Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all i just got a new baby garot 8" i have him set up in a 75 gallon tank right now with a large rubbermaid tub as the land. i have dirt and a little sand in there for him to come out onto as well as a basking rock under the heat lamp so he can bask,and some fake leaves on the land and water. The water is 86-88 F and about a foot deep.i also have a lagre branch half in the water and half on land so he can hang out on it or use it to get onto the land...since most of you on this forum have had gators a long time i was wondering if theres anyhting else i can do for him, or if anyone had some advice for me it would be great. also how long will this set up last.
thanks
Gerald

Hi,

If fed properly and maintained at proper temps, that set up will last him until he gets to be about 2.5 feet. Once he gets to that point, you need to start considering something larger.

www.crocodilian.com/crocfaq

Good Luck.

n/p

since I practically live at a computer, and sitting on a telephone at a computer for 8-10 hours a day instructing people that have absolutely NO Business owning a computer how to fix it, can get boring and at moments highly irritating. When I get home I am at MY computer researching crocs and studying the forums and piecing together information. I dont have much of a life unfortunately. I am sure yours is much more interesting. Does my consistensy in posting on this forum bother you?

Check the other post-wrong thread, wrong forum all together, two things at once. Not directed at anyone.

np

n/p

You can save yourself some money if you let the water cool down to the mid to upper '70's. The gator doesn't need it as warm as you are keeping it - they acutally use the water to cool down in the wild. Also, the gator will be more likely to come out to bask if the water temp is a little cooler - a more natural condition.

Good Luck

Bill

Bill, Question:

My Vet said that the my young gator won't want to bask much because in the wild they are more vunerable to predators while on the land.

Wouldn't having colder water and forcing him onto land cause him more stress?

Just wondering.

Matt

Your Vet is right, in the wild they hatchlings do spend most of their time in the water hiding in the rushes and among fallen trees and other cover. My experience is that they adapt very quickly and soon learn that they are safe in their artifical habitat and seem to be relatively stress free as long as they are left mostly alone.

As for the temperature, you wouldn't be keeping it cool, just more inline with what is natural in most of their range.