crocodillians alowed in california without permit?

[neubauer geckos]

i am 13 and i want to get a smaller crocodillian like some kind of camen.is this legal?

 

[mynewturtle]

Your 13 and you want a caiman or small species? Maybe you should try something a bit more easy. I have no idea about permits or leagality, but it just strikes me odd that a 13 year old wants a caiman.

 

[g3ckosr4me]

ya i think you want to get something easier to care for bud........

 

[Tony C]

No it isn't, and I don't want to sound mean, but you have no business buying a crocodilian at your age. Even the smallest Caiman is still a large, ill-tempered, long lived animal suitable only for the most experienced, dedicated keepers. Their care requires significant financial resources and a stable living situation, neither of which a teenager has. What are you going to do with it when it grows too large and your parents say you can't have a bigger tank? How will you feed it when they get tired of paying the food bill? Who is going to pay the medical bills when you take a nasty bite, or even worse, are your parents willing to accept the liability for when one of your friends get bitten? What are you going to do with it in five years when it's time to head off to college, the military, or get your own apartment? The main reason there is so much pressure coming down from the government to restrict the rights of reptile keepers is that too many people get in over their heads with a large, potentially aggressive animal they can't properly care for, and those animals become a danger to their keeper, or are released to endanger the general public and wreak havoc on vulnerable ecosystems.

It is great to see young people passionate about herps, but know your limits, do your research, and don't get in over your head. Set yourself up for success in the beginning and you will be less likely to get burned out, then when you have the necessary experience and financial means you will be ready to take on such an advanced animal.

 

[herpencounter]

No it isn't, and I don't want to sound mean, but you have no business buying a crocodilian at your age. Even the smallest Caiman is still a large, ill-tempered, long lived animal suitable only for the most experienced, dedicated keepers. Their care requires significant financial resources and a stable living situation, neither of which a teenager has. What are you going to do with it when it grows too large and your parents say you can't have a bigger tank? How will you feed it when they get tired of paying the food bill? Who is going to pay the medical bills when you take a nasty bite, or even worse, are your parents willing to accept the liability for when one of your friends get bitten? What are you going to do with it in five years when it's time to head off to college, the military, or get your own apartment? The main reason there is so much pressure coming down from the government to restrict the rights of reptile keepers is that too many people get in over their heads with a large, potentially aggressive animal they can't properly care for, and those animals become a danger to their keeper, or are released to endanger the general public and wreak havoc on vulnerable ecosystems.

It is great to see young people passionate about herps, but know your limits, do your research, and don't get in over your head. Set yourself up for success in the beginning and you will be less likely to get burned out, then when you have the necessary experience and financial means you will be ready to take on such an advanced animal.

Cant say it much better then that!

 

[baseball2k26]

Cant say it much better then that!

Agreed. At 20 I wouldn't even get a crocodilian (im 15) because of how powerful and agressive the ycould be. Wait until your in your 30s with alot of experience with different reppies.

 

[T&KBrouse]

Anthony, I'm inclined to agree with everyone on this issue. The last thing I would ever want is to deter any of our youth from wanting to learn and experience more in herpetology, but crocodilian rate right up there with hots. They are for the seasoned keeper thats in it for "the long haul".
Look at it this way: At 13, you, personally, could not legally keep a crocodilian. It would then fall on to your parents to apply for licensing, permits and more than likely, insurance. I'm not sure about CA, but in FL, its a 1 million dollar policy. Would your parents want to fork out that kind of money? I love my kids, but not that much....
What I would encourage you to do, is get in contact with any local herp societies, rescues, zoo, whatever, and get volunteer and hands on experience and do informational interviews with keepers.
I can't speak for CA, but alot of states have hour requirements where you have to provide proof of how many hours you have spent with a licensed mentor, learning every bit of the care and husbandry of the animals. You have to submit your logged hours before you can get your permits for your own use.
Alot of these states require hours up into the thousands, so if you start now, once you're of legal age to keep a crocodilian, you will know exactly what your getting in to and can make a solid judgement that you are in it for the long haul.

If this is something you are completely passionate about, we will be behind you 100%, but you have to do it right. Theres way too many people out there that get these exotic reptiles that have no idea what they were getting in to and get in way over their heads. Go through the proper steps and you will know exactly what you're doing and won't be one of the statistics.

 

[Nigel4less]

ALL Crocodilians are illegal in CA, there is a reason you don't see them at reptile shows

 

[thestack510]

Nicely put K. :main_thumbsup:

 

[Lpac]

im 15 and i live in california and im not sure if crocodilians are illegal but they would require a big big enclosure and a lot of maintenance. so i think you should skip on a caiman. if you really want to help out and be close to crocodilians you should go see if you could volunteer at your local zoo.