Can you tame a crocodile

There are 28 different crocodilian species, and most of them live solitary lives. They hardly get along among themselves. A tamed animal means that the animal is not frightened or not dangerous to humans.

Not a single wild animal can get to this type of relationship with people. Especially not crocodiles. Cats and dogs are animals are domesticated thousands of years ago, and even they can retain their wild instincts. Even if a crocodile gets used to being around a human, we can never say that the animal is completely tamed.

Just one bad moment can lead to fatal scenarios. Crocs have the most powerful bite force among all animals in the world. Their jaw can produce power of 3, PSI which can break bones with ease. Compared to shark attacks, crocodile attacks are three times as deadly. In addition to the danger of having crocodiles, it is not natural for the animal to live in captivity conditions. It is impossible to simulate their natural habitat, and most captivity crocodiles are suffering or in depression. As opposite to adult crocodiles, baby crocodiles look really cute.

When they hatch, baby crocodiles are pretty small — only 7 to 10 inches long. However, their cuteness and size are temporary; some crocodile species can grow up to four feet in less than one year.

In theory, a crocodile would easier get used to being around people if the animal has been in the human environment since its birth. We need to know that feeding a crocodile and treat it as a pet is not enough. Crocodiles will always have hunting desire and predatory instincts, and trying to tame one is never a good idea. People often believe that having a croc is like having a cat or friendly dog.

However, the world is full of surprises and exceptions. The crocodile named Pocho was one of a kind. The research shows that crocodilians engage in all three main types of play distinguished by behavior specialists: locomotor play, play with objects and social play. Play with objects is reported most often.

Crocodilians have been spotted playing with wooden balls, noisy ceramic bits, streams of water, their prey and debris floating in the water.

Cases of locomotor play include young alligators repeatedly sliding down slopes, crocodiles surfing ocean waves and caimans riding currents of water in their pools.

Observed cases of social play include baby alligators riding on their older friends' backs, baby caimans playfully "courting" each other and a male crocodile giving his lifetime mate rides on his back. Crocodiles have also been seen playing with other animals. Dinets observed a juvenile alligator playing with a river otter.

In rare cases, individual crocodilians have been known to bond so strongly with people that they become playmates for years. For example, a man who rescued a crocodile that had been shot in the head became close friends with the animal.

They happily played every day until the crocodile's death 20 years later. Dinets' research builds on the work of colleague Gordon Burghardt, a professor in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, whose work defined "play" in a way that allows us to identify it in species not previously thought capable of play, such as wasps, fish and invertebrates. Dinets' work provides further evidence that play is a universal feature of "intelligent" animals -- those with complex, flexible behavior.

This knowledge might help determine how intelligence evolves and what is needed for its development. In , the state reported 21 active alligator farms that produced legal hides and meat.

Not present on this list are unlicensed operations that illegally breed gators as pets. Read about the largest seizure to date of illegally caught reptiles. Most gator pet owners are unprepared to care for an adult animal that can reach 14 feet and live 80 years, Johnson says.

When that cute baby gets bigger and less manageable, the owner faces a real conundrum. To capture their prey, alligators are armed with strong jaws lined with up to 80 teeth. This happens, he says, because feeding an alligator is expensive. Alligators also need a large pool of water to thrive. Plentiful water helps alligators feel safe and calm in their environment, he adds.

The right temperature is a requirement too. As natives of the U. Southeast, alligators are used to living in a warm-to-hot environment, and pet owners may need to use several heat lamps to keep the cold-blooded animals warm, Eschenbrenner says.

Because many people keep pet alligators illegally, the animals miss out on routine veterinary care. As a result, serious health problems may go unchecked for years.

Eschenbrenner recalls one alligator rescued from a home in New Mexico that had been kept in a kiddie pool for a decade. The animal was obese, but even so, poor nutrition had stunted its growth and caused dental problems—it was unable to fully close its mouth because the top and bottom jaws were misaligned.

Many pet alligators develop weakened bones because of a nutrient-poor diet, such as hamburger meat or deboned chicken. Another was so malnourished that it broke its back leg while trying to escape rescuers. Unnatural surfaces can be harmful: One alligator raised on a glass platform had a disfigured skeleton because of improperly settled bones.

There are people trying to make life better for abandoned alligators. For example, the Phoenix Herpetological Society, in Arizona, provides a natural, semi-wild habitat for 15 rescued alligators at its 2. The facility, which has an on-site reptile clinic and research center, aims to find permanent homes for many of its animals, often sending them to other reputable sanctuaries around the country.

Female crocs lay their eggs in clutches of 20 to After the eggs have incubated for about three months, the mother opens the nest and helps her young out of their shells. The best solution, Eschenbrenner says, is not to own an alligator in the first place.

A good option for alligator enthusiasts is to appreciate them from a distance by supporting conservation groups or a certified zoo that keeps the animals properly for public education, he says. All rights reserved. Gator laws Ownership laws for alligators vary by state and municipality. Bone breakers Most gator pet owners are unprepared to care for an adult animal that can reach 14 feet and live 80 years, Johnson says.