Caiman Lizard help

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spikethebest

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just recently bought a caiman lizard. does anyone have any experience with them?

how do you sex them?
what do you feed them?
how do you house them?

just a few basic questions to start off.

thanks!
 

poison

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i dont have any experience with them other then touching one lol. but i would love to see pics :D
 

chairman

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Set his cage up like you would a water dragon that can't really climb. I think about 60/40 land/water works. Caimans are often described as semi-aquatic tegus, if that helps.

I have heard that they exclusively eat snails and that it is difficult to get them to eat anything else. Other freshwater inverts might work. Or, if you're lucky, maybe you can switch to something more common like dubia.

Sorry, don't know how to sex them.
 

EricIvins

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chairman said:
Set his cage up like you would a water dragon that can't really climb. I think about 60/40 land/water works. Caimans are often described as semi-aquatic tegus, if that helps.

I have heard that they exclusively eat snails and that it is difficult to get them to eat anything else. Other freshwater inverts might work. Or, if you're lucky, maybe you can switch to something more common like dubia.

Sorry, don't know how to sex them.

This isn't true at all. They climb very well, even as Adults. As far as food goes, they are Omnivores, and will eat a myriad of different things.......

Males have enlarged Femoral Pores, along with a bright red head......
 

chairman

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Perhaps I should have said less arboreal. I think water dragon keepers advocate 4-6 ft tall enclosures and a caiman wouldn't need that.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Well see they are arboreal over water, so the floor can be 80% water, with branches over it where the heat source would be. They will eat frogs, snails, cat fish seems well received too. The perch ought to be larger diameter than the lizard, they seem sorta clumsy, a flat board will work too.

Offer a warmed place, and a not warmed place above the water. If you give them two places to sit, one directly above the other then they can be elevated (secure feeling) on the warmed side, as well as on the not warmed side in open or in a somewhat hidden spot (under the perch above). Their bite will keep whatever it gets ahold of, fingers etc.

Many zoos have these days, not all zoos are doing great by them.

And Umm, hasn't reading all the stuff about learn before you buy tortoises seem like it might be a good idea for lizards too? Just sorta note getting the dis-connect here. These lizards are massively cool, and I can see how you might want one, as soon as you see it, but even couple hours research on the internet, would be, well, at least give many people here the idea they are not pixxing in the wind when they spend time offering help. As they say in some parts, can you feel me on this?

Will
 
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