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Crocodilian Pets in Hiroshima

January 9th, 2008 by James

A video report from Fuji TV news about a Mr. Murabayashi of Hiroshima Prefecture who keeps a spectacled caiman as a pet:

Here’s a brief summary:

  • Murabayashi got the caiman, which he creatively named Caiman, from a pet shop 23 years ago. Caiman was once small enough for Murabayashi’s daughter to carry, but has since grown to a length of 2 meters.
  • Caiman is used to living with humans and does not bite or attack them. Murabayashi’s daughter seems totally okay with sitting next to Caiman while holding her baby.
  • Like many Japanese pets, Caiman enjoys spending time inside a kotatsu during winter.
  • Murabayashi brings Caiman and his other pet croc to work every day. He has named his business using kanji that have the same reading as the Japanese word for “crocodile.”
  • Caiman draws crowds when taken on walks by Murabayashi and is very popular with children. He even sometimes visits a kindergarten!
  • Murabayashi’s wife does not like the damage Caiman inflicts on the tatami mats in their house. His daughter and wife are not fans of keeping crodociles as pets.


Related Posts:
 

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Hiroshima Day 2008

US House speaker to visit Hiroshima A-bomb memorial

Japan’s first pets


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18 Comments »

Comment by otsuka
2008-01-09 09:50:16

That is ridiculous. Remind me to never rob his house.

 
Comment by Eloy
2008-01-09 09:57:48

does it attract the ladies like a dog?

 
Comment by koogle
2008-01-09 11:25:43

wow.. amazing really.. wish the short documentary was in english would have been great to know what was being said.

 
Comment by zoid
2008-01-10 14:00:44

lies. it’s a robot.

 
Comment by tkyosam
2008-01-10 15:36:42

I want to know why it wasn’t being agressive?

Maybe he has been feeding it nothing but Nattou and tofu, lol

 
Comment by nya
2008-01-10 16:10:05

I’d rather have a croc as a pet, they look lazy and you don’t have to do much.

 
Comment by Hristo
2008-01-21 16:25:52

I know why it’s not aggressive. It’s just a mutated lizard. After all, that’s Hiroshima…

 
Comment by Gurlwitdreams
2008-02-01 04:11:25

Is the guy retarded or sumthing? He looks as if he suffered brain damage?

 
Comment by kay
2008-04-02 12:12:17

this is my favorite japanprobe video so far.. having a pet crocodile looks fun

epecially one that wags its tail when u pet it

 
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