Hey I am new to this board

**Gibbus** · Dec 26, '03, 11:22pm

Hello Everyone

I am new to this board. I have kept a lot of animals including fw rays, sharks,other marine fish, lots of freshwater fish, reptiles incluing a dwarf caiman, invertebrates on land.

**um...** · Dec 27, '03, 12:01am

to TONMO.com!

**Steve O'Shea** · Dec 27, '03, 1:39am

Originally Posted by Gibbus

... reptiles incluing a dwarf caiman.

I'm just landscaping the back yard (recently moved into this place) and spent a squillion dollars on palms, brick and mortar today. I'm building a freshwater pond ~6 metres long, 3 metres wide x 0.5 metres deep(est). A caiman would be the finishing touch (it might stop the cats pooping in the garden for sure)! How does one procure such a beast? I don't suppose there's such a thing as mail-order caiman is there?? (to New Zealand). Probably laws against such things.

to TONMO
Steve

**Colin** · Dec 27, '03, 4:47am

you need an alligator! A caiman wouldn't survive the NZ winter :)

**NickA5582** · Dec 27, '03, 12:58pm

to TONMO Gibbus!

Dwarf Caimans.

**Steve O'Shea** · Dec 27, '03, 2:44pm

"Because they are tropical animals, Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans should have a daytime high temperature of about 33 degrees Celsius with a nighttime low of about 25 degrees Celsius. The water area should remain around 26 degrees Celsius. Although Caimans may not bask as much as other crocodilians, they should be allowed a basking spot in the enclosure."

Thanks for that link; too true C, too cold here in NZ for this wee beast (we get to 0°C at night, extreme low). I did have an entertaining last eve contemplating a croc in the garden.

Back to the drawing board; might get some killer koi.

**WhiteKiboko** · Dec 27, '03, 8:08pm

I think Colin's on to something...go try an american alligator

....ive occasionally seen seen them around where i live, and definitely a little further south... i compared climates and you have a much milder year...

plus if it doesnt work out as a decoration/garbage disposal, the meat isnt too bad....

**Colin** · Dec 28, '03, 4:51am

yep, an American alligator will even hibernate under ice if it has to! Plus, not so angry to work with compared to caimans and crocs...

**mikeconstable** · Dec 28, '03, 7:14pm

I did have an entertaining last eve contemplating a croc in the garden

Steve,
very disappointed that the pool is not marine, 'cause then you could keep some giant octo-puss [however I know that they are not common Kat(eating)fische].
It would also keep the environmental hounds at bay (as I believe they object to every little alien - from mosquito to pigs - that attempts to arrive in those beautiful islands), as you could use native species.
Could even be considered the NZ equivalent of a busman's holiday every time you arrived home??

**Steve O'Shea** · Dec 29, '03, 2:49pm

... I'll be trying a marine tank at home, but not indoors (I don't think the floorboards would take 1 ton of water); I've an outside room in which I'll keep the squid on a recirc system.

We're looking at a live squid display at a local fishmart, so 'squid are on the move'. I'm quite comfortable with the system/animals now, enough so to gamble on a little additional public/squid exposure.

It would rock to have an Archi in your back yard, but not yet (too many kids around).

**mikeconstable** · Dec 29, '03, 7:07pm

Local children still remember the cuttlefish I had years ago - but now they have to make do with a Robin which will come when called and perch on their hands to feed.
(My wife was greatly amused when a courier delivered a parcel the other day - as she went to sign his clip-board Tweet muscled in and the courier took a sharp step backwards! Tweet hung around (literally) until Sheila fed him, and the courier also hand fed Tweet a mealworm, before going away muttering that he could not believe what had happened!)
The bird also nearly got me in trouble - while I was feeding him I saw a cat stalking across the road. In my usually guise of the biggest, ugliest cat on the block I hissed violently at it, so it retreated, and I saw it off with another hiss. Almost immediately a neighbour appeared round the same corner, saying that she knew it was me that had frightened the cat into her garden - when she had only just managed to get rid of the wretched creature!!

**cthulhu77** · Dec 29, '03, 7:27pm

Now, Mike, where IS that alligator when you need it????

**mikeconstable** · Dec 29, '03, 7:57pm

The last time I heard of Big Boy, he was living about 25km away in a small village called Tatsfield. Although he lives outdoors in summer, I have never heard of him being leased out on a food and board basis for cat control. However, I do understand that he used to be a popular introduction of reptiles to children! (The owners used to run their large constrictors outside sometimes, and children could handle them, but I don't know whether safety legislation has stopped that?) :x

**Colin** · Dec 30, '03, 6:14am

nope, still legal in the UK but they are looking to shut that down regarding keeping constrictors.

**joel_ang** · Dec 30, '03, 9:30am

Maybe sub juvinille archis in the pond next year Steve :? Cuttlefish would be nice but I wonder what species could survive that temp.

Speaking of constrictors, I tried getting a pretty cornsnake and a green tree python from a pets store in Malaysia, but there's a law prohibiting the import of snakes from any other countries. I'm not sure if it could be done with a permit but I guess i'll have to be contented with the local burmese and retics for now

**Gibbus** · Dec 31, '03, 3:17pm

Sorry for not replying, i was having problems with my net connection.

Thank you for the welcome. Anyone in Canada know places to get octopus?

thanks