help ID this crocodilian

[claytonfaulkner]

so i came in the posession of this boy from... well ill save the story for another time, the importing that is that i have it and no clue what it is or how to care for it. if some1 could please help me id it and give me a good care sheet, ill be your best friend.



sorry for the bad quality but all i had was a camera phone

[Purrrfect9]

It almost looks like a baby american Alligator to me, but I'm not an expert. I've only seen adult american alligators and juvie camen crocs.

[OhBalls]

That photo's quality makes it very hard to be sure but it does look like an American Alligator..
Here is a photo of one of my rescues....he's about a year old in this pic....He's an American Alligator and hopefully you can make a good comparison



This site has a decent care sheet http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/868.html

[mainbutter]

I'm 99% sure that's an american alligator.. and spending most of my life in Texas and Louisiana should qualify me to be an "expert", at least in identifying them

I don't have a care sheet for them, I could do googling for you, but it might just be best for you to do that

I can tell you that they do get BIG. A big male can easily top 12 feet and a couple hundred pounds. Luckily they don't get that big TOO fast, it takes them many years to reach full grown size. You can probably expect 6'' to a foot in length added a year, maybe a little more as a juvie and a little less as an adult.

They need lots of water. Gators in the wild spend almost the entirety of the day in the water. They need it deep so they can swim and submerge. They need a strip of land to pull out and bask on as well. Good luck on building a decent pond.

As far as temperatures go, summers in Louisiana are around high 80s to low 100s. Winters get chilly(30s to 50s), but the gators will dig themselves gator holes and wait out the winter. I don't know what is suitable for indoor alligators temperatures. They do bask, in the summers they do this usually in the mornings.. sometimes in the evenings.

Food is pretty simple, meat meat and more meat(but i bet you knew that). Some people feed chickens. Be prepared to feed one HUNGRY gator.

Also check your local/state laws about american alligators. In most states where they are native, it isn't legal to own them without some kind of permit, and those are usually limited to zoos.

[mainbutter]

P.S. on housing.. gators are not clean. They will poop alot, and algae buildup is BAD. You want clean water. I get very pissed at zoos where the water in the gator ponds is full of algae. Sure in the wild they don't live in the clearest of water, but there is a balance maintained by the huge variety of bacteria, plants, and animals that keeps the water "good" for gators. Algae buildup in manmade ponds is not the same balance that is found in lakes and rivers in gator country, and can be detrimental to the health of your scaly beast.

Also I'm sure I don't have to say this, but gators can easily be dangerous. Luckily they are pretty non-aggressive. I wouldn't reccomend cuddling one that is over two foot, but there are many that are content to consider you a benefactor who provides food rather than food yourself(or a potential threat). This said, any gator, especially adult males, can turn out to be tempermental and territorial. I don't know it takes to make a gator that tolerates people or what it takes to make a gator that attacks and chases anyone who comes close to his/her territory, but good luck

[claytonfaulkner]

alight well he hadnt eaten in probably 2 months, they were feeding him cricets, i ended up feeding him a few peices of pork that i had, he hate out of my hands, it was pretty cool, i was wearing leather gloves though cuz i scared the heck out of me. so im in school right now so there will be no ponds built for another 4 years, i doubt ill keep this one. does anyone know if there illegal in alabama?

[BlueSilver]

http://www.crocodilian.com/crocfaq/faq-2.html#3.1.1
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/csp_amis.htm

Here are some links dealing with Gators as pets.
Call your local Fish & Wildlife for details about keeping them




3.3 Are there laws against keeping crocodilians?

Yes there are, and there can be several to consider. Firstly, all crocodilian species are listed under either Appendix I or Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna). Species listed under Appendix I are severely restricted in international trade because they are usually (but not always) endangered or critically threatened in the wild - CITES is a trade agreement, not a firm declaration of a species' conservation status. However, only captive bred specimens of Appendix I animals (which are therefore considered in the same context as Appendix II animals) may be available in some cases. Appendix II animals, which encompass most crocodilian species including caimans, can be traded between countries with the possession of the appropriate export and import permits. Once within a county, CITES no longer applies for trade within that country. CITES import and export permits are no longer necessary for trade between the member states of the European Community.

What about hybrids? It is true that some species will hybridize with others, and this is something they do in the wild as well as in captivity. In the pet trade, some people believe that hybrids are exempt from CITES classification, or that they are classified as CITES Appendix III and can be more easily traded. This is not true! Hybrids take on the CITES classification of the most endangered parent. Breeding an Appendix I Philippine crocodile with an Appendix II mugger crocodile (if such a thing were possible) would give you an Appendix I hybrid. This is only relevant to international trade, however. Laws within countries may or may not recognise hybrids.

Crocodilians such as caimans are often classed as "dangerous reptiles" for fairly obvious reasons, although the legality of keeping a crocodilian depends upon the country or the state in question. For example, in the UK it is illegal to keep a crocodilian in captivity unless you have an appropriate permit. Such permits can be obtained, but first it is necessary to prove to the local council that you are capable of keeping such an animal. You must have suitable accommodation that is both escape proof and secure, you must be experienced in handling the animal, and you must have a thorough grasp of its husbandry requirements. You're then required to pay a fee for a permit that must be renewed each year pending successful examination of your animals by a qualified vet. In the US, the situation is more complex. In some states, for example, it is illegal to sell crocodilians, but it is legal to keep them. In others, they are classified as dangerous animals and require a special permit to keep them. In some cases, city and/or county statutes prohibiting the keeping of crocodilians supersede any state regulations. The difficulty of getting a permit depends on the state. California, for example, does everything it can to discourage anyone from keeping a crocodilian. Some states are more relaxed, but the situation in these states may well change in the near future as controls on keeping reptiles (particularly those perceived as being dangerous) are tightened. The best solution is to check with your local authority on the laws concerning the purchase and housing of any crocodilian species. A list of contacts is presented in Appendix II. US citizens may also wish to consult the book entitled "A Field Guide to Reptiles and the Law" by John P. Levell.

Remember that if you do not have the appropriate permits that your country or state demands, whether you are interested in trade or captive husbandry, you are breaking the law. The hassle of obtaining a permit is nothing compared with the hassle if you're found without one. In the US, possession of a crocodilian without appropriate permits may range from a class 1 misdemeanour in some states (punishable by a maximum of 1 year in jail and a US$2500 fine) to a class 4 misdemeanour in others (punishable by a US$100 fine). Regardless of the punishment, the animal is confiscated and normally destroyed. Also, most veterinarians will refuse to deal with you unless you can present the appropriate permits.