Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is one for you. I've got a P.palpebrosus that is not eating. He is about 20" long and I've had him for probally 8mo or so. Now I've kept gators and I'm fam. w/ their habits, care etc. I took on this caiman w/some inteligence and did alot of research prior. He was feeding great until baout 2 weeks ago, when the weather became cooler. He acts like a gator that wants to hibernate. I have tried warming up the enclosure and increasing the basking temps but he will either spend the bulk of his day in his burrow or in the water. He acts as though he wants to be cold. I know that they are one of the most cold tolerate crocs out there, but I also know that in nature they don't hibernate. I know it's alot to take in. This is my first post and the last thing I wanted was a bunch of folks jumping up and saying " YOU SHOULD DO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GET AN ANIMAL ". For what it's worth, I've been keeping herps for around 18 years. Hey Chris Deiter if your out there I thank you much for your book-YOU ROCK!

I dont think anyone was goin to tell you to do your research. The weather is colder, day light is shorter, caimans eat less. I was worried the 1st 2 yrs i had my caiman. Not that she is 5 I'm not even concerned anymore. Dont worry about it. Come feb, march you'll have the lil piggy back on your hands.

>>Here is one for you. I've got a P.palpebrosus that is not eating. He is about 20" long and I've had him for probally 8mo or so. Now I've kept gators and I'm fam. w/ their habits, care etc. I took on this caiman w/some inteligence and did alot of research prior. He was feeding great until baout 2 weeks ago, when the weather became cooler. He acts like a gator that wants to hibernate. I have tried warming up the enclosure and increasing the basking temps but he will either spend the bulk of his day in his burrow or in the water. He acts as though he wants to be cold. I know that they are one of the most cold tolerate crocs out there, but I also know that in nature they don't hibernate. I know it's alot to take in. This is my first post and the last thing I wanted was a bunch of folks jumping up and saying " YOU SHOULD DO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GET AN ANIMAL ". For what it's worth, I've been keeping herps for around 18 years. Hey Chris Deiter if your out there I thank you much for your book-YOU ROCK!

Good to hear. Thanks for the reply.

Mike

My Spectacled goes for weeks at a time almost totally ignoring food (will sort of grab a rat for a few seconds, then drop it).
Then, for no apparent reason resume normal robust eating.
I've had good success lately alternating between bait fish and rats to keep him stimulated. I've had this caiman for nearly 9 years and without any apparent ill health.

As a note, I posted several months earlier that I had begun to keep him on a Cichlid Pellet diet, but no longer do so. Besides the possible health implications that were debated earlier, I found his water would foul much too easily.

Rob

>>Here is one for you. I've got a P.palpebrosus that is not eating. He is about 20" long and I've had him for probally 8mo or so. Now I've kept gators and I'm fam. w/ their habits, care etc. I took on this caiman w/some inteligence and did alot of research prior. He was feeding great until baout 2 weeks ago, when the weather became cooler. He acts like a gator that wants to hibernate. I have tried warming up the enclosure and increasing the basking temps but he will either spend the bulk of his day in his burrow or in the water. He acts as though he wants to be cold. I know that they are one of the most cold tolerate crocs out there, but I also know that in nature they don't hibernate. I know it's alot to take in. This is my first post and the last thing I wanted was a bunch of folks jumping up and saying " YOU SHOULD DO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GET AN ANIMAL ". For what it's worth, I've been keeping herps for around 18 years. Hey Chris Deiter if your out there I thank you much for your book-YOU ROCK!