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Baby crocs and alligators will catch insects and spiders to eat. As they grow, fish and birds form a larger part of their diet. When fully grown, they will prey on anything that comes their way: fish and birds, as well as small and large mammals. |
Wild crocodiles are advantageous carnivores, capable of eating whatever prey that happens to stumble upon them. They have even been known to eat humans from time to time as well, but more on that later!
The larger the crocodile, the larger the prey. According to a study done by the Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub, saltwater crocodiles have been known to eat large wildebeest and even other crocodiles!
A captive crocodile in a zoo is will often eat:
Mice
Rats
Raw chicken
Raw beef
Fish
Whether it be in captivity or in the wild, crocodiles are highly opportunistic eaters, and they are also comfortable eating dead animals or carcasses.
How Much Does a Crocodile Eat?
A crocodile eats on average 2-5 pounds of meat per day, or roughly 5% of its body weight per week. It depends on the overall size of the crocodile and the amount of food that is readily available to them, however. A croc with a great deal of prey nearby may eat much more than 2 pounds of meat a day!
According to the Journal of Herpetology, an adolescent crocodile needs to eat at least 4% of its body weight weekly depending on its size, while a captive croc needs to eat at least four times that amount.
Crocodiles usually require less food than warm-blooded mammals, but this doesn’t mean they don’t feast or gorge themselves on food. They are one of the few predators incapable of tearing their food into smaller pieces- they have to eat their meals whole.
Crocodiles are also not picky eaters in the least. They will eat most anything that crosses their path or can’t outswim them. Depending on the location of the species and the current weather, crocodiles will eat a variety of different things.
For example, crocs will eat much more fish and aquatic creatures during wet and rainy months, while they will need to eat more land mammals during drier months. No matter what, if a crocodile can fit the unsuspecting prey in its jaws, it will do its best to eat it!
Credit : A-Z Animals
Picture Credit : Google