Caiman Lizards...info?

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foto69man

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May 20, 2010
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http://richbeasley.com/

Great guy...he kept calling ever few days after I got marvin to make sure everything was good, and no problems came up. Yeah I love Marvin's colors...as with most reptiles, the pictures(and my skill at taking them) don't do him justice. He's alot brighter than he looks. Onery little guy too... When I got him I didn't expect him to have as big a personality as he has.
 

tricksterpup

It's SPRING!!! BUNNIE RABBITS
Apr 16, 2001
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tricksterpupstanks.blogspot.com
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Jim Soos
While I agree that emergencies and accidents can happen...I can't base all my choices off of what 'could possibly' happen. I appreciate the concern, but I will just be careful, and i guess walk around in bubblewrap from now on... :Angel:

My plan, as it goes is this:

1. Find a house I like
2. Get the suppleis to build his/her tank
3. Start an apple snail colony so I have a succesful and prolific food supply avaialable even before the liazrd arrives.
4. Start building the enclosure(I agree with you about the heavy filter requirement...I had a couple RES before, so I understand what you are talking about)
5. Let the enclosure run/cycle for a month or two
6. Get the camian lizard and settle him in(after a bit of QTing to watch for dieseases and such)


Once I get my new computer(i'm using my work one) I'll put up my google sketchup ideas for his tank...
I hope you didnt think I was flaming you. It does sound like you do have everything thought out Which is great.
A few things I recommend.
1. look to where you buy your house, make sure there are no laws against exotics. Its better to be safe than sorry.

2. you snail colony, I recommend freezing alot of snails as well and keep many on hand. I am speaking from experience. I just had a roach colony crash on me and when you have a food source like this, its hard to get what you need last minute.
Trust me, I tried to keep red belly snakes here but could not find a constant food source for them, they required slugs. I was forced to release them back into the wild. Which was fine, they were wild caught and kept in QT any way.

3. you have your house, and you have a huge room to setup for this cage. I recommend hunting down the Reptile magazine that shows you the Caiman caging setup. It was huge but amazing. It may be worth your time to try something like this. It was roomie and may also allow you to do multiple species, such as fish and turtles in a setup with your lizards.
I am also one who is against cross caging with different species but this setup was about the size of a small room and you could do something like this.
 

foto69man

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May 20, 2010
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No I didn't think you were flaming me...I was trying to be funny, but day after a holiday...so I failed...:dance2:

Never thought of that about freezing the snails, thanks for that. Texas is where I'll be getting a house, the San Antonio area...and from everything I can find I am good to go since the caiman is a lizard and not a snake. Also, I'm not breeding/dealing so I am good to go(Somebody correct me if I am wrong)

For the reptile article, could point me in the right direction, or provide some more info? I'd ike to see it.

As far as mixing species, I was debating some smaller south american cichlids...have to do some more research on ones from the same area as the lizard, peru.

Keep it coming cause you are helping, and I don't interpret it as flaming
 

tricksterpup

It's SPRING!!! BUNNIE RABBITS
Apr 16, 2001
1,907
12
38
Minneapolis
tricksterpupstanks.blogspot.com
Real Name
Jim Soos
No I didn't think you were flaming me...I was trying to be funny, but day after a holiday...so I failed...:dance2:

Never thought of that about freezing the snails, thanks for that. Texas is where I'll be getting a house, the San Antonio area...and from everything I can find I am good to go since the caiman is a lizard and not a snake. Also, I'm not breeding/dealing so I am good to go(Somebody correct me if I am wrong)

For the reptile article, could point me in the right direction, or provide some more info?
Ask and you shall receive.
http://www.reptilechannel.com/lizards/lizard-care/caiman-enclosure.aspx

Here is a picture of the enclosure finished. Now just imagine that with tall branches and bushy plants, you could keep a few lizards and could breed them.
IMHO why spend that high amount of money on an animal for only as a pet?
 

foto69man

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May 20, 2010
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I'm in love...............Well as far as spending the money just for a pet, I don't really have an answer lol...I know whenever friends come over that my beardie marvin is the center of attention, so having a sweet set-up like that would be even cooler
 

tricksterpup

It's SPRING!!! BUNNIE RABBITS
Apr 16, 2001
1,907
12
38
Minneapolis
tricksterpupstanks.blogspot.com
Real Name
Jim Soos
I'm in love...............Well as far as spending the money just for a pet, I don't really have an answer lol...I know whenever friends come over that my beardie marvin is the center of attention, so having a sweet set-up like that would be even cooler
Yeah imagine having blue moon lights in a cage like that, so you could sit there and maybe hear a waterfall in the back ground and watching the plants late at night. It would be so soothing. You know this would make one hell of a rainforest setup.. just imagine tree frogs in there as well.
But then again, not with a big lizard. lol
 

foto69man

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May 20, 2010
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Well...the caiman lizard eats veggies, fruits, and snails...thats all I could find. I wish there was some wild video...to see what else they might eat. I was thinking small cichlids might be able to co-exist. Don't get hurt if I decide to steal the waterfall/rainforest/moonlight idea now... :bling:
 

tricksterpup

It's SPRING!!! BUNNIE RABBITS
Apr 16, 2001
1,907
12
38
Minneapolis
tricksterpupstanks.blogspot.com
Real Name
Jim Soos
Well...the caiman lizard eats veggies, fruits, and snails...thats all I could find. I wish there was some wild video...to see what else they might eat. I was thinking small cichlids might be able to co-exist. Don't get hurt if I decide to steal the waterfall/rainforest/moonlight idea now... :bling:
I would not get hurt at all. I put it there for a reason. To spark ideas. I would also look into types of plants to use. Go to a local conservatory to get ideas.
If I wasn't a renter, I would go for something like this. It would be a killer addition to a basement or a large room.
 
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