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Fucci60   JusFTW   Fucci60  
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 #1882333


Fucci60
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 Lazy Caiman

I just bought a young caiman 2 days ago.. He is young, I believe under a year old, and not over 8 inches in length. I have him in a 75 gallon tank at this point which is mostly water based. The water is about 5-6 inches deep, and allows for him to reach the surface with his front legs only slightly off the bottom. There is a land part which is about 1 foot long by six inches wide on the backside of the tank. The water is a consistent 85 degrees, and there is a daylight basking bulb fixated on the land during the day, and a night time bulb for the night.

My question is, he has been favoring the right side of the tank since i put him in there. I have been checking periodically all day today and he has not left the front right part of the tank. He is standing there, resting with his front legs on the filter and his head peaking out of the water, and he has been like this for adleest eleven hours. Is this normal?

Take into consideration that it is a new tank, he may be adjusting. I also fed him today, he ate one large goldfish and one fuzzy mouse which was smaller than the size of his head. But there is much more tank for him that he hasn’t even gone near yet, the waterway is unobstructed, and it is easy access to the land segment...

I guess what I am asking is is this normal for a dwarf caiman? I understand they are not the most active pets, and Im not looking for anything out of the ordinary, I am just wondering.
-Thanks for any help
10/17/08  12:45am

 #1882342


JusFTW
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   Message To: Fucci60   In reference to Message Id: 1882333


 Lazy Caiman

Give him time to get used to his new home. Get a acyrlic log or large rock to put in the water so he can lay flat on his belly and still keep his head out the water. I got a very nice zoo med(I believe) acrylic log, its about 8 inches tall, 16 inches long & hollow. It would be perfect, pet supplies carrys them for $45.

Personally I found that my caiman likes the water on abit the cooler side, I keep it at 78-80. Make sure you have a hide on land as well, my caiman loves laying in the hide during the day. Also caimans have been called statues cause the really arent to active besides feeding time.

Good to hear hes feeding so early, usually they take some time before they take their 1st meal. BTW what species is it palpebrosus or trigonatus?

Justin
10/17/08  01:54am

 #1882383


Fucci60
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   Message To: JusFTW   In reference to Message Id: 1882342


 Lazy Caiman

I believe it is a Paleosuchus Palpebrosus or Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman...
10/17/08  09:09am


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