fresh water croc's

[percey39]

Just wondering how many people keep fresh water crocs on here and how easy they are to maintain (as in cage cleaning, temps and feeding) i have a friend who owns salties and reckons freshies are heaps easier. i guess mainly due to size and the actual growth rates. oh i am looking at getting one so any help would be much appreciated

 

[snakehandler]

We have both, they are about the same work, however it takes a while for freshies to get to 2m.....

 

[percey39]

oh how i envy you, yeah thats what i was thinking so i chose the freshies as i heard i can take over 10 years sometimes to hit 2m. i was just wondering if a tank 10 foot x 4 foot x 4 foot would be big enought for say 10 years or more. do you have to change water fairly often, as im not on tank water and just curious. thanks

 

[mckellar007]

i keep both and havent really noticed a difference accept for growth rates, freshy is alot smaller and not much younger. i try to change the tank water as often as i change the turtles, once every 2 weeks change 2/3 tank water and clean 1 element of the bio filter.

 

[percey39]

oh ok so they are not too bad as far as changing water i was told once a week, the only thing stopping me from buying salties as well is the size and food requirements for them. i think it would be easier moving a freshie any day lol. are the tank dimensions i said earlier okay for the freshies. thanks for ya help

 

[mckellar007]

it all depends on how much you feed it as to how much it grows. if your feeding it heaps and its growing fast, a tank like that might only last 3 or 4 years. but if your feeding it enough to keep it healthy, but not necessarily to grow it heaps then it could probably last 10 years quiet easily.

 

[percey39]

thanks thats what i was told and was hoping this was true, i will def get one soon just want to be sure i know all the ins and outs of what im in for

 

[killerb]

iv seen person keep a 4 foot one in a 7 foot tank
looked a bit cramped thou
And she was supposed to be a professional exhibitor

 

[percey39]

yeah i heard you keep a 3 footer in a 6 ft tank it just doesnt seem right or fair!!! thats why im gonna start with a 6 x 3x 3 and go to 10x 4 x 4

 

[killerb]

Dont forget that you will be letting them out for daily walks round the block

 

[percey39]

haha yeah and letting them free roam my house and steal my shower lol

 

[snakehandler]

Our 1.5m saltie is in a 3mx3m pond with a 2mx3m dry area....we use the rule of thumb for crocs that the pond size should be 2xlength and the dry area large enough for the croc to get out entirely. This gives you a bit of room to work with and allow to grow, once they are not looking comfortable we increase the area!

 

[percey39]

that sounds like a good amount of room, how long has it taken to hit 1.5m so i have a rough idea when my shed needs to be transformed

 

[snakehandler]

He is 5 years old, and the last time we measured him was 3 months ago, he is over 1.5m now......my freshies are older and only just over 1m

 

[percey39]

cheers for that so i have a fair while til i lose part of me shed

 

[percey39]

just wondering if anyone on here could point me in the right direction, i am trying to find hatchling fresh waters. I cant seem to find any for sale

 

[spanna_spamload]

wait a few months and there will be heaps

 

[percey39]

yeah was thinking that but cant seem to find any breeders that sell them

 

[spanna_spamload]

ultimatereptiles.com sell them although they dont have any at the mo

 

[BlackMamba]

How do you clean the enclosure when it's decent size...water etc?