>>What is the deal with feeding hot dogs to crocodilians? I went to a tourist golf spot that I thought was owned my a respectable herper. A photographer had a ghastly little gator that was obviously underfed with stick limbs and little tail thickness. The 3-4 ft gators seemed to have varying degrees of snout 'strangeness' for lack of a better word. They just didn't look right...some were snubbed, just had a dwarfy look to them. I was glad to hear that the original owner had sold. I'd hate to think that someone I respected kept animals in such poor condition. I declined on the offer to feed hot dogs to the alligators.
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Some of what you describe with the snout can also be attributed to boneless skinless chicken breasts. I have noticed that issue when I get them in through rescue. I am getting pretty good at picking out my "chicken" babies.
I would assume you hit the nail on the head as to the hot dogs. 
Expense. Mazuri is not really cheap persay.
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Cindy
PHFaust
