American alligators take twice as long to digest food at 20° C than 28° C, whereas smooth-sided caimans digest food three times faster at 30° C than 15° C.
Temperatures below and above POBT interfere with digestion and immune function. Anorexia with temperatures in the POBT of 26° C to 32° C should be considered abnormal and warrants physical examination and diagnostic workup. Even crocodilians held indoors in heated enclosures may have reduced appetite during the winter months with decreasing temperatures and light cycles. It is common for species such as American alligators ( Alligator mississippiensis) and Nile crocodiles, in both the wild and outdoor holding in captivity (Florida), to stop feeding for 4 to 5 months during the winter months. Seasonal temperature fluctuations may result in a decrease or cessation of food consumption during winter months. 5,8 Given a selection of temperatures, including a hot spot, crocodilians are able to select the POBT for their metabolic needs.
For captive crocodilians, a good range for environmental temperatures is 25° C to 35 ° C.
They also operate at a preferred optimal body temperature (POBT) similar to mammalian internal body temperatures. Fontenot, in Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, VolHusbandryĬrocodilians are poikilothermic, regulating their body temperatures by using external environmental heat sources.