How to Raise Crocodiles in Winter? Key Points for Winter Feeding and Management

The crocodile is a type of special breeding, a project with relatively high risk but very high profit returns. Currently, the price of crocodile meat on the market is very high, so many people try to raise them. To raise crocodiles well, you need to let them overwinter safely. So how do you raise crocodiles in winter?

1. Water temperature requirements

The native environment temperature of crocodiles is 27-34 degrees, and the optimal temperature is 32 degrees. If it is below 25 degrees, their activity level will decrease, and below 10 degrees they will enter hibernation, so in winter the water temperature should be kept above 25 degrees as much as possible. Generally in early November, the alligator snapping turtles raised in the nursery pond should be merged into the indoor overwintering pond. If overwintering outdoors, it is best to set up a plastic insulation shed, or use a large piece of plastic sheeting to cover half of the pond surface on the windward end of the overwintering pond to block wind and keep it warm. Before merging the ponds, thoroughly disinfect the overwintering pond to kill pathogens, then wash the pond clean, and spread a 30 cm thick layer of fine sand and mud with a particle size of about 0.6 mm. For alligator snapping turtles that are diseased, injured, or thin and weak, handle them appropriately and overwinter them in a separate pond. The overwintering density is best at 100-150 per cubic meter of water. Keep the pond water depth above 1.5 m.

2. Strengthen daily management

In early winter when the temperature is relatively high, alligator snapping turtles will still go out to forage, so they should be fed nutritious bait with good palatability, and leftover bait should be removed promptly. The overwintering pond requires clear water quality that is light green or light brown. If the pond water is too fertile and the transparency is below 30 cm, part of the pond water should be replaced; if the pH value is below 7, an appropriate amount of quicklime slurry can be sprinkled to adjust it. During the overwintering period, generally change the water 3-5 times, replacing about 1/3 each time, and the temperature of the added new water should be basically the same as the old water in the pond. The temperature difference should preferably not exceed 4°C. Keep the pond water depth always above 1.5 m, and keep quiet during the overwintering period, trying not to walk around in the pond to prevent disturbing the alligator snapping turtles. If alligator snapping turtles are found to be sick or have parasites, diagnose promptly and treat according to the symptoms, to minimize deaths and reduce losses.

3. Feeding requirements

In early spring and early winter, feed once a day, preferably at the hottest time of the day. From late spring to late autumn is the peak feeding season for turtles, and they should be fed twice a day (remember, it is not divided into two portions but fed twice, so increase the amount). The times are 9-10 am and 4-5 pm. The morning feeding accounts for 40% of the daily total. The afternoon accounts for 60%. When raising alligator snapping turtles in winter, no heating was provided, because it was feared that eating all year round would make them grow especially large, so they were still raised according to the normal natural season and their own biological clock.