Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For all you folks that keep arguing about which would be a better captive. Forget it if you are arguing about it you do not need one.
Fact: except for the black, caimans are much smaller then gators.
Have you ever held a 4 foot plus trig? Your hands will bleed the sharpest scutes of any croc.
A 5 foot spec or palp or trig is not the same as a 5 foot gator. Would you rather fight a 5 foot man or a 5 foot boy?
Gators get big. You need alot of space and they can potentially kill you. Yes typically gators are more docile to people than crocs or caimans.
Final thought.
If you are looking for a crocodilian that does not get to big or to mean...DO NOT GET ONE.
Now that everyone hates me let the bashing begin.
D.C.

I hear that one. I have a 2 foot spectacle and its got all kinds of attitude and I expected that and he is great. So many people ask what is the smallest or what is the best and say they are doing research before getting one. Doing research is talking to people who own them, reading up on them, seeing some adults to see what your getting into both care and attitude and realize cost. People who cause problems also were people as i mentioned in a post below he sells baby alligators and turtles to anyone at a flee market by me and tells everyone they make great pets. I tell you when it comes to the reptiles get such a bad wrap because of all the irrisponsible people that get them that is whats always seen never the other groups that are kept by responsible keepers. Sorry for rambling but I agree with you.
-----
Tom
1.2.0 Leopard Gecko (dot, spot, leo)
0.0.1 California King Snake (booboo)
0.1.0 Sulcata Tortoise (tank)
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise (tito and lulu)
0.0.2 Red Ear Sliders (bernie and ernie)
0.0.3 Painted Turtles (larry, curly and moe)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (marshmellow)
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor (beef)
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure (kermit)
0.1.0 Australian Shepheard (layla)
2.1.0 Crazy Cats (babe, sabastian, tinkerbell)
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit (daisy)
0.1.0 Ferret (jordan)
0.2.0 Guinea Pigs (lilly and petunia)
0.0.1 White Tree Frog (dumpy jr.)
0.0.2 Fire Belly Newts (spork and blaze)
0.0.1 Fire Belly Toad (ferdinan)
0.0.1 Red Spotted Newt ( red)
0.0.2 Bull Frogs (goliath and tubby)
0.0.1 Rainbow Ameive (jack)
0.0.1 Spectacled caiman (wilbert)
0.0.3 Green Anoles
1.0.0 Bahama Anole
0.0.1 Long Tail Grass Lizard
Lots Of Fish

Yup caimans can be little jerks.
We use to have a 5' C. acutus. He regularly dominated my much larger and heavier alligators.
I did have a spectacled a long time ago. He wasnt too bad, but I handled him often.

My you are getting cranky in your old age.

I agree with the scutes on the trig and nearly the same for the palp.

On an unrelated note I think I'm coming to San Antonio next month we should get together. We should invite MTalka to meet as well.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

That would be fine, I know I have a festival 10/12-10/16 but other than that... Although I am thinking about going to the CAG fundraising gig in Raleigh. I do not know who will be there but I emailed the woman in charge and she assured me "real croc people" would be there.
Glad to here you and yours survived Ike. Nice to know the enclosures can withstand some wind.
I guess a positive note would be that there will not be a shortage for your woodburning hot water heater.
I told my wife if I had a couple of those I'd take a 16 foot trailer to Houston. Every house on my Mom's street lost at least 1 major tree.
Glad you're okay.
See you in October.
Danny

I'm toying with going over to NC as well. Are you driving or flying? My calender is full that week as I'm supposed to be in Austin for 3 days for the state science curriculum meeting. If I can pass that off on someone(unlikely as they are picking up the tab) it would be much easier for me to go. I doubt my wife will look kindly on me being essentially gone for 7 days with our newborn at home so it has to be one or the other.
-----
CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

amen to that! people who want an exotic pet look online and find a baby american alligator for $45 shipped overnight to their door and they dont see past the 9 inch baby that eats peices of leftover chicken and into a 12 ft. adult that eats full chickens. now thats a big change in size. not to mention the housing for a reptile as big as that. your going to need to supply an outdoor enclosure and take it in for winter in most places. which requires a winter house which has to be big enough for it to be comfortable in. Not to mention they're illegal in a lot of states. im not bashing on crocodilians in any manner, just saying they make terrible pets in most casses. if your looking for a pet reptile, get a bearded dragon or cornsnake. they make much better pets. oh and danny, i liked your shows you did at the fairs in utah this year. i got the privledge to help your shows. thakyou Aspen