Feeding Time!

We went to a Crocodile Farm in Queensland. On the tour, the guide fed the crocs while we waited, somewhat safely, behind the fence.


I realize the fact that these photos were taken from behind a fence removes the National Geographic, feral feel of nature in the wild. Still, even with the fence seperating us, I felt uneasy about being so close to them.


The guide accidentally dropped the first piece of meat in the water. Smartly, he didn't try to retrieve it. Instead he tapped the croc on the snout, teasing him - to me, not very smart.


Then he tossed a different piece of meat to the croc. Factoid: Crocodiles can go a year without eating, if they have to.

This particular croc came from the home of a private resident. The original owner raised him in their bathtub. He eventually got too big and the owner had to get rid of him, much to his wifes relief. The croc was fed only fish. As a result, when the farm got him, he was calcium deficient. So much so, in fact, that when he would bite something hard his jaws would bend around the object, rather than breaking it.

Also, because he'd been a lone male in a bathtub for his whole life, he didn't know much about girls. When three female crocs were put into his pen, to breed, rather than seducing the croc chicks he killed them. It took him, I think, about three years to learn that the girls were his play pals, not prey.