# Reptile room pics



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

Just some random pics of the reptile room. 
Eric


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

Gotta have the tarantula corner  
Eric


----------



## edesign (Dec 3, 2005)

nice pics, i like the cubby-hole idea. In your tarantula corner pic, is that a scorpion in the container without a lid? I would recommend you cover it even though it can't climb the sides. I left the lid off of one of my B. jacksoni's once, thought the container was tall enough it could not escape from it...when I came home from work the next day it was gone. Found it three hours later luckily, apparently it used it's tail to jack itself up high enough to get some legs over the top and from there it fell about four feet to the ground and wound up across the room, in a closet, under a pile of clothes. So, just a word of advice...


----------



## Bearo (Dec 3, 2005)

Do you have pictures of the terrarium for the crocodile?


----------



## Mattyb (Dec 3, 2005)

very nice pics. :clap: 


-Matty


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

Thank you for the compliments, and yes i have a very secure lid on the scorpion container, not one to risk escapees   and i'll get a pic of the caiman set up i basically just have it in a 25 gallon long with a sand bank. 
Eric


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

As you wish...


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

whoops, forgot to post the pic


----------



## Bigboy (Dec 3, 2005)

Someday... someday... until then, I envy you.


----------



## Sequin (Dec 3, 2005)

How bigs your caiman? he/shes wicked. man, i want one. Is that an albino ball? Very pretty as well... If only i was payed alittle more then minimum wage Wonderful collection!
~Meagan~


----------



## Bearo (Dec 3, 2005)

So you basicly just put in som sand and some water and thougt that would be enough?


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

Its actually an albino burmese python, "So you basicly just put in som sand and some water and thougt that would be enough?"  I dont know what your intentions were by stating this but this is an adequate environment for him, considering its an EXTREMELY high stress species he does very well, although i do have to clean the cage constantly since i havent bought a pump yet, all i have is an aerator (sp?), and im working on upgrading his terrarium to a 40 gallon. And if you think im doing something wrong since you are obviously trying to flame me about it atleast have the courtesy to let me know what i'm doing wrong, and btw theirs generally some cork bark floating around for him to hide under i took it out though so you could see him in the pic. And for the person who asked how big he is he's about 14 inches long.
Eric


----------



## Bearo (Dec 3, 2005)

Yes, I ment that for exampel you dont eaven have a pump, nor a good habitat for him to live in or much space.. and thers alge(sp?) growing on his back and a kind of oily residu on the water..
Did you just wake up one day and thought "Hey, I'm gonna go and buy a caiman today "
I could set up a tank like that in less than 5 minutes.. What are you doing to this animal? Why do you have it?

I'm not gonna bother to look back in this thread i guess.. Send a PM if you feel like you have to continue som kind of discution... But please, make shore to come with some good arguments


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 3, 2005)

if it makes you feel better i cleaned his cage yesterday and do you honestly think that in the wild they dont grow algae? Ya know sloths grow algae and fungus on thier backs. ya im sure its really hurting him   And you make this sound so horrible that i dont have a "naturalistic habitat" most of the people on these boards dont have fancy tarantula habitats. Since you obviously know so much about this species, what species of caiman is this? and what are its care requirements, what behavior does this species have that makes it different from other caiman species? And didnt i say earlier in this post that im moving him up to a 40 gallon aquarium? I'd also like to know have you even kept crocodilians before? And why not post on this topic im sure everyone else would like to here your take on this, i dont feel like this is a matter that needs to be discussed in private.
Eric


----------



## Farom (Dec 3, 2005)

Ummm...sloths and tarantulas are completely different than crocodilians...

You may want to check this out: http://www.crocodilian.com/crocfaq/faq-4.html

  Thanks,
Andrew


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 4, 2005)

I read that before i aquired the caiman, but i appreciate the link.
Eric


----------



## RVS (Dec 4, 2005)

I really want a dwarf caiman, but I really don't have the time, room, or money to care for such an animal. Eventually...


----------



## Bearo (Dec 4, 2005)

_boidaddic_ sends me the same message as he wrote here basicly and wants me to make a public discution or something.. I dont want that, I dont really care about seeing those pics anymore so I will have the discution in private. 

Just one question and one awnser, the specie is _Paleosuchus palpebrosus_ from what I can see in the pics.. And, would you drink the water? 
Bye..


----------



## Thrasher (Dec 4, 2005)

do not just say the setup is wrong, please point out what's wrong about them. And try to help him setup it up better. This is not doing the animal any good...and no i wouldn't drink the water. But i don't think you would drink the water in the wild where the cros are either.


Harry.


----------



## DDFISHMAN (Dec 4, 2005)

What are the dimensions of the 40 that you plan to upgrade to?  I personally think that a caiman of 14" should at least be in an aquarium/habitat of at least 120 gallon size tank say with a base of 48*24*24.  you say he's in a 30/35 long or so base 48*12*12 sure the length is ok right now but the width is not so good for it.  There is an lfs by me that has dwarf caiman on display   they are around 18" or so and are kept in a cage measuring 72*34*18 those guys seem kinda crowded in there.  but thats my opinion.  and before im asked yes i have kept crocodilians before.  I had a black caimen kept him in a pen in my basement that was about 18 sq feet with a small pool in there for him and all that good stuff, a hollowed out log for him to bask atop of and rest below.  Fed it chickens rabbits fish and he especially loved shell fish crabs snails crawdads.  but good luck with this guy.


----------



## Pyst (Dec 4, 2005)

Thrasher I totally agree with you. Constructive criticism is always more helpful. I also know that boidaddic is very passionate about his animals and does whatever is needed to make and keep them healthy. I have bought from him before and I could not have been happier with what I recieved. Why would you want to keep your discussion private? Personally I would like for it to be public so we all might learn a thing or two. I can promise you river/swamp water is very nasty. Havent heard of many caimens swimming around in spring water.


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 4, 2005)

Well i guess i'll be getting a 120 gallon tank from what ddfishman says, i do realize it isnt wide enough, and that is why im upgrading the tanks, im actually thinking about getting a large sterilite if they have them big enough, because moving a 120 gallon tank could be quite a hassle, or maybe the have small 4 foot horse troughs or something. And i appreciate the constructive criticism, not the bashing, i wont mention any names though  
Thanks,
Eric


----------



## Pyst (Dec 4, 2005)

At Tractor Supply Company you can get all different sized metal stock tanks. The price for the one below is about $102 for a 175 gallon.

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=8&paID=1039&sonID=214&page=1&productID=9332


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 4, 2005)

if they had a lil bit of a shorter and longer one i might get one of those, i appreciate mike.
Eric


----------



## Bearo (Dec 4, 2005)

I'm not bashing and i'm not able to give a guide because I dont have crocodilians myself.. I discus in private because I dont wanna be a part of a big discution where I have to explain myself why I think this tank isnt good..
Shore, this isnt a huge problem now, but when the animal gets bigger? will he have a good life?

Anyway, you dont see what I write in private so you cant really comment it.. thats to bad for you guys... we are keeping our discution in an adult fasion, I hope..

I think that the FAQ that was posted here earlier was exelent and I think that if you cant live up to that standard, or similar, you should not get an animal like this..


----------



## Pyst (Dec 4, 2005)

boidaddic said:
			
		

> if they had a lil bit of a shorter and longer one i might get one of those, i appreciate mike.
> Eric



There's actually a smaller one at only a 1' high, 2' wide and 6' long that's 75 Gals. for $86.95.


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 4, 2005)

*the new and improved*

I found one of my lil bros old plastic toy chests while cleaning the shed and its perfect!


----------



## Beardo (Dec 5, 2005)

His caimen isn't the only animal being kept improperly.....I see he has an exposed light bulb in with the Blood Python in the first pic...thats a great way to burn your animal....not to mention that heat bulbs suck the humidity out of the air and Bloods need fairly specific temps & humidity levels. 

Yay for mediocrity!


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

Theirs a box with sphagnum moss in it in thier cage, and the humidity is fine. I've had that light in their for 9 months without a problem, since when have you known a blood to move around?
Eric


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

wow im tired of people jumping to conclusions....Im giving up on these forums the only reason people even come here is to scrounge around and try and find someone to start <EDIT> with, posting pics is just a waste of time when people cant appreciate them, they have to shun them and be a sarcastic <EDIT>. These are the last pics im going to post, i thought this forum was better then this. <EDIT> all and good bye.
Eric


----------



## Beardo (Dec 5, 2005)

No, I just can't stand seeing animals being kept improperly/unsafely and the owners acting like its no big deal. Quit being a baby, do some research, learn how to properly care for the animals you have and then post some pics.


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

Dude i've been keeping this pair of bloods for 3 years! I think i know my animals well enough by now, and how to care for them. And no, im not being a baby im fed up with people not caring about others reptutations, thats not something to play with until you have actual facts, atleast 500 people visit this website everyday! People need to think before they post crap that could potentially ruine someones business/hobby, this is why im angry, so maybe you should put a bit more thought into your posts, and ask questions first then make accusations.
Eric


----------



## Windchaser (Dec 5, 2005)

Official warning: Keep things civil in here. If this spins out of control suspensions may be in some of your futures. In addition, this thread will get locked.


----------



## Sequin (Dec 5, 2005)

hm... you should not let the hypocrits on this site get to you so easy. I would have to agree on the light in the blood pythons cage though. I know nothing on caimans, but i think you have a beautiful collection. Perhaps people could stop being so aggressive and relax a little when giving advice.
~Meagan~


----------



## Beardo (Dec 5, 2005)

boidaddic said:
			
		

> Dude i've been keeping this pair of bloods for 3 years! I think i know my animals well enough by now, and how to care for them. And no, im not being a baby im fed up with people not caring about others reptutations, thats not something to play with until you have actual facts, atleast 500 people visit this website everyday! People need to think before they post crap that could potentially ruine someones business/hobby, this is why im angry, so maybe you should put a bit more thought into your posts, and ask questions first then make accusations.
> Eric



Ruin someone's business? How would I do that by pointing out your husbandry mistakes? Do you make your living by selling animals? If not, then I don't understand your above comments. 

Maybe its because this is primarily an arachnid-site...but I am constantly seeing people presenting their ignorance and negligence regarding reptiles on this forum. I get so sick of people posting pictures of Boas in screen cages, pythons w/ exposed lights in their cages, and Caimen in dirty, non-filtered tanks.....this is the kind of crap that would make any decent herper's blood boil. My intentions are not to flame people or to start arguments, and I agree that I am not always the most tactful in my responses to situations I disagree with, and the reason is that I have little to no patience for people who habitually display how NOT to own animals. I *guarantee* that if you posted those pics on a herp-oriented site (a decent one, not Kingsnake where 90% of the members are 12 year olds with one Ball Python) you would likely get a verbal reaming. I'm just telling it like it is. 



> you should not let the hypocrits on this site get to you so easy.


Just out of curiosity...who here is a "hypocrit"? I hope you're not referring me , and if you are perhaps a re-analyzation of what the word 'hypocrit' means is in order for you.


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

http://www.monstersnakesforums.com/forum38/2097.html
Maybe if you knew me, and have seen my actual set ups in person, you wouldnt be so judgemental.
Eric


----------



## Sequin (Dec 5, 2005)

DavidBeard said:
			
		

> Just out of curiosity...who here is a "hypocrit"? I hope you're not referring me , and if you are perhaps a re-analyzation of what the word 'hypocrit' means is in order for you.


Full aware of what a hypocrite is, you cannot honestly tell me you have never made a mistake with husbandry. I do not believe I used any names as examples, and I dont plan to. If you consider yourself one of the few who ruthlessly attack anyone who posts a picture, then sure I could use your name if you'd like. I agree 100% anyone who has an animal in wrong conditions needs to be informed. Maybe you could think about doing it alittle nicer, instead of blasting everyone with your superior knowledge. 
~Meagan~


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

And actually i do make most of my money by selling herps, and how often have you seen a blood pythons coil around a heat lamp 12 inches off the ground? I felt they were in any kind of danger i wouldnt have it in thier. 
Eric


----------



## Samhain-Retic (Dec 5, 2005)

David do you think maybe you could give some kind of constrictive criticism's or just try and bust the guy out like you are the be it all end all of Herp Knowledge? No one knows everything and it looks like you need taken down a peg or two and let known you don't either.


----------



## Arachnopets (Dec 5, 2005)

*Okay All, simmer down*

Maybe no one noticed this post.

On a note to boidaddic:

One thing that eveyone here has in common is the best interest of the animals.  Before jumping to the conclusion that someone is ripping on you, stop and think about what they say.  It may not be in the nicest tone, but we all care about the animals we keep and this can sometimes lead to a visceral response when people feel that animals are in jepoardy.

On another note, I want to tell you a story.

When I got my first Tarantula, a rose hair btw, about 12 years ago it was kept in an arboreal critter keeper with about 1/4 inch of pink gravel.  I fed it about once every 6 months by throwing about 2 dozen crickets in there at a time.  If I gave it a full water dish twice a year that would be saying alot.  I still have that tarantula today.

Now the point of this story is that just because the way that you keep something is working and nothing has happened to the animal doesn't mean that you've been keeping it in optimum conditions.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but any 15 year old that thinks that 2 people could handle an 18 foot Retic needs to do alot more research before they get really really hurt....  Not saying that to be mean, it's just something that needs to be said....

Scott


----------



## Samhain-Retic (Dec 5, 2005)

Arachnopets said:
			
		

> Maybe no one noticed this post.
> 
> 
> 
> Please don't take this the wrong way, but any 15 year old that thinks that 2 people could handle an 18 foot Retic needs to do alot more research before they get really really hurt....  Not saying that to be mean, it's just something that needs to be said....


On another side note here is my 130 pound wife with a 16 foot Retic.  







Not trying to bust balls here but I believe in educating and not setting someone out like a know it all and thats how I read Davids comments. Since we are going to educate people about Retics how many here have them? I have a few


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 5, 2005)

Once again jumping to conclusions, first of all that was written in order to be humorous, and second of all I work for an importer and have dealt with much nastier large constrictors, and i had decided not to do it because it wouldnt of been a responsible thing to do. And many people think that b/c im 15 i havent been in the hobby long. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 7 YEARS. And i may not be the most knowledgeable person on her but i certainly know my animals care requirements, and if you didnt notice i had changed the caiman enclosure b/c i know his tank was too small and i was in the process of upgrading. Like shown in the pictures. And i can guarantee you none of my animals are in jeopardy, and i can assure you they are well taken care of. To be honest i could care less whether their trying "help" me or not. They approached me in a sarcastic aggresive manner and I did the same back. I appreciate you creating these forums, but never again will i post pics or discuss my beloved hobby on these boards.
Eric


----------



## Arachnopets (Dec 5, 2005)

boidaddic said:
			
		

> Once again jumping to conclusions, first of all that was written in order to be humorous, and second of all I work for an importer and have dealt with much nastier large constrictors, and i had decided not to do it because it wouldnt of been a responsible thing to do. And many people think that b/c im 15 i havent been in the hobby long. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 7 YEARS. And i may not be the most knowledgeable person on her but i certainly know my animals care requirements, and if you didnt notice i had changed the caiman enclosure b/c i know his tank was too small and i was in the process of upgrading. Like shown in the pictures. And i can guarantee you none of my animals are in jeopardy, and i can assure you they are well taken care of. To be honest i could care less whether their trying "help" me or not. They approached me in a sarcastic aggresive manner and I did the same back. I appreciate you creating these forums, but never again will i post pics or discuss my beloved hobby on these boards.
> Eric


Wish I could still remember everything I learned when I was 8, hell, I wish I remembered half as much as I thought I knew at 15   I wish you and your animals a long and healthy life.  What you can apparently also care less about is reading the rules here.  2 wrongs do not make a right.  If you have a problem with a post, the correct response is to report it to a moderator, not to continue it by responding.  If you have a problem with a specific users comments, there is always the ignore feature and you never have to look at one of their posts again.  If you choose not to post here, that's your choice, we'll still be around if you decide to come back. 

Scott


----------



## ilovebugs (Dec 5, 2005)

Hey Eric,

Don't let anyone discorage you.

If how you keep your animals works and they are happy as far as you can tell, then don't worry about what other people think.
take what AB said. There is no SET way to keep any animal.

but anyway, I liked your pics (the first one didn't work for me)

and welcome to the boards.


----------



## Samhain-Retic (Dec 5, 2005)

Arachnopets said:
			
		

> Wish I could still remember everything I learned when I was 8, hell, I wish I remembered half as much as I thought I knew at 15   I wish you and your animals a long and healthy life.  What you can apparently also care less about is reading the rules here.  2 wrongs do not make a right.  If you have a problem with a post, the correct response is to report it to a moderator, not to continue it by responding.  If you have a problem with a specific users comments, there is always the ignore feature and you never have to look at one of their posts again.  If you choose not to post here, that's your choice, we'll still be around if you decide to come back.
> 
> Scott


Scott I have a 16 year old son that can work large constrictors like no ones business man. Care to discuss this comment?

"any 15 year old that thinks that 2 people could handle an 18 foot Retic needs to do a lot more research before they get really really hurt...."

I believe in encouraging young folk not talking down to them.


----------



## Arachnopets (Dec 6, 2005)

Samhain-Retic said:
			
		

> Scott I have a 16 year old son that can work large constrictors like no ones business man. Care to discuss this comment?
> 
> "any 15 year old that thinks that 2 people could handle an 18 foot Retic needs to do a lot more research before they get really really hurt...."
> 
> I believe in encouraging young folk not talking down to them.


Sure.  There's really not much to discuss though.  What I know about snakes is probably less than what I remember from when I was 8 yrs old.  One thing that I've always heard is that when dealing with large constrictors that you should have 1 person per so many feet of snake (somewhere between 2 - 4ft).  In my limited knowledge an 18 ft python would be considered a large constrictor, hence my statement.

If you consider my trying to give Eric some, what I felt, was constructive criticism as talking down to him then there's really nothing more to say on this topic....

Scott


----------



## Sheri (Dec 6, 2005)

Dude, I'm willing to bet that Bearo has enough experience (not to mention common sense) to be able to clearly identify a lacking enclosure.

A caimen is an absolutely incredible animal that deserves to have conditions that allow it to flourish _before_ you bring it home.

And comparing the housing requirements of a caimen to that of a tarantula is totally devoid of sound reasoning.

That said, when I see hobbyists keeping _any_ animal in enclosures that serve only to keep it alive that prevent it from exhibiting as close to natural behaviour as possible... it sure as hell makes me wonder why they keep them at all. What - precisely - is it that they are enjoying?

Stamp collectors often take more care in their displays.

Many hobbyists become more concerned the size and variety of their collection than the animals themselves - as evidenced by the housing you have chosen for your caiman.

No need to get defensive - it was _you_ that posted the pics.



			
				boidaddic said:
			
		

> Its actually an albino burmese python, "So you basicly just put in som sand and some water and thougt that would be enough?"  I dont know what your intentions were by stating this but this is an adequate environment for him, considering its an EXTREMELY high stress species he does very well, although i do have to clean the cage constantly since i havent bought a pump yet, all i have is an aerator (sp?), and im working on upgrading his terrarium to a 40 gallon. And if you think im doing something wrong since you are obviously trying to flame me about it atleast have the courtesy to let me know what i'm doing wrong, and btw theirs generally some cork bark floating around for him to hide under i took it out though so you could see him in the pic. And for the person who asked how big he is he's about 14 inches long.
> Eric


----------



## Sheri (Dec 6, 2005)

ilovebugs said:
			
		

> If how you keep your animals works and they are happy as far as you can tell, then don't worry about what other people think.
> take what AB said. There is no SET way to keep any animal.


There's no set way to raise children either, but we tend to encourage proper food, clothing, and housing.

Maybe that's just in Canada though.


----------



## Sequin (Dec 6, 2005)

Samhain-Retic said:
			
		

> Scott I have a 16 year old son that can work large constrictors like no ones business man. Care to discuss this comment?
> 
> "any 15 year old that thinks that 2 people could handle an 18 foot Retic needs to do a lot more research before they get really really hurt...."
> 
> I believe in encouraging young folk not talking down to them.


Going to have to agree with Arachnopets on this one. Teenagers(like myself) do not have the experience and size required for these animals. A 15 year old kid was killed a few years back by his pet python. I dont remember what kind it was, but i know he had raised it from hatchling.  Boid, I think if you really appreciated the hobby, you would wait before committing to something so large. I did not realize "boidaddic" was only 15. Boid, what are you expecting to do with your burm when you go to college?:?  What about your caiman, I assumed you were an adult because these grew so large and were so aggressive. What happens when your animals grow extremely large and need cages as big as your room? Im assuming you are still living with your parents How is minimum wage possibly going to keep all these animals fed, caged, and medicated. 

I am not ragging on you. I do not see a problem with how you are keeping your animals, i think you have made a few mistakes, but who hasnt? I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but if you are 15 years old with no real future plans for all these large animals, I think there are bigger problems evolving then heaters and cage size? 
~Meagan~


----------



## ingas866 (Dec 6, 2005)

I frist want to ask do you need to have a premit in TX to have the croc. I know in more and more states that is the law( FL is very stricked). I use to own FL wild life rescue (I was croc. premited.) this takes at lest 1000 hours of time with some one who is already premited to keep and has croc.s. The hole thing is that croc.s do not make good pets unless you havr the room for a large animal. WE do not know what kind of room or what he knows. If you are going to give advice ask if they know that frist then help. As for the rest of his set ups they look like some of the old breaders I have seen. I have taken snakes out of bad places and this looks ok ot me but there is no way to tell every thig by some pic.s on the comp.


----------



## Sm0k3d (Dec 6, 2005)

my boa has a light in his cage? It's not bad like you are making it seem like.  Even the company who built this cage had it placed in there. I honestly thing if he saw the snake on the bulb or near it.. It would instantly be removed, if the snake never came near it.. whats the problem? By the way, not all teenagers are irresponsible in hanging large animals. It depends on how they were raised and taught to treat the animal. I know at my age (17).. I would definantly be able to own a large snake such as a burm or a retic without any problems.  Though, that could be cause i've had large snakes around me all my life (burms)..


----------



## Bluesling (Dec 6, 2005)

*my opinions any care?*

well, i Personally know a man named lou daddono,name sound familiar?it should he is the owner of serpent safarie,he also is a lifer when it comes to herps,spent all his life fooling with him,he was killed by a large constrictor,a retic,thank his lucky stars he was brought back to life,but my point is,exsperience is a handy tool,common sense is the ultimate tool,if you can not use enough common sense to relize you should never handle them with only yourself or one other person,then you dont know that you could never over power a constrictor say perhaps 12 maybe 14 feet,these animals are inch per inch are stronger than allmost all other animals if not perhaps the strongest.if it came down to it,and a constrictor that large wanted to it could take and would take you out.i feel that common sense is the most powerful tool you can use when it comes to these animals,did i make any sense? i am not going to make any comment on husbandry just the fact that people especially teens dont realize the potential danger.I dont know how many time i have talked to a teen and they tell me how big they are and how much the benchpress and how many whoopins they have delivered,then they feel they can over power these beutiful magnifisant creatures.I am not very old my self 22 infact but i exercise alot of good judjement and tons of common sense,it only takes one individuale to destroy the hobby,and it only takes one mistake.I am not harping i am mearly stating my opinions.


----------



## boidaddic (Dec 7, 2005)

I dont know if this matters but this is what i get paid to do, I work for an importing company which does bring in large constrictors and the two people that unpack the large snakes (me and one of the other employees) have done this many a time and i know what to do if the situation gets nasty. I know ya'll think im just an ignorant teenager that thinks he's invincible, but thats not how i am. These animals are my life and what it revolves around, and i wouldnt do anything to ruine it for everyone else, and i dont know if you read the story my dad wrote about our san antonio show but i closed the container that retic was in because i knew it was risky and my dad would have no clue what to do if the circumstance arose to where he'd have to help me out. I'm glad this thread isnt quite so negative anymore and about the caiman where i live it doesnt require a permit. 
Eric


----------



## Bearo (Dec 10, 2005)

Sheri said:
			
		

> Dude, I'm willing to bet that Bearo has enough experience (not to mention common sense) to be able to clearly identify a lacking enclosure.
> 
> A caimen is an absolutely incredible animal that deserves to have conditions that allow it to flourish _before_ you bring it home.
> 
> ...



Thank you Sheri 
This is basicly what I was trying to say in the PM's we sent eachother..
I didnt write in this big discution because I knew it wouldnt lead anywere more than a big fight with alot of people..
But  I think that I have stated my opinion and we agreed to disagree, I hope..



			
				ilovebugs said:
			
		

> If how you keep your animals works and they are happy as far as you can tell, then don't worry about what other people think.
> take what AB said. There is no SET way to keep any animal.


What about the FAQ on the first page? 

*Bluesling>>* I rally liked this sentense 
"_exsperience is a handy tool,common sense is the ultimate tool_"


----------



## fscorpion (Jan 6, 2006)

boidaddic said:
			
		

> Dude i've been keeping this pair of bloods for 3 years! I think i know my animals well enough by now, and how to care for them. And no, im not being a baby im fed up with people not caring about others reptutations, thats not something to play with until you have actual facts, atleast 500 people visit this website everyday! People need to think before they post crap that could potentially ruine someones business/hobby, this is why im angry, so maybe you should put a bit more thought into your posts, and ask questions first then make accusations.
> Eric



I am not really into reptiles, but man, your caiman has algae growing on his back!!!!   also, I don't like the setup for the other reptiles, but yet again, its just me...maybe they enjoy it...


----------



## Twysted (Jan 6, 2006)

DDFISHMAN said:
			
		

> What are the dimensions of the 40 that you plan to upgrade to?  I personally think that a caiman of 14" should at least be in an aquarium/habitat of at least 120 gallon size tank.


I agree with this... minimum 90... idealy 120


----------



## fscorpion (Jan 6, 2006)

ilovebugs said:
			
		

> Hey Eric,
> 
> Don't let anyone discorage you.
> 
> ...


If you advice him not to worry about what other people think, then what is the point of posting on a public board??? :?


----------



## Ecilious (Jan 6, 2006)

Please note: I'm not bashing you here, I'm just curious since these sort of animals are WAY out of my scope. 

I don't know anything about caimans but after a few seconds of Googling I read this: 



> But how much space does a certain sized animal actually need? As an absolute minimum, the enclosure width and depth should be 3 to 4 times the animal's total length, but larger sizes are preferable.


c/o: http://www.crocodilian.com/crocfaq/faq-4.html#5.1.1

How _do_ you plan to house him when he's fully grown?


----------



## boidaddic (Jan 6, 2006)

wow this thread is really old, The caimans now in a 5 by 3 foot cage, and for the schooling my mom knows how to care for the animals and since im going to go to college locally i can come check on them. And the thing about the algae is i had sand for the bank and it encourages algae growth. Now that im using slate its not a problem anymore. 
Btw this thread is like over a month old i think.
Eric

p.s. this is for all the people that dont think teenagers should have large constrictors ;P


----------



## Empi (Jan 6, 2006)

fscorpion said:
			
		

> I am not really into reptiles, but man, your caiman has algae growing on his back!!!!   also, I don't like the setup for the other reptiles, but yet again, its just me...maybe they enjoy it...


  Algae is not usually a problem as long as it is not covering the animal completely. Aquatic reptiles often have algae growing on them. My turtle came from one of the best breeders in the US and lived outside in a pond until I got him. His shell is like an algea lawn. And by the way for anyone that wants to argue about it I will just warn you that I just had this discussion with a reptile vet and he said that it is normal and harmless. So don't even bother.

   As for the reptile room. I think it is very nice. I wouldn't mind making a cage setup like that myself so I can get rid of all my ten gallons. You have some very nice animals as well. They all look pretty healthy so I'm sure you know what you are doing. After all I would rather see a healthy animal in not quite the right setup than an unhealthy one in a perfect set up. The light in the retic cage is not the way I'd do it but if you have not had any problems keeping it that way I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like it is the end of the wold like SOME PEOPLE make it out to be. As for the caiman. In the wild they live in some way worse water than that so I don't think that is as much of an issue as the size of the tank which you changed so that is not a big deal either. A filter would be a very good idea though too because even though they live in nasty water in the wild does not mean they don't appreciate clean water. After all the little guy has to drink that water. I don't think you would want to drink water that you took a dump in right! What are your plans for him in the future? Living in Texas you could probly do some sort of outdoor incloser couldn't you. I don't know quite what your weather conditions are like there so just a thought. 

 As for people that don't think 2 people that know what they are doing can handle a retic, come on. Tell me this. If you were handling a big snake with someone else and it attacked them you don't think you could get it off. I guess if you did not want to hurt it maybe. But I'll tell you a snake that thinks it is alright to go and attack someone should not be living with people. If it does it once it will do it again so I would say you would have no choice but to have it put down the same as a dog that attacks someone right. I mean really if I had a big retic that was attacking someone I would kill the damn thing with a quickness to get it off regarless of the fact that it is my pet. Just the same as I would kill a person that was trying to kill someone. I would'nt even have to think twice about it. You can replace a snake. You cant replace a person!
   Now I know that someone is going to read this get all pissed off and cut and paste my words in a quote to make it say something completly different than what I said and completly miss my point. Don't bother. No one thinks it is cool and is pretty childish if you ask me. And for goodness sake leave the kid alone. He chose to share his pics with you guys and you guys cant do anything but tear him down for the little things that you see wrong in his pics instead of just giving him some friendly advice which I'm sure he would be much more likely to take to heart.


----------



## boidaddic (Jan 6, 2006)

As for the caiman when he gets bigger im going to build an outdoor enclosure for the warmer months. (if this next description doesnt make sense just ignore it) and for the winter months im going to build like a giant wooden box and cut an opening for a pond liner and have the left over part of the "box" covered with astro turf. It's kind of hard to explain but i think you'll get the idea. And thanks for the compliments Empi.
Eric


----------



## Empi (Jan 6, 2006)

That's cool man. I would love to make some outdoor enclosers for my herps. Unfortunately up here in the great white north that presents some problems.


----------



## P. Novak (Jan 6, 2006)

thats insanely awesome!!!

how/where id you get that??  :drool: :drool:


----------



## boidaddic (Jan 7, 2006)

i bought it from a friend a couple months back, not sure where she got it but it looks like it wouldnt be that hard to build. Basically just building cubby holes.
Eric


----------

