What to feed baby alligators

How to Raise a Baby Alligator

By Lisa Parris | Updated November 01, 2017

Things You'll Need

Long 55-gallon reptile tank
External tank filter
Child's wading pool
Child's play sand
Natural rocks
Prefabricated chain link dog kennel
UV lights
Ceramic-based heat lamps
Mice pinkies
Crickets
Earthworms
Rats
Rabbits

Warnings

Make sure tank water is treated with de-chlorination products.

Any pet can show aggression; be prepared and cautious at all times.

It is illegal in many places to own an alligator without a permit.

It is illegal in all states to release a pet alligator into the wild. If you're having difficulty with your alligator, contact your local wildlife authority for assistance.

Use a different routine for getting ready to clean than you do for getting ready to feed, as your alligator will learn to recognize the cues for both, and you definitely don't want him to confuse the two.

Thick rubber bands can be placed around the alligator's jaws to keep him from snapping while you tend to his needs. However, they have to be removed eventually.

Baby alligators are much like the babies of any species: cute, little and seemingly helpless. Unable to resist temptation, every year people who have never before attempted reptile care end up purchasing baby alligators to raise at home. According to Crocodilian.com, alligators grow about one foot per year, reaching an adult length of 4 to 7 feet, and can live in captivity for more than 50 years. And although many people have successfully raised alligators as pets, alligator owners face a constant battle against 100 million years of evolutionary programming. Survival instincts cause alligators to view humans as a threat and possible dinner option. These are not low-maintenance pets. They are large, expensive, wild animals that require constant and diligent care. If you have truly thought it out and made the decision to purchase a baby alligator, the following guide can help you raise it.

Choose the type of alligator you want. Generally speaking the Caimans are smaller, but more aggressive, while the American Alligator is tamer (but still an alligator) and larger. Dwarf breeds do exist, but that means a 5-foot gator instead of a 7-foot gator, which makes no significant difference in the size or quantity of equipment and care it will require.

Create an enclosure for your alligator. A 12-inch alligator can be housed in a long 55-gallon reptile tank. Cover the bottom with large, natural rocks that have been boiled in a weak bleach-water solution. Create an "out of water" basking area taking up approximately one-third of the tank by stacking rocks on one end. Add water to the tank, enough for your alligator to totally submerge himself. Add en external filter designed for a 55-gallon tank.

When your alligator outgrows this tank, you can use a child's wading pool filled with children's play sand that has been boiled in water for 10 minutes, drained and allowed to cool. Surround the pool with a thick layer of natural rock for basking and enclose it in a prefabricated chain-link dog kennel.

Light your alligator tank with UV lights. Use the lights to mimic the seasons: Winter is 8 hours, spring is 12 hours, summer is 14 hours and autumn is 10 hours.

Add ceramic-based heat lamps to keep the temperature of the water between 80 and 85 degrees and an air temperature of 90 to 95 degrees. An external water heater may also be necessary as the size of the tank grows.

Feed your baby alligator mice pinkies, cricket and earthworms. When the baby tank is outgrown, add rats and rabbits to the menu. These can be purchased frozen from a reptile house, but must be completely thawed before being given to the alligator. Offer food at the same time every day

Clean the tank and completely change the tank water every two weeks. Rinse the rocks or sand on the bottom of the enclosure and remove any debris.

Resources

Alligators for Sale

Tips

Use a different routine for getting ready to clean than you do for getting ready to feed, as your alligator will learn to recognize the cues for both, and you definitely don't want him to confuse the two.
Thick rubber bands can be placed around the alligator's jaws to keep him from snapping while you tend to his needs. However, they have to be removed eventually.

Warnings

Make sure tank water is treated with de-chlorination products.
Any pet can show aggression; be prepared and cautious at all times.
It is illegal in many places to own an alligator without a permit.
It is illegal in all states to release a pet alligator into the wild. If you're having difficulty with your alligator, contact your local wildlife authority for assistance.

Writer Bio

Lisa Parris is a writer and former features editor of "The Caldwell County News." Her work has also appeared in the "Journal of Comparative Parasitology," "The Monterey County Herald" and "The Richmond Daily News." In 2012, Parris was honored with awards from the Missouri Press Association for best feature story, best feature series and best humor series.

Alligator Food for Sale | Reptiles for Sale

Alligator Food for Sale

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We offer exotic reptiles for sale online at absolute rock-bottom prices, which means we make these fascinating animals available to you affordably as pets, or even to start your own reptile breeding project. We are reptile enthusiasts who believe captive breeding is integral to the future of the market, as it not only helps protect wild herp populations, but is an incredibly rewarding experience that tends to intensify one's passion for these amazing prehistoric creatures. Whether you buy a snake, lizard, turtle, tortoise, or alligator, we are driven to provide the highest quality live reptiles for sale.
Why buy amphibians?
Amphibians are generally slower-moving, and have uniquely moist skin which means they are never far from a source of water. Their life cycle is nothing short of incredible: they hatch in water, spend weeks or months in metamorphosis, then become either terrestrial or remain primarily water bound. Some salamanders even breathe through their skin! Our live amphibians for sale online include frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Some are huge, some are small, and virtually all are amazing to observe in captivity. When you buy amphibians from us, you can rest assured they are fully guaranteed to arrive alive and in great condition. Why not start an amphibian breeding project today?
Why buy feeder insects?
Reptile and amphibian food should be varied, which is why we offer an array of feeder insects for sale. It's always far more cost effective to buy feeder insects in bulk, which often saves up to 70% off pet store prices. Plus, the feeders are delivered right to your doorstep. We offer live crickets for sale, as well as mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers, and now even lizards, all at the lowest possible prices. Our reptile and amphibian feeder insects and lizards include a guarantee of live arrival.

Why buy our reptiles?

We offer exotic reptiles for sale online at absolute rock-bottom prices, which means we make these fascinating animals available to you affordably as pets, or even to start your own reptile breeding project. We are reptile enthusiasts who believe captive breeding is integral to the future of the market, as it not only helps protect wild herp populations, but is an incredibly rewarding experience that tends to intensify one's passion for these amazing prehistoric creatures. Whether you buy a snake, lizard, turtle, tortoise, or alligator, we are driven to provide the highest quality live reptiles for sale.

Why buy our amphibians?

Amphibians are generally slower-moving than reptiles, and have uniquely moist skin which means they are never far from a source of water. Their life cycle is nothing short of incredible: they hatch in water, spend weeks or months in metamorphosis, then become either terrestrial or remain primarily water bound. Some salamanders even breathe through their skin! Our live amphibians for sale online include frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Some are huge, some are small, and virtually all are amazing to observe in captivity. When you buy amphibians from us, you can rest assured they are fully guaranteed to arrive alive and in great condition. Why not start an amphibian breeding project today?

Why buy our reptile feeders?

Reptile and amphibian food should be varied, which is why we offer an array of feeder insects for sale. It's always far more cost effective to buy feeder insects in bulk, which often saves up to 70% off pet store prices. Plus, the feeders are delivered right to your doorstep. We offer live crickets for sale, as well as dubia roaches, mealworms, wax worms, nightcrawlers, and now even lizards, all at the lowest possible prices. Our reptile and amphibian feeder insects and lizards include a guarantee of live arrival.

The truth about alligators: they almost never kill people

Melissa Hogenboom
BBC Earth

21 June 2016

Image copyright Getty

Alligators are dangerous predators and they do attack people. However, as columnist found out BBC Earth , it rarely ends in a fatality.

On June 15, 2016, a two-year-old boy was dragged underwater by an alligator in Orlando, Florida.

Approximately 18 hours later, the boy's body "almost undamaged" was found in the water near the scene.

At a press conference, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said this was the first such incident in the region.

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After the tragedy, many began to think about how dangerous alligators are and whether it is worth visiting the places where they live.

We asked experts in the field to help assess the risks.

Photo credit, Robert Burton US Fish Wildlife Service

Image caption,

Every year, about 7,000 alligators that pose a danger to the public are shot

There are only two types of alligators: the Chinese alligator, which usually does not exceed 1.5 meters in length, and the American alligator, which can be considerably longer.

We don't know the size of the alligator that attacked a child in Florida. According to eyewitnesses, it could be from 1.2 to 2 meters in length, that is, relatively small.

The largest American alligator was discovered in Alabama in 2014. Its length was almost 4.5 meters.

Florida is home to a huge number of alligators. Thanks to the conservation program, their number has reached one million.

American alligators live in all 67 counties of Florida, as well as in other states - Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina.

Ecologist Lucas Nell of the University of Georgia in Athens, USA, has been observing alligators for many years. According to him, it is logical to assume that alligators can live in any body of water in Florida.

Indeed, these predators are found in most swamps and rivers.

But, despite their myriad of them, they very rarely attack people.

Photo credit: Steve Hillebrand US Fish Wildlife Service

Image caption:

Alligators were on the verge of extinction, but now their numbers have increased significantly

Lucas Nell explains that alligators are afraid of people. "They have been hunted since the arrival of Europeans in America, and they were on the verge of extinction," he says.

In 2010, a survey was conducted of all alligator attacks from 1928 to 2009.

It turned out that over such a long period in the United States, only 24 people died from alligator teeth, and most of them - in Florida.

Only a few fatal cases have been reported when an alligator tried to eat a victim.

However, "it is not known whether the attack took place: a person could first drown, and only then get into the teeth of a predator," says author Rick Langley of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

During this period, Langley counted 567 "dangerous encounters" with predators, as a result of which people received bites.

About 260 victims needed serious medical attention, while the rest escaped with minor injuries.

However, considering the total population of this alligator-infested county, it appears that there are only 0. 06 attacks per 100,000 people per year. This is surprisingly low.

Photo credit, Robert Burton US Fish Wildlife Service

Image caption,

Nearly five unprovoked alligator bites are reported each year in Florida

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Crocodile Research Group notes that out of twenty-three crocodile species, only eight prone to unprovoked attacks on people.

These aggressive species include American alligators (which belong to the order of crocodiles, but differ in appearance - Rev. ).

However, according to the IUCN, American alligator attacks are only 6% fatal.

Thus, the risk of dying from alligator teeth is very low, especially compared to the bloodthirsty Nile crocodile (63%) and the combed crocodile (25-50%).

According to a database called CrocBITE, which records almost all cases of crocodile attacks in the world, about 1,000 people are killed every year, with the vast majority of these deaths occurring in Africa.

Alligators are often less dangerous than crocodiles because they are more selective about their prey.

Photo credit, US Fish Wildlife Service

Photo caption,

Alligators rarely attack humans

Researcher at Burbeck College, University of London, Simon Pooley, who works with the IUCN Crocodile Study Group, says crocodiles eat anything moves, including large mammals.

Alligators, on the other hand, rarely attack humans, as they feed mainly on fish, birds, other reptiles, and small mammals.

Unfortunately, children are often about the same size as small mammals and can therefore fall prey to the alligator.

However, an alligator attack on a child is quite rare. As of 2010, attacks on children account for only 13.1%.

At the same time, Langley believes that alligator attacks could increase as "both population and alligator populations grow."

In many coastal areas, people encroach on the natural habitat of alligators, and therefore the paths of these two species of living creatures inevitably cross.

Photo credit: Steve Hillebrand US Fish Wildlife Service

Image caption:

Alligators feed on small animals and birds

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission receives about 16,000 alligator complaints each year.

An alligator that is a nuisance to the local community can be caught if it is over 1.2 meters in size and "poses a threat to people, pets, or property."

Smaller alligators are content with small prey and are not dangerous unless provoked by humans.

In 2015, 7513 alligators were captured by the Commission. According to a 2014 report, 66% of nuisance alligators have been eradicated "by lethal means".

Small alligators, as a rule, are simply taken to another place.

Both Bullet and Nell are confident that these attacks are easy to prevent. But this means that you need to clearly understand all the risks and follow the simple rules developed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Photo copyright Steve Hillebrand US Fish Wildlife Service

Photo caption

Alligators live in most swamps, rivers and lakes in Florida

Nell believes people can live safely around alligators if they use common sense.

"In order to coexist with large and dangerous predators, we need to understand their behavior and be extremely vigilant when in close proximity to them," Pooley says.

Everyone should know the rules, especially visitors and tourists. This means giving people as much information as possible.

"I think people just don't know how widespread alligators are in this area, especially now," Pooley says. "Alligators are especially active this time of year."

Read The original of this article in English can be found on the website BBC Earth.

Crocodile feeding

All crocodiles are carnivorous reptiles, they can feed on live prey and carrion. In nature, crocodiles and alligators are agile hunters. Biochemical studies have shown that they are not able to digest and assimilate vegetable protein. Most crocodiles are nocturnal animals.
Ambient temperature is very important for successful hunting and productive digestion. Most crocodiles stop eating at temperatures below 25 ^o C. The optimal interval is 25-35 ^o C. When the temperature rises more than 35 ^o C, animals experience stress and may refuse to feed. The size of the prey increases according to the age and size of the crocodile.
The young feed mainly on insects and small fish. With age, prey becomes larger - birds, large fish, other reptiles, as well as mammals. In experiments on the American alligator, it has been proven that they easily switch from a fish diet to a meat one, while the reverse transition is accompanied by a period of food refusal.
Digestion is to some extent dependent on the ambient temperature, as is the metabolic rate. As the temperature rises, metabolism speeds up. The process of digestion in a fully fed crocodile can take 4-5 days, so it makes sense to feed the animals once or twice a week, young animals - every day or every other day.
Cannibalism occurs both in nature and in captivity. Under natural conditions, however, this is an infrequent occurrence, although among the captured animals one can meet crocodiles with bitten off fingers, limbs and tails. Aggressive behavior and fights are more common in captivity, especially in high crowded environments. Adequate density (number of crocodiles per square meter) has not yet been established.
The digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract of crocodiles is extremely high. Their gastric juice has a high acidity, which allows them to absorb various types of protein. Most of the energy produced during digestion is stored as fat in the tail, along the back, dewlap and abdomen, which allows animals to go without food for a long time.
The diet of a pet crocodile can be extremely varied, depending on the owner's capabilities and available food sources. The nutritional requirements of crocodiles at home and for various life stages have not been determined. Most of the known schemes are based on theoretical calculations based on the relationship of crocodiles with birds or their comparison with carnivorous mammals.
The most common food items recommended for feeding to crocodiles are fish, frogs, chickens, mice, rats, guinea pigs, and lean meats. Young animals are usually offered insects, earthworms, newborn mice, peeled crayfish, small shrimps and snails. The amount of feed per week should be 5-10% of body weight.