1st and formost keeping an alligator as a pet is just plain dum. Its a 10ft 500lb killing machine with natural body armor and bite force strong enough to liquify your skull. It runs at almost 20mph in a sprint and can transistion from land to water seemlessly. However i recently decided to foster a gator from the lfs i work for. It was dropped at the front door in a stirafoam box. It's around a year in age and is roughly 25inches in length. It's extremely malnourished and skinny. I'm only nursing it back to health because it's in the predicament that's its in. I would never support the idea of keeping a dinosaur as a pet. I am inquiring to anyone who has successfully kept a gator for more then the first year or two. I want to know as a captive gator how should be cared for.It has a 125gallon 6ft long aquarium for its temporary foster home. Its equipt with 2 fluval fx6 canisters and it has a 160watt uva/uvb bulb for heat. The water is roughly 78F and the ambient air is at 85. The basking surface (an artificial island of sand and soil) hits 115F when dry. It lives with a few sliders and a map turtle who could care less that it's there. I believe I have covered all the bases as far as a temporary home is considered. I just want to know what's the best thing to get it healthy again. Is a specific diet going to help more then a schmorgesborg or everything i can get my hands on?. Is my heat rite should it be hotter or colder for building muscle mass and fat reserve? Will giving uncured lunch meat have life condemning effects.
I can not and will not keep this animal past the point of it's recovery however while it's in my care it will get the best it can possibly can. So am I doing it rite or do I need to fix something immediately?
I can not and will not keep this animal past the point of it's recovery however while it's in my care it will get the best it can possibly can. So am I doing it rite or do I need to fix something immediately?
