Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i am pondering over wether to get a spec or dwarf..i have the chance of getting a spec but after reading endless pros and cons im still unsure..is the spec caiman far more aggressive than dwarf,i have monitor lizards(i know caiman is crocidilian..lol) and an anaconda,i know all the pros and cons.and this isnt a rushed thing,infact ive been researching for over 8 months.size isnt the issue as i have a 16ft by 16ft pen almost ready..i know dwarf dont need as much water etc..im more intrested in if there is a big diffrence in aggression????i read theres not too much aggression diffrence as a general rule.is this true??and also which one is hardier(ie less prone to illness and easier to keep health wise etc) the spec is a quarter the price but i am not so intrested in price,i just want to get the one that is easier to keep and feed,and is less prone to illness??and copes with the like of tempreture drops etc..which should not happen as i have back up heaters etc in place..also i have searched endlessly to find out if i can feed him trout??i catch alot of natural brown and rainbow trout so could i feed these ???..any help you could give would be appreaciated....brian.. my email is braveheart_13142003@yahoo.co.uk if anyone wants to email me help or advice on these issues or any they feel might be helpfull as i check email regular but not on net as much

i am pondering over wether to get a spec or dwarf..i have the chance of getting a spec but after reading endless pros and cons im still unsure..is the spec caiman far more aggressive than dwarf,i have monitor lizards(i know caiman is crocidilian..lol) and an anaconda,i know all the pros and cons.and this isnt a rushed thing,infact ive been researching for over 8 months.size isnt the issue as i have a 16ft by 16ft pen almost ready..i know dwarf dont need as much water etc..im more intrested in if there is a big diffrence in aggression????i read theres not too much aggression diffrence as a general rule.is this true??and also which one is hardier(ie less prone to illness and easier to keep health wise etc) the spec is a quarter the price but i am not so intrested in price,i just want to get the one that is easier to keep and feed,and is less prone to illness??and copes with the like of tempreture drops etc..which should not happen as i have back up heaters etc in place..also i have searched endlessly to find out if i can feed him trout??i catch alot of natural brown and rainbow trout so could i feed these ???..any help you could give would be appreaciated....brian.. my email is braveheart_13142003@yahoo.co.uk if anyone wants to email me help or advice on these issues or any they feel might be helpfull as i check email regular but not on net as much

Hi,
Sure you can feed trout as long as you don't feed them exclusively. As far as temperment they could be twins. The only difference there would be animal to animal variation. Both are very hardy as well so with a proper setup absulutely no problems is the norm. The dwarf would have a edge in the case of a temp. drop but thats it. Basicly since you have plenty of room get which ever you like best.

Seth Doty

Both are interesting species. But in my mind a dwarf is a little more unique. They have attributes that, well, for lack of a better word make them 'special' crocodilians. as captives both species are tough. I find the dwarfs to be MUCH more cold tolerant than spectacled caiman. As an example of this I once lost a spectacled caiman to a sudden cold front here in Texas while 3 subadult Cuviers dwarfs lived happily in the next enclosure over. Same basic setup.

Dwarfs are more terrestrial, particuarlly during the evening and nightime hours. They at times almost seem reversed of most crocodilians in that when the sun goes down, they prowl the ground. While most crocs hit the water at night and bask during the day.

I have 3 specs they are perhaps the most 'general' of the available crocodilians. Dwarfs perhaps the most specialized.

CD

thanks cdieter...very much appreaciated for answering cleary..im all set now.....ill update how i get on as this is my first caiman