Crocodile kept in Kent bungalow as pet

Sunday, January 17 2010, 16:11 GMT
By Sarah Rollo, Entertainment Reporter

A retired civil servant has a pet crocodile which lives with him in his Kent bungalow.

Chris Weller, 63, bought Caesar, a spectacled caiman crocodile, in 2007 when he was just a one-year-old, and has spent £20,000 transforming his home to house his 4.5ft pet.

Caesar is one of 4,296 animals licenced under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (DWAA) in the UK, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

"When I first got him, he was a nightmare. He would take chunks out of me. It was quite painful and there was a bit of blood loss on occasions," Mr Weller said.

"Now he just lazes about. When I sit on the floor, he will put his head in my lap and I can stroke him. He's as good as gold. The neighbours all know about him and are quite happy. They call me the crocodile man."

Species ranging from antelope to zebra are registered under the DWAA, of which 72 are crocodiles or alligators. Other animals kept under the act include bison, wildcats, camels, emus, boars, otters and wolves. There is also a red panda, living at a property in Chichester, West Sussex.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a197026/crocodile-kept-in-kent-bungalow-as-pet.html

Also: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7005564/Crocodile-is-living-in-a-bungalow-in-Kent.html