Leash Training Crocodilians
 

Does anyone out there know how to leash train a crocodilian? You know like the old fashioned times. I really want to get into the exotic pet trade but cant from my home state of Massachusetts. I was thinking about getting a place in Florida and learning how to tame big animals starting with alligators because they seem to be the easiest so I would want to learn if leash training one is wise and still legal. I was also thinking about getting a female dwarf caiman but I heard there pretty nippy. Do people usually tie up the mouths when they take them out for walks?

Yes it can be done, id stick with gattors, but no its not wise.

yes you can put a leash on a crocodilian, no it cant be leash trained, ethically and legally i do not think this is a good idea, nor practical. Dwarf caiman are going to be your best choice if you want a tame crocodilian. they only get roughly 5ft, and most coming in the trade are farm bred. They can be nippy as babies, but pretty much all species crocodilians are. Ive seen dwarf caiman owners be the most successful in keeping a tame crocodilian, mostly because of their smaller size.

Well I have seen other videos of owners walking there crocodilians and its actually been a common practice among exotic owners for decades, possibly centuries since the Egyptians kept crocodiles and worshipped them as pets. My question is would a dwarf caiman be alright at Florida temperature? Or will it need extra lighting since its from South America initially. I'm thinking about starting a project where we could make small domestic caimen by selective breeding.

as common a practice it may be, its unethical and dangerous ( not just physcially but society often looks down upon things they do not understand, and with the way the reptile industry is now, its asking for trouble) imo. These animals have been around for millions of years with only instincts to drive them to surivive, the idea of having them being trained to walk on a leash like a dog for a couple of years does not negate their natural behavior. You can keep caiman in florida all year round outside as long as it doesnt drop below 40 you should be fine. If you do start this caiman breeding project be aware that truly domesticating an animal takes hundreds of years (even longer) these are still wild animals your dealing with regardless of how long theyve been in captivity or if they were bred in captivity. You should treat them as such to avoid problems.

Get a dog if you want something to take for walks.

I just got a dog already. I want to know of more impressive animals I can bring out on a leash, like a South American Caimen.

Short of dwarf crocs, dwarf caiman are the worst options. They do not calm. Gators on the other hand will.

Okay so would my best choice be an American Alligator?

Here's my answer. American Alligators are more likely to be considered "tame"...but their size is prohibitive. Dwarf caimans are a very manageable size, but they lack other "pet" qualities. Spectacled caiman are in the middle.
Now, on to the real issue. If you are talking about leashing a crocodilian inside your facility, that's one thing. Taking it out in public is another; and, frankly, it's a bad idea. I doubt that would be approved under the FL permit, and you may find yourself facing charges and/or paying fines. While some people would think seeing a guy with an alligator on a leash is pretty cool, others would have a far different reaction. Even if nobody says anything, somebody will probably call the police (voice of experience, here - many years ago, I had my permitted alligator out in my backyard...saw nobody around, and still got a visit from the police because they got several phone calls).

Oh, and one more thing.
Keep in mind that if anybody gets injured by your crocodilian while it is leashed, you will likely get sued. People do stupid things, like reach for animals, all the time; so don't think it won't happen. If you tape it's jaws shut, many would consider it cruelty....and argue that if the animal is that dangerous, you shouldn't be dragging it out on a leash (or loose in your facility) in the first place.