# new croc tank



## adelherper (Oct 27, 2009)

finally my croc has his new tank with lots swimming room what you think


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## richoman_3 (Oct 27, 2009)

wow thats beautiful, great stuff mate


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## beersdave (Oct 27, 2009)

looks great!!!


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## absinthe_616 (Oct 27, 2009)

awww its so cute and little ^^ how old is it?


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## ChrisZhang (Oct 27, 2009)

great set up im sure he loves it


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## marcmarc (Oct 27, 2009)

Nice!, and what are the dimensions of the tank? I had a 4x2 foot tank made for an eventual Croc but I think that would be too small. Anyone's thoughts?


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## Duke (Oct 27, 2009)

What are the growth rates of crocs? Surely that setup won't last him long?


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## baxtor (Oct 27, 2009)

Duke said:


> What are the growth rates of crocs? Surely that setup won't last him long?


 kept under optimal conditions a saltie can reach 1.9 metres at two years old and at ten years can be double that again.


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## krusty (Oct 27, 2009)

looks great but what size is it .


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## bfg23 (Oct 27, 2009)

marcmarc, Parks and Wildlife want 6ft tank as a minimum. I would not recomend putting them in anything smaller than a six footer either.

This is a freshie so it grows slower than a saltie, but I would say it would last in that tank for another 2 to 2.5 years.

adelherper- you have UV and basking lights right?


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## Herpcrazzzy (Oct 28, 2009)

crocs are awsome i wish i could get one
awsome cage to but it looks a bit small.


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## RCW74 (Oct 28, 2009)

Nice setup..... but out of interest (and ignorance), how do you house a croc when it gets to 1-1.5m plus? An outdoor fenced pit? Converted pool?!


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## marcmarc (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks for the info, I will do more research before I get serious with this.



bfg23 said:


> marcmarc, Parks and Wildlife want 6ft tank as a minimum. I would not recomend putting them in anything smaller than a six footer either.
> 
> This is a freshie so it grows slower than a saltie, but I would say it would last in that tank for another 2 to 2.5 years.
> 
> adelherper- you have UV and basking lights right?


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## ShnakeyGirl (Oct 28, 2009)

RCW74 said:


> Nice setup..... but out of interest (and ignorance), how do you house a croc when it gets to 1-1.5m plus? An outdoor fenced pit? Converted pool?!


 
Yep, thats what we're planning on doing with our salty at least. For the record our little guy is currently kept in a 4 foot enclosure and he does fine it it.. 

Fantastic new set up, looks amazing.


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## adelherper (Oct 28, 2009)

hey guys i do have uv and basking spot they on hood thats gettin made as wespeak
the tank is 5ft by 18in 
freshies can take 10 yrs top grow 2 meters and it all depends on how much you feed etc my little bloke is just over a year and he bout 400mm


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## ShnakeyGirl (Oct 28, 2009)

adelherper said:


> hey guys i do have uv and basking spot they on hood thats gettin made as wespeak
> the tank is 5ft by 18in
> freshies can take 10 yrs top grow 2 meters and it all depends on how much you feed etc my little bloke is just over a year and he bout 400mm


 
Salty's can also take up 6 years to get to 1.5m,depending on feeding and sex of the individual animal


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## bfg23 (Oct 28, 2009)

There is a shop in Adelaide here with a 11 year old salty that is not even 1.5metres. I think it is underfed a bit, I also have not seen any basking lights in the tank any time I have been in the shop, and the UV lights are over a meter from the croc so its probably not even receiving any useful UV light.

Funny how they grow at different rates. My freshie is only 10-11months old and just touching 550mm. I think I may have a male as I have heard it rumble and groan a few times, but only adults do that? I will have to get it X-rayed to be positive.

haha @ adelherper, i got the same fluro batten fitting for my croc tank.


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## adelherper (Oct 28, 2009)

you dont actually have to have uv they can and do live fine with out them


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## ShnakeyGirl (Oct 28, 2009)

bfg23 said:


> There is a shop in Adelaide here with a 11 year old salty that is not even 1.5metres. I think it is underfed a bit, I also have not seen any basking lights in the tank any time I have been in the shop, and the UV lights are over a meter from the croc so its probably not even receiving any useful UV light.
> 
> Funny how they grow at different rates. My freshie is only 10-11months old and just touching 550mm. I think I may have a male as I have heard it rumble and groan a few times, but only adults do that? I will have to get it X-rayed to be positive.
> 
> haha @ adelherper, i got the same fluro batten fitting for my croc tank.


 


adelherper said:


> you dont actually have to have uv they can and do live fine with out them


 

+1 on them not requiring UV. We have a suspected male Salty and he has only grown about 3cm in the time we have owned him. You'll probably find that there is more than likely a reason why the croc is only 1.5m at that age. More than likely because its female and also because its not fed everyday, which they shouldn't be. Adult crocs only _*need *_to eat a couple of times a year, what does that say for the youngins, which is why ours only gets fed once every 3 weeks or so.


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## adelherper (Oct 28, 2009)

i feed mine mayb once a week but have few feeder fish swimming around


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## largeheaded1 (Oct 28, 2009)

sorry guys never actually seen or been near a pet croc...how are they as a pet? Can you handle them? What about when they are handle...very curious about this hey!

Pretty sure you cant get them as pets in QLD but can in SA?


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## MasterZ (Oct 28, 2009)

Herpcrazzzy said:


> crocs are awsome i wish i could get one
> awsome cage to but it looks a bit small.


 
I agree it sucks:evil:!!! I would love to have crocs


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## adelherper (Oct 28, 2009)

mine isnt to bad to handle


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## bfg23 (Oct 28, 2009)

Good luck getting a hold of my guy at night time.
During the day you might have a bit better chances, but he is very aggressive and will get you given the chance. I have to be very careful when putting his feed dish in his enclosure because he will come bounding out of the water onto the land snapping at me.
The only time I handle mine is when absolutely necessary. Which is never as I can clean the enclosure with him still in there and have only had to move him twice and he did not like it. I didn't get a croc to have cuddles with.
As a pet they are no good. As a viewing spectacle and a living breathing dinosaur in your house they are pretty damn awesome. 
Definitely the crowd pleaser when I have guests over.

adelherper- once a week? Up the food for another year or two at least. My guy will eat 100gm chicken and almost a dozen fuzzy mice in a week. Every second day. And whatever feeder fish he manages to get.


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## adelherper (Oct 28, 2009)

he seems happy he gets left over chicken from t few days aweek to so thats fine


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## ReptilianGuy (Oct 28, 2009)

adelherper said:


> finally my croc has his new tank with lots swimming room what you think


nice setup there adelherper, looks like it has all it needs. cute lil guy in there as well



marcmarc said:


> Nice!, and what are the dimensions of the tank? I had a 4x2 foot tank made for an eventual Croc but I think that would be too small. Anyone's thoughts?


not sure on your state regulations but 4x2 is suitable for a small croc, although a change is needed at a max of 500mm.



bfg23 said:


> There is a shop in Adelaide here with a 11 year old salty that is not even 1.5metres. I think it is underfed a bit, I also have not seen any basking lights in the tank any time I have been in the shop, and the UV lights are over a meter from the croc so its probably not even receiving any useful UV light.
> 
> Funny how they grow at different rates. My freshie is only 10-11months old and just touching 550mm. I think I may have a male as I have heard it rumble and groan a few times, but only adults do that? I will have to get it X-rayed to be positive.
> 
> haha @ adelherper, i got the same fluro batten fitting for my croc tank.


 


bfg23 said:


> Good luck getting a hold of my guy at night time.
> During the day you might have a bit better chances, but he is very aggressive and will get you given the chance. I have to be very careful when putting his feed dish in his enclosure because he will come bounding out of the water onto the land snapping at me.
> The only time I handle mine is when absolutely necessary. Which is never as I can clean the enclosure with him still in there and have only had to move him twice and he did not like it. I didn't get a croc to have cuddles with.
> As a pet they are no good. As a viewing spectacle and a living breathing dinosaur in your house they are pretty damn awesome.
> ...


 
i think you will find that the croc in the pet shop is a female saltwater crocodile.... mine and shnakeygirls croc is only 330mm total length or 150mm snout to vent, was 260mm when we got him in march... crocs grow according to food availability like most reptiles but they don't grow rapidly either... a female at 11yrs will normally be around and just over 1.5m and males are normally 1.8 as they do grow predominately faster and larger
than a female crocodile... a 4yr old male saltwater croc will generally be 4ft long if fed regularly like the ones i worked with did and the females we're all around the 900mm-1000mm mark. and thats with just a daily feed of a peice of chicken or mullet.
keep in mind a crocodiles breeding age is about 13yrs, were the female is on or around 1.5 and the male on or around 1.8m. and then they slow there growth rate down dramatically once at breeding age... 
another thing is that crocs don't require UV. well they do for vitamin D but it can be supplimented if there is no UV source through calcium and vitamin dust containing D3. and UVb bulbs only put off UVB, UVA is also required wich can only be obtained from a full spectrum white light or sun where both of those sources cover UVA and UVB... and they sun always being the best

you seem to over feed your croc and for a freshy to be aggressive i'd say it's more food responsive... that is way to much for it to be eating, it almost seems like you'd have to force feed it... they really only need a feed once a week or fortnight at a young age, ours getting fed every 2-3 weeks with mince, heart or fuzzy mice dusted in suppliments and availabilty of a broad spectrum basking lighting... and feeder fish if it chooses. 
he also handles great without any mouth restraint at the moment and will handle well once he cools and stops being defensive.. not aggresive at all. aggresion being a common misconception for defensive...

Adelherper, sounds like your doing well and what is best by your croc. 

my partner shnakeygirl stated some points in this thread BFG but like in most of your other threads you dismiss or disregard a womans opinion on an issue...
she knows a bit of fact as i used to work with these animals and it is an interest of hers....


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## GreggMadden (Oct 28, 2009)

Cant imagine why anyone would keep a croc, but that is cool as hell.... I guess if I did not live in New York City and had the yard space, I would keep one... LOL


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## adelherper (Oct 29, 2009)

hey ReptilianGuy i reckon u are right bfg23 is way over feeding my little bloke is happy eatin the amount i feed him and bfg does come across like he does disregared womens opinions but some blokes as well


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## bfg23 (Oct 29, 2009)

well i got all my information from here
Crocodilian Captive Care FAQ (Caiman, Alligator, Crocodile)

The two big herp shops in Adelaide also feed their crocs every second or third day as juvi's.
The dealer I got my croc from had over a dozen juvi crocs in his house and was feeding them all 3 to 4 times a week. His own pet croc was 3 years old and he had slowed the feeding down, but he advised me of this.
I hardly force feed either, I place his food on his land area and he eats what he wants.
Do crocs get obese? Because I feed a heck of a lot more than you guys do but he is still in good shape. He would have the same figure as all other crocs I have seen.

Sorry guys if you think I have disregarded your opinions, i missed snakeygirls post about feeding while i was typing one up. 
Please show me where else i have ignored a females opinion.

Instead of making this thread another aps argument. lets keep on topic.

What temperature do you keep the water at? And basking site?
There seems to be some different advice on how to keep these so I am opening my ears on the topic.

Adelherper- Again not wanting to start arguments, but how do you know the croc is happy being fed once a week? Its not like they smile at you and say gday.


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## bfg23 (Oct 29, 2009)

mckellar007 said:


> in one week he would eat 3 or 4 peices of chicken, 8 fuzzies, 10 goldfish and a couple of yabbies.


http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...-other-herps-40/freshwater-croc-photos-116544

Maybe I am not the only one 'Force Feeding' ?


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## ShnakeyGirl (Oct 29, 2009)

bfg23 said:


> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...-other-herps-40/freshwater-croc-photos-116544
> 
> Maybe I am not the only one 'Force Feeding' ?


*Everybody is going to feed their animal what they think is appropriate. I just saying that I would never feed a Saltwater Croc the amount that you're feeding your Freshie. To me it just seems alot.*




bfg23 said:


> well i got all my information from here
> Crocodilian Captive Care FAQ (Caiman, Alligator, Crocodile)
> 
> *Bfg, can I please suggest you try and source out some Australian info on keeping them. We don't have Alligators or Caymens in Australia. *
> ...


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## bfg23 (Oct 29, 2009)

Please link me to the care sheets you use I would love to have a read since recommendations vary so much.

I have been keeping water temperatures at 29-30degrees, and a basking site of 40-45 which he will bask under each night.

What damage am I doing by feeding so often?
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...ther-herps-40/my-croc-getttin-n-so-fat-112135
Maybe this croc was just fed, but mine is _skinnier_ that the one pictured.

Yes my crocodile has become food responsive. My hands only ever go in the tank when I am giving him food and cleaning the tank.


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## BlackMamba (Oct 29, 2009)

Can I ask how you clean the tank while he is in there? Sorry if that's a silly question to some. Also if you had a special made pit outside when it gets bigger, how would you restrain the croc go in to clean the pit? Anyone know?


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## bfg23 (Oct 29, 2009)

Well cleaning the tank only involves using a fish tank spyhon to change water once a month.


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## ReptilianGuy (Oct 29, 2009)

bfg23 said:


> Please link me to the care sheets you use I would love to have a read since recommendations vary so much.
> 
> I have been keeping water temperatures at 29-30degrees, and a basking site of 40-45 which he will bask under each night.
> 
> ...


 
gotta take into consideration the feeding habits are different to each croc but not by much and for a small freshy that is 550mm long that is way to much food... they are a reptile not mammal. the only time over feeding would be a good practise is for them is if they are underweight...

***... water temp at 29-30 'C!!!! basking spot 40-45 'C.... i gather that site states it... we dont use care sheets for crocodiles... i've worked with these animals for some time but coudln't have my own in QLD, hence why i owned one a few months after moving here in November... the water temp for "AUSTRALIAN CROCODILES" should be between 24'C and 27'C, also take into consideration the temp of coastal Northern Australian rivers and creeks never very much warmer than 28'C-30'C'excluding still water or shallow blocked creeks... and land temps depending on how far inland the the water source they inhabit is located the most you would commonly see, on the coast is 38-42 'C in the peak of summer... NT and WA may differ and reach 44-47'C in peak of summer...


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## bfg23 (Oct 30, 2009)

I will lower the water temperatures a little bit then.
Maybe he does not eat a full 100grams of chicken, but i feed him 4 velvet mice in one sitting, and do that 3 times a week. I also chop up chicken and offer that if he is looking skinny.

Just for some additional input, I emailed Crocodlyus Park in the NT and asked how often they recommend to feed to a single Freshie under a year old, and they said 3 times a week till its 12-18months old, then cut back to twice weekly for a following year or two.

Also, I am measuring surface temperatures under the basking site with an IR gun, ambient temps under the basking site are probably a little lower than surface temp directly under the hotspot mind you.

Thanks for the advice Reptilianguy. 

Also, the temperatures I was advised to use were from the man I got the crocs from. He had over a dozen in his shed he was raising and had a 3year old pet freshie. When I mentioned a water temperature of 26degrees he was very quick to correct me and say 30.
I sort of thought he might know what he was talking about. 

Obviously the water temperatures in the wild would vary from season to season?
Also, what work did you do with the crocodiles? Sounds like an awesome job.


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## ReptilianGuy (Oct 30, 2009)

26 is good as a base temp or for winter temps, and come our summer most tank water can get up 33'C or 5'C lower than the air temp. i used to work in a small zoo that had young crocs in it for awhile doin tours ect.. i also worked and lived with them in the wild, not with them directly but near and around and well in their habitat most times cutting the risk since i was young, hence a deep interest in them from a young'n. I also had the pleasure of swimming with one of 2m in the middle of the Torres Straits on a remote and beautiful island and reef.
now that is an awesome experience spear fishing... it was a shame i took the spear gun and not my U/Water camera i had at the time.


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## itbites (Oct 31, 2009)

When I had my freshy I was told by an experienced keeper that any lower than 28 water temps can create health problems...
And my basking spot which was a UV plus heat light had temps ranging from 31-36 degrees.

Also I was feeding my lil one 2 times a week he'd get pinky's chicken small feeder fish & crickets.
Even then he was looking too small/skinny.

The person who has him now feeds a lot more often & the little guy is a lot better off for it.
You added the link in this thread & he was my old croc. 
He's very well cared for & in no way needs to be force fed to eat the amount he's given 
& would in fact take more if offered I'm sure.

Everyone's feeding/husbandry technique is different, some people feed less as not to have them grow too quickly
others feed more often to what they think is a healthy diet it really is a matter of personal preference. 

EDIT**As an example of what I am saying.. I'm sure in the wild snakes aren't heated day & night 
but in captivity it is a totally different story *especially when talking about a juvenile*

you can replicate a more natural environment for your crocodile but when young 
it is best to treat them just that little more fragile IMO


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