-1.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm30/Russell4136/Reptiles%20and%20other%20critters/Dwarf%20Caiman/P1010514.jpg

[randolph.jamie]

Thanks RussellA both of the enclosures you showed look awesome... What you said makes sense so i may end up keeping him in a tank for a while. Keep the advice coming guys cuz i could use all the help i can get...
jamie

[Badgsx]

Awesome looking setups. Whats the deal in Texas, you cant have alligators because their native but caimans are legal?

[Tim Cole]

Awesome looking setups. Whats the deal in Texas, you cant have alligators because their native but caimans are legal?

Alligators are a game species in Texas.

[mgoblue347]

Love the setup Russel! I fed my alligators raw chicken with calcium powder* (*I believe, it's been a while). I worked in a kitchen and got as much scraps as I needed for free, which was great. I would feed them from tongs and they would fly out of the water and pull it down. Occasionally would put a mouse in there for them to eat. I also started them out in a home made enclosure. Good luck!