Nile or West african caimon

[cvanvollenstee]

Hello,

People say this is a Nile croc and the guy that is trying to sell this to me say this is a west african dwarf caimon

Please could anybody assist me in identifing these critters so I don't end up buying somthing I will regret and possible be having law problems.




These pohotos is from the SOS this year of proper caimen dwarfs



Any assitance will be apretiated

Thank you

[roadkill456]

Hi

There has been a post about these croc a while ago, its sounds like a very dodgy deal.

Have a look at the following 'Junkmail ad' viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21918#p169099

Good luck

[Bushviper]

These are Nile crocs. The guy has ripped numerous people off. Yesterday he caught someone for 10 specimens and another for a pair. Any information regarding a residential address or contact details will be appreciated.

After he sells the animals all you get is a strong asian accent saying "nobody here by dat name" when you want to complain.

Last week he tried to rip someone in Pretoria who told him they are Nile crocs and he said "how can you tell?". He knows he is ripping you off and that's why he agrees to meet you away from his residence.

Caimen do not occur in West Africa. The West African variety are dwarf crocs (Osteolemus spp) which have a round short snout. They are also endangered and listed on CITES app 1.

[cvanvollenstee]

Thanks so much for this. I was thinking why is it so cheap. Something must not be right.

[Weylin]

Imagine having a nile croc in your back garden LOL!!! No one would try rob you... that's if you not eaten by it yourself! Haha!

[Mr S]

Bushviper: is anybody up there in your world trying to catch this guy. I cant imagine people sitting with these "crocs" a few years down the line.

This is a potential time bomb

[it_bit_me]

Spectacle

Nile

Dwarf


CITES Identification Guide – Crocodilians
ISBN 0-662-61957-9

Dr. James Perran Ross
Dr. F. Wayne King

[Warren Klein]

After he sells the animals all you get is a strong asian accent saying "nobody here by dat name" when you want to complain.

I also called this guy from the junk mail add, he sounded Afrikaans to me defiantly not Asian. He told me he was selling them for someone else who apparently had a few pairs which he had bred. I had asked him to send me pictures of the crocs but that was over a week ago and nothing yet. Anyway he clearly has no knowledge of crocodilians what so ever as he couldn’t answer any of my questions. I'm not sure if this guy is just a fool who believes he is actually selling "West African Dwarf Caiman" or is fully aware that he is illegally selling C. niloticus?

Don't be caught out and support people like this!

[alvinno]

BV what legal action can be taken on him cause we have his contact no. cause my friend took more of these nile crocs before i could warn him about them. He sold them but we refunded everyones money cause they were not true dwarfs, its just 2 guys refused the refund and they said it was fine. If we call him he will come to fourways but he only meets at shopping malls. Mods please excuse my mistakes i am typing with my cell phone thanks

[Warren Klein]

@ it_bit_me, is that last illustration of the "Dwarf" of a South American Paleosuchus sp. or of an African Osteolaemus sp.?
I think many people don't know that you get Dwarfs in South America as well as West and central Africa.

[it_bit_me]

Yes sorry guys.
Spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus
Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus
West-African Dwarf crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis

I hope some of you have easier ways of telling them apart.

[fredsmith]

I wonder how many people get suckered into scams like this?
What recourse does one have once they've been taken in by one of these scammers?

Surely those out there with his phone number should be able to get him traced?

[Bushviper]

I am sure he is being investigated but I dont hold out much hope. If you cannot identify the animals then you should not be buying them because then you will not be able to look after them in any case. If people get stuck with Nile crocs then so be it. This happens every day and is usually the Nigerians but they dont even give you anything and just rip you off. These scams are as old at the pet trade and will always catch gullible people.

This is the reason why I dont buy "hets" unless I know the breeder and have spoken to him about it. Anyone else who tries to sell me a "het" will only get the price of a normal. Same thing with local snakes which are "captive bred and feeding on mice". If I dont know the seller very well then I rather just pass on these snakes especially with delicate snakes or known problem feeders.

Over time you learn to know who has a decent reputation and who does not. People who sell snakes a few weeks after buying them cannot expect me to pay market related prices for the animals.

[cvanvollenstee]

This guy was going to bring the crocs to centorion dros if I gave him R100 for petrol.

HEHEHE. So glad I went to stellenbocsh croc farm first and showed the pic to them. And then posted it here.

[Bushviper]

Tell him you will give him petrol money and then dont show up. Make him run around. Do this every few days from a new number