Fettina in the crocodile garden: Button is desperately looking for a new home!

Fettina in the crocodile garden: Button is desperately looking for a new home!

There's something going on in Thuringia: A crocodile named "Knöpfchen" is causing a stir after it was confiscated from a garden in Nordhausen. The 27-year-old animal, measuring an impressive 2.5 meters long, currently lives in the reptile sanctuary in Munich, where it is urgently looking for a new home. Keeping them had apparently become too expensive and the former owner could no longer meet the strict requirements, which led to this drastic measure Thuringia24 reported.

“Button” doesn't have it easy: it causes excess weight and requires a weight loss of seven kilos to prevent fatty liver disease. Currently on a diet, the crocodile eats fish and lean meat. The reptile rescue station in Munich-Riem has provided the animal with a twelve square meter enclosure, but a new owner is not yet in sight. The Nordhausen district currently pays 70 euros per day for accommodation, and finding a suitable new home is difficult.

Could there be a threat of euthanasia?

Dr. Markus Baur warns that, in the worst case scenario, euthanasia could be considered if a new owner cannot be found. A request to zoos in Europe has so far received no response. Strict animal danger laws apply throughout Germany, especially in the federal states where the keeping of crocodiles is regulated. In Thuringia, owners have to meet certain requirements, otherwise the animals risk being confiscated, as was the case with “Knöpfchen”.

The legal requirements are clear: The veterinary office had already asked the former owner to improve the housing conditions in March 2025, but this was not actively implemented. An attempt to challenge these requirements before the Weimar Administrative Court resulted in a dismissal and the animals were ultimately confiscated. In addition, there were several poisonous snakes and constrictors in the same allotment garden, which were also released for adoption. Strict requirements also apply here for the transfer to new owners, who must meet all the necessary requirements daily news.

Exotic animals and their challenges

In the context of keeping exotic animals, an exciting picture emerges that does not only affect Thuringia. While private keeping of exotic wild animals such as crocodiles is legally possible in Brandenburg, owners there do not have to pass any special tests unless they register a business. This is causing discussions among animal rights activists, who are calling for stricter regulations in order to increase safety and avoid abuses like those with “buttons”. RBB24 notes.

“Knöpfchen” is therefore not just an isolated case, but is an example of a growing problem in dealing with exotic animals. While the public becomes increasingly aware of animal welfare, the future of “Knöpfchen” remains uncertain. Every owner who is interested in adopting is asked to keep up to date with the strict legal requirements in order to be able to offer the crocodile a species-appropriate and safe home.