How to Keep a Pet Baby Crocodile? A Complete Guide to Care Methods

At the mention of crocodiles, many people get scared, thinking they eat people, so much so that keeping one is out of the question, but small crocodiles can be kept as pets, so how do you keep a pet baby crocodile?

1. Feed Selection

Keeping a pet crocodile is not very difficult, in fact it is easier to keep than some tropical fish; apart from safety issues, there is nothing too worrisome to deal with. A pet crocodile's food is meat: fish, crustaceans, shellfish, aquatic turtles, and the meat of various poultry and mammals are all acceptable. A pet crocodile has a big appetite, but that does not mean you can overfeed it heavily; gorging is not a good thing, as it will grow very quickly and its lifespan will be much shorter.

2. Water Quality and Environment

Water quality is a major issue when keeping a pet crocodile. Crocodiles are big eaters, and if you do not pay attention to cleaning, the water in the enclosure will quickly deteriorate or become dirty, which can trigger various diseases. Proper sunbathing is far better for a crocodile than UVB and UVA lamps; although crocodiles are more inclined to be aquatic, they still need to bask in the sun whenever they get the chance. The enclosure should ideally be 1.5 times the crocodile's body length, and it is best to set up a basking platform; a turtle basking platform will do.

3. Rest Quietly and Feed

Many hobbyists, when buying a pet crocodile, already worry about the crocodile's future temperament, or are very excited and curious, so as soon as they receive it or bring the crocodile home they put it in their hands to play with. This is a huge mistake. The first thing to do when the crocodile arrives home is to let it rest quietly, otherwise it will cause it stress. After 4 days of resting quietly, you can feed it; you can feed it small loaches or small white mice, but you must not feed it prey that is too large.

4. Persist with Taming

After keeping the pet for about 8 days, you can try to tame the baby crocodile. At first the little thing will be very unaccustomed, may struggle wildly, and may bite, so you need to wear gloves. Gradually the crocodile can get used to being with you, but it will still have some reservations; do not slack off, and the daily half hour of handling time is essential. Never think that you can relax just because the crocodile no longer seems wary of you; crocodiles are cold-blooded animals, and after a week without seeing you they may forget you completely, so you must keep at it all the time.