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 #1398941


HeRpLoViNgIrL
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 How big do dwarf caimans get???

How big do dwarf caimans get? I want to get one but I need to know how big of an enclosure I should have before I get one. Also, are they as aggressive as the wild ones???
08/11/07  02:23pm

 #1399152


Mampam
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   Message To: HeRpLoViNgIrL   In reference to Message Id: 1398941


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

like 5-6ft long
08/11/07  06:04pm

 #1402363


Gottee guy
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   Message To: HeRpLoViNgIrL   In reference to Message Id: 1398941


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

i think they get to about a few feet at most.where do you get them from? i’d say at least an 100 gallon aquarium and also wide enough to swim around with a basking area and a heat lamp.
08/13/07  10:34pm

 #1404104


Downhillgoon
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   Message To: HeRpLoViNgIrL   In reference to Message Id: 1398941


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

When it comes to crocodilian, if you have to ask size questions your not ready. Dont even start with fish tanks. Plan on building a 16 by 10 foot enclosure by the end of the year. And plan on getting bit A LOT. Caiman are extremely aggressive and should only be left to people with lots of experience. As for the enclosure, if you don’t have half an acre to spare, then don’t bother. And don’t think that you can buy him now and deal with it as it comes, because it comes fast. Im forced to move out of my house so I can build the proper enclosure for my crocodilians. Just don’t do it for the sake of the animal. I don’t mean to sound harsh, its just how it is. Most of the people on this forum can’t handle a crocodilian.
08/15/07  02:02am

 #1460660


TJP
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   Message To: Downhillgoon   In reference to Message Id: 1404104


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

"Plan on building a 16 by 10 foot enclosure by the end of the year."

Why would she need to build a 16 by 10 foot enclosure for a dwarf caiman that will only grow a few inches a year at best? A 100 or 200 gallon aquarium would be fine for it, even after 5 years or more.
They don’t grow fast, and they don’t grow big.....5 or 6 feet will take years, if it ever reaches that size.
At 10 years old it will still only be 2 feet.
I have a friend that has a mors x’s siam cross that is 7 years old and barely 4 feet. They don’t grow that fast, especially a dwarf caiman.
09/28/07  02:37pm

 #1460902


Crocodylus
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   Message To: TJP   In reference to Message Id: 1460660


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

TJP what are you talking about? 2ft in 10 years give me a break! Even Dwarf Caimans will grow at a half inch every month for the first few years. A 100 or 200 gal. Aquarium would last you 2 years max.
A well suited enclosure should be atleast 2-3 times the animals length in both length and width.

You should also know that there are two species of Dwarf Caiman- Paleosuchus Palpebrosus and Paleosuchus Trigonatus. Palpebrosus will usually max out at 3-4 foot Trigonatus are more like 4-5 feet on average.
So that still puts the minimum sized enclosure for a 3 ft Palpebrosus at 12’ x 12’

As far as your friends Hybrid croc goes he is growing at the very slowest healthy growth rate. Either its genetics have just made that one a slow grower or his temps are too low.

Either way if anyone whose asking how large a caiman gets has done no where near the neccessary amount of research for keeping these animals. I wont argue that as hatchlings I find them easier to care for than alot of commonly kept lizards. However they quickly become more expensive and more complicated to care for as they grow. And you can’t just get rid of them. Dwarf Caimans are just as nasty in captivity as in the wild, they are not by any means a Pet in the true sense of the word.

Do more research and then make an educated decision on purchasing an animal that may live longer than you will.
09/28/07  06:20pm

 #1467530


TJP
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   Message To: Crocodylus   In reference to Message Id: 1460902


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

Sure, they’ll go through growth spurts at first, but after 10 years, it’ll still be 2 feet or so.

"As far as your friends Hybrid croc goes he is growing at the very slowest healthy growth rate."

No, it’s growing at a rate that hasn’t been assisted by powerfeeding.

Then again, the breeders I know with 30 or 40 combined years of experience, both in the field and privately, could be wrong. Lets see, I’ve seen many of their animals, have done croc and caiman surveys with a few of them in Costa Rica, and have seen some of your previous posts. No offense, but I’m gonna have to stick with what they know, and what I’ve learned from them.
10/04/07  06:23pm

 #1467637


Reedie
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   Message To: TJP   In reference to Message Id: 1467530


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

Just FYI, a caiman will grow about 1ft. per year, so at 5-6 years, a cuvier’s dwarf caiman will be full grown. All the breeders, field scientists, books (written by top-notch crocodilian experts)that I’ve talked to have said the same about growth rate. About 1 ft. a year. Your friend’s croc is growing at an extremely unhealthy and stunted rate.

Look here: Link
Here’s the important bit: ..........How fast do they grow? Hatchling saltwater crocodiles, like the one on the left, emerge from the egg at around 25 to 30cm (1 foot) in length. They can easily sit on the lens of a camera, weighing only 70 grams (2.3 oz). However, they grow rapidly and often exceed 1 m (3.3 feet) in one to two years. The first 10 years of life are accompanied by rapid growth, by which time males are usually at least 3 metres (9.8 feet) in length. Growth slows after reaching sexual maturity (around 10 to 15 years), but typically continues for most of the animal’s life (at least 60 to 70 years)......

I know it talks about saltwater croc, but virtually all crocodilians grow at the same rate, or close.

-Reed
10/04/07  08:08pm

 #1469500


Crocodylus
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   Message To: Reedie   In reference to Message Id: 1467637


 How big do dwarf caimans get???

6-12 inches a year is the natural healthy growth rate of any crocodilian. Yes they do have growth spurts but it averages out to about 1/2 to 1 inch a month. My friends Dwarf is 18 inches and is fed 2 times a week and is only just now 2 years old. My Alligator is 2 ft. long and is only just a year and a half old. He is fed twice a week and his water temp is 75 deg. This is by no means power feeding growth rates. Power feeding produces growth rates of up to 3ft. a year on some farms.

Like Reedie said every Zookeeper, Herpetologist, Book , website, or Hobbyist I’ve ever consulted have presented me with the same information.
Ill give you that it has been shown that Wild specimens have shown slightly slower growth rates but this is attributed to inconsistent food supplies and competition for it with other predators.



10/06/07  03:31pm


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