Spectacled Caiman in New York

[Diskboy12]

I am out of high school actually. I have been since June 2010. I will be attending a community college for into to nursing this fall. And then transfering to Binghamton University to finish my nursing, which is another 4 years. So, that's 6 years I will still be living at home and commuting to college. Realistically should I wait until I have my own place for this endevour, sure. However, if I am going to be home for another 6 years atleast, then I don't see why it would be that big a deal, or that out of the question to build something that I can always tear down and re-build once I have my own place. Even if I did move out and get my own place before then, it wouldn't be to aweful far away from my parents house and I would be able to go and take care of it daily, until I was able to move it. I get sick of people saying oh your to young to do this, and do that. I am 19, yes still a teenager, but a legal adult no less. I have the options to do what I want with a very supportive family/girlfriend/grandparents/ect. So, if they allow this, I will be doing it. Yes, some think it's a stupid move for a teenager, but my guess is that those questioning my motives didn't have access to the supplies, space, and means to do such a build. In the end I will do what I feel would be best. I am not trying to cram a spectacled caiman in a 55 gallon tank. I am going to build a enclosure suitable to house one for life. If no one can see that I am doing everything by the books, and not cutting any corners, than I don't feel that there should be any negative critisim, and that you should support my decisions, and help me on this monster build. All I asked for was opinions on housing requirments and help building a greenhouse, not my life choices. So please, help me with my questions, and not tell me how to run my life.

I am not trying to sound rude or cme off like a total ***, I just feel like I can accomplish this with the right support system, help from the members of MFK, and the funds. Most of what I have. I want to share this build with you all, and not feel like a complete idiot for posting it on here and assuming people wouldn't call me stupid for attempting it at my age.

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions, and who will respond to them in the future.

Thanks again.
Kevin

 

[Diskboy12]

I don't mean to crush your dreams or anything like that, but you will not get that permit from the NYSDEC. Period. It ain't gonna happen. You have to be obtaining the permit to keep the animal for educational purposes, ie: shows at schools for kids, ect. and as far as I know, everyone who has a permit has had it for at least 5 or more years. They aren't giving them out anymore because people were abusing the ability to keep dangerous animals.

I recently talked to someone at the DEC in an attempt to get permits for keeping an eastern indigo snake, and he pretty much leveled with me and told me not to waste my time. Even with things that aren't potentially harmful, they wont budge unless you have a connection or something, and even then its almost impossible. I would love to have the ability to keep these things here, but Pennsylvania is only one state away.

I used to know this low-life named Sean Kirk in upstate NY. He and some of his buddies decided to catch and smuggle timber rattlesnakes from the Adirondacks and other areas, and he had a venomous permit, and a gator permit. Google his name and that will be a prime example of why we cant get what we want here. I don't believe anyone has obtained a permit for anything in the state since that incident.

Thank you for the heads up. I will see what they say when I get the email back from them. I appreciate your kindness in how you presented this information. It's alot better reading it in the context you gave rather than someone saying, "your an idiot, don't waste your time at your age."

Thanks again.

 

[Joe M]

Yeah its just from what i experienced. I wish you luck, and you gotta let me know if you get it. The guy actually kinda laughed at me when i told him i was 18. He told me I had no chance. In a slightly nicer way, but it was depressing anyway. I basically got the same respose for eastern box turtles. I love them, nothing else comes close for me, but i cant get a permit. What harm can a six inch turtle do when i can prove my expirience and responsibility with reptiles? They are just unreasonable.


BTW I actually changed my post a bit after you quoted it. I didn't mean to say that you 100% won't, but its just unlikely. Again good luck.

 

[pharmaecopia]

Since you seem to have a fairly stable living situation, I won't comment on that further. I would still suggest looking into the smaller caiman species. Especially if planning on moving them in a couple years when they have the potential to do some real damage.

Your age doesn't matter it's your willingness to properly care for them and the financial position to back up the plans that should be a bigger concern.

 

[Masa06]

Alright just my two cents, I too am a teenager, and I have these things where I want something that would be semi-irrational, so I rationalize myself. But anyway good luck, and this sounds like it will be expensive, and getting permits also sounds difficult too, But good luck!

 

[Masa06]

I also try to rationalize my friend too with his irate fantasies. So I kind of thought of him, sorry again. I also hope he sees this.(my post)

 

[Joe M]

Since you seem to have a fairly stable living situation, I won't comment on that further. I would still suggest looking into the smaller caiman species. Especially if planning on moving them in a couple years when they have the potential to do some real damage.

Your age doesn't matter it's your willingness to properly care for them and the financial position to back up the plans that should be a bigger concern.

You must not have ever had contact with the NYSDEC. Age most certainly does matter. To them there are no exceptions. Ive been made to believe that they think anyone under the age of about 30 is incapable of housing or caring for any reptile other than a beardie or RES, even though an officer that asked me about turtles I was catching one summer (for fun) actually asked me what they were and essentially if what I was doing was legal. 90% of them don't know a boa from a python.

 

[A. gigas]

Realistically should I wait until I have my own place for this endevour, sure. However, if I am going to be home for another 6 years atleast, then I don't see why it would be that big a deal, or that out of the question to build something that I can always tear down and re-build once I have my own place. Even if I did move out and get my own place before then, it wouldn't be to aweful far away from my parents house and I would be able to go and take care of it daily, until I was able to move it. I get sick of people saying oh your to young to do this, and do that. I am 19, yes still a teenager, but a legal adult no less. I have the options to do what I want with a very supportive family/girlfriend/grandparents/ect. So, if they allow this, I will be doing it. Yes, some think it's a stupid move for a teenager, but my guess is that those questioning my motives didn't have access to the supplies, space, and means to do such a build. In the end I will do what I feel would be best. I am not trying to cram a spectacled caiman in a 55 gallon tank. I am going to build a enclosure suitable to house one for life. If no one can see that I am doing everything by the books, and not cutting any corners, than I don't feel that there should be any negative critisim, and that you should support my decisions, and help me on this monster build. All I asked for was opinions on housing requirments and help building a greenhouse, not my life choices. So please, help me with my questions, and not tell me how to run my life.

I am not trying to sound rude or cme off like a total ***, I just feel like I can accomplish this with the right support system, help from the members of MFK, and the funds. Most of what I have. I want to share this build with you all, and not feel like a complete idiot for posting it on here and assuming people wouldn't call me stupid for attempting it at my age.

i know how you feel, i would kill for a burmese python, and i have the experience, knowledge, and means to care for one. yet my parents are saying "no, wait until you have your own place, then you can have all the pythons you want".. it wouldn't be their problem, i would do everything, and the enclosure would be in my room, and honestly, something like a snake can be very easily packed up and move with you. and this, my friends, is why i hate adults that treat younger people like crap, you'd think they'd learn from how it was when they were kids and be more considerate, but no, it seems that the past generation was raised to be (for the most part) a bunch of selfish, inconsiderate _______ <--just use your imagination to fill in the blank...

 

[SimonL]

Awesome idea, however something to consider...what is the cost of heating a relatively uninsulated greenhouse to 80 degrees going to be like in the winter?

 

[Diskboy12]

Well it all depends if I can get the permits. I was looking on the NYSDEC site and it didnt say there were anything more you needed to do than pay the fee and there you go you have them and your on your way. If it falls out that I wont be able to gain access to a caiman then oh well. I still plan on building a greenhouse around my catfish pond. It should stay fairly warm in the greenhouse by itself. But I most likely will need a heater to accompany it. They sell greenhouse heaters. They dont run to much and can keep the gh with a nice warm stable conditions. I may also incorperate some larger snake enclosures for the future BCI's and possible reticulated pythons. Hopefully they will email me back tomorrow...i wont hold my breathe that they will but when they do ill let you all know what they say. For now I will head back to the drawing boards and try to get some pictures of my plans up.