Information on Baby Crocodiles

A baby crocodile is born encased in an egg comparable in size to that laid by a goose.

Crocodile eggs are deposited by the mother above the high water in a nesting location chosen for temperature and safety. The eggs will only develop if they remain at a temperature of 80 to 94 degrees F.

Temperature actually determines the gender of the hatchling. A half-degree difference between the top and bottom of the nest could markedly affect the ratio of males to females. If a crocodile egg is kept at 88.8 degrees F it will be male. If the temperature is higher or lower, the hatchling will be a female. The mother keeps vigil for 90 days listening for the eggs to begin grunting, which signals they are about to hatch.

When Baby Crocodiles Hatch

Each hatchling has an "egg tooth," a horny growth at the tip of its snout with which it cuts through the inner membrane of the egg and pokes a hole in its shell. Baby crocs have the ability to call to their mothers if they are having a difficult time getting out of the shell. The mother will respond to this call for help by taking the egg gently in her mouth and squeezing just enough to break the shell and release the hatchling.

Like an adult, a baby crocodile is a master of the stealthy hunting technique known as ambush predation. Keeping eyes, ears, and nose at a surface level with the water or seeming to appear asleep on the bank, a crocodile will patiently observe its potential pretty for hours until it is absolutely ready to strike. Baby crocodiles are born with this instinct. They do not have to learn. The biggest risk they face at an early age is actually not of starving to death but of being eaten by larger crocodiles. In this regard the mother is their protector and defender, keeping larger animals of their own kind away until her young can develop and survive on their own.

After Hatching

The process of breaking the shell is called the "pipping," after which the small crocodile requires several hours to gain its strength. The crocodile baby will be eight to nine inches long with a bright tan skin and black markings. After the first few weeks of life the egg tooth disappears.

Toddler crocs follow after their mothers like a line of ducklings as they learn to swim and to hunt. Within a year, the juveniles will have attained a length of two feet and will be self-sufficient. Crocodiles and their young have a surprisingly close relationship, one that is tenderer and caring on the part of the mother than her ferocious appearance might suggest.

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Information on Baby Crocodiles

When Baby Crocodiles Hatch

After Hatching

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