LB's ***TEMPORARY*** Tank

[thadmy]

I love the temp set-up. I plan on getting a Smooth Fronted Caiman when I move into a bigger house since my little apartment is already crowded with what I have. Can't wait to see the final enclosure..

Only question I have is won't LB pull up the live plants you have planted. I had an alligator a few years back and all she did was pull up plants and unroot them.

[LauraCox]

I love the temp set-up. I plan on getting a Smooth Fronted Caiman when I move into a bigger house since my little apartment is already crowded with what I have. Can't wait to see the final enclosure..

Only question I have is won't LB pull up the live plants you have planted. I had an alligator a few years back and all she did was pull up plants and unroot them.

So far I have not had an issue with the plants at all. I do leave live mice in the tank for her and they actually do more damage. She is still getting uused to her enclosure but I am always prepared for chaos. Lol. Her outside pond is coming along and I will have photos up as soon as possible.

[rodsboys]

Outside pond...it is going to suck to catch her every fall, especially as she get bigger over the years. When I first saw the topic I though " really, why would someone want that as a pet?" But after seeing this and what you have planned, I believe this is the best place for her. Almost makes me want one, but I am happy to live vicariouly on this one. I applaud you for your efforts and dedication and am looking forward to updates.
Any chance of some feeding pics or video?
In regards to the metric thing, I am a transplanted American and could not agree more. Metric is better. I use both systems everyday at work.

[thadmy]

I agree I'm an American Medical student and I use metric all the time, just seems easier to me although my classmates don't see it that way.

Yeah I love me my crocs, I had a gator I used to walk on a dog lease with a muzzle

[LauraCox]

Outside pond...it is going to suck to catch her every fall, especially as she get bigger over the years. When I first saw the topic I though " really, why would someone want that as a pet?" But after seeing this and what you have planned, I believe this is the best place for her. Almost makes me want one, but I am happy to live vicariouly on this one. I applaud you for your efforts and dedication and am looking forward to updates.
Any chance of some feeding pics or video?
In regards to the metric thing, I am a transplanted American and could not agree more. Metric is better. I use both systems everyday at work.

Hopefully my masterful design (*wink*) will prevent the necessity of catching her in the winter. Temps where I live in North Carolina rarely drop below freezing so my plan thus far is a system of hot-water-exchange tubing for the pond (basically I took apart an old hot-tub and hooked it up to a thermostat) and then for outside the water I have a 120 watt basking halogene bulb that I can lower and raise on a pulley-system to keep the temperature ok for her "hot stone". Then I also am building a hot-water-bottle hide. Which is basically a large tube cut in half over a system of hot-water bladders (empty boxed-wine-water bottles with wire-coil-heaters running through the base) which are then subsequently covered in moss and soil and insulating rubber.

It's a work-in-progress but hopefully it will eliminate the need for a stressful move for her and me.

As far as feeding videos go, I'll try to get one posted as soon as I can. She just ate today and I usually feed every other day.

Thanks for the all the support with her. She's living up to her name-sake but a magnificent creature to watch.

[froglover27]

This is an AMAZING tank!( and temporary none the less) Cant wait for more pics!!!(:

[LauraCox]

For those of you who have asked... here the link to a video of LB eating a mouse. I guess if you have feelings about mice being eaten then you shouldn't watch it. Here's my short rant about it:
1. For LB who was fed only lean-cuts of meat for the first 2 1/2 years of her life eating WHOLE animals is very important as she absorbs calcium through eating bones.
2. I raise my own mice to use as feeders. This allows me to make sure the mice are treated humanely all the way up until freezing or feeding. This also allows me to make sure the mice have the most nutritional diet. Healthy mice=Healthy herps.
3. So at this point you may ask why I don't just feed frozen/thawed and the answer is: I do. **Most** of LB's food is f/t however while she is recovering from her poor care it's important for her to move around (she is used to just hiding in a corner) and providing her live food certainly gets her on the prowl. I find that by giving her live food she is more apt to go chase it, eat it, and then bask.

Anyway, If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Link: Mice Eating....nom nom nom - YouTube

[thadmy]

Amazing just amazing, always liked giving my gator a live mouse once in awhile the bones are GREAT for them

[PinkyandBrainz]

I absolutely LOVE your temp enclosure!!!! I can't wait to see what her final enclosure looks like! She's such a lucky little girl to find someone who'll spoil her. ^_^

[rodsboys]

That video was great. I assumed she would wait for the mouse to get close, but LB was having none of the waiting stuff. I can't believe how little she is for being more than 2.5 years old. Is that normal and if not is she stunted?