Miniature Pet Crocodile

[Ornate Bichir]

Are there any species of crocodiles that can be kept as pets and do not grow over a metre in length, preferably at 1~2'?

 

[shells-n-scales]

African Dwarf Crocodiles
Dwarf Caiman (palebrosa, trigs)

I cant say that they would stay within the 3ft range, most grow a bit larger than 3ft. Possibly 4ft is average.

 

[nishant_datta]

Chinese Alligator or Yangtze Alligator

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Chinese Alligator or Yangtze Alligator

They still have the potential to get 5-7 feet but they are slow growers.

 

[davo]

Chinese Alligator or Yangtze Alligator

they are cool. Most endangered crocodilian I think, so dunno how hard or how much it would cost to get one. Plus they reach an average of 2m. I hear they aren't particularly active either.

I heard trigs are more like 5 ft and anywhere up to 7.5ft (at least the males) and palpebrosus, considered the smallest, would be 4-5 ft and again not particularly active (at least in the day). Tetripis would be somewhere between the two, but I think there are subspecies and some individuals are smaller.

Either way you won't find one maxing out at 1-2 ft, more likely double that at the least.

 

[assortedsorts]

SimonL has a caiman..not sure what kind or how big it gets though...maybe ask him?

 

[SimonL]

The three smallest crocodilians are (females smaller than males);

Paleosuchus palpebrosus (3-4 feet, potential to 5'3")
Osteolaemus tetrapis (4-5 feet, potential to 6'3")
Paleosuchus trigonatus (4-5 feet, potentially to 7'6")

These are not "miniature" animals, a caiman is very strong and dangerous at this size. At 4 feet it'll weigh around 30 pounds. Chinese alligators are CITES I and consequently very rare. Besides, the OP wants something preferably 1-2 feet long (which doesn't exist), not a 30-50 pound croc.

 

[Zoodiver]

Paleosuchus palpebrosus (3-4 feet, potential to 5'3")

This is the speices I kept at home. Fun little guys... but not a joke when it comes to dangerous things. They're serious business.

 

[EricIvins]

they are cool. Most endangered crocodilian I think, so dunno how hard or how much it would cost to get one. Plus they reach an average of 2m. I hear they aren't particularly active either.

I heard trigs are more like 5 ft and anywhere up to 7.5ft (at least the males) and palpebrosus, considered the smallest, would be 4-5 ft and again not particularly active (at least in the day). Tetripis would be somewhere between the two, but I think there are subspecies and some individuals are smaller.

Either way you won't find one maxing out at 1-2 ft, more likely double that at the least.

I'm thinking that was Meters...........Either way, small Crocodilians aren't for the faint harted........They may be small, but usually have the drive to make up for any size differences........

 

[davo]

I'm thinking that was Meters...........Either way, small Crocodilians aren't for the faint harted........They may be small, but usually have the drive to make up for any size differences........

I took it to mean not over one meter preferably 1-2 feet. Apologies if I misinterpreted OP.

Would a 3 ft 3" palpebrosus female be possible?

And I agree I've seen some very nasty bites of just young ones, let alone an adult of any of these species.