Owing a Aligator..help please!!

[tyler1986]

Hey everyone.I have given this alot of thought.And taken every aspect into consideration.I have never owned nor do i know anyone who owns a aligator.Iv always wanted one but wanted to wait for the right time in life.I understand the maintance and care involved.I aslo belive it is wrong to take on a pet just to not be able to handle later.That being said here are my ?s
1)will a 75gal tank last 3-5years?
2)At what age should i build my outdoor liveing area?
3)how is the typical tank set up?pics would be nice
4)and feeding?what age do they eat what?
I was told that for the first 5 years they grow 1ft a year.The after 5 you shold build an outdoor liveing area.I was also told a 75gal tank will last 3-5 years and you want 1/4 land and 3/4 water.Please help.I wanna make this happen i just wanna have everything lined up and clear head.
.

 

[BobOblak]

Isn't GA part of their natural range? If so, check with your state wildlife regulation agency to see what their permitting and requirements are first. You may have to be "licensed and inspected".

 

[tyler1986]

Already have and im good to go.However if i get caught releasing into the wild i will do seriouse time..Federaly.But im not going to so no worries.

 

[GoingPostal]

A 75 gallon tank is only 4 feet long, if a gator grows 1ft a year, how are you keeping in there for 3-5 years? I wouldn't even bother with commercial aquariums, the largest wouldn't last for very long, are poorly shaped for space, and very expensive.

 

[tyler1986]

A 75 gallon tank is only 4 feet long, if a gator grows 1ft a year, how are you keeping in there for 3-5 years?

I dont know,that why im asking.Becouse these are things i was told and i wanna make sure.

 

[metaldad904]

Don't take this the wrong way but i gotta ask. Do you have experience working with crocodilians? I'm not trying to pick on your or anything but you're talking about getting an incredibly dangerous animal and just by your line of questioning it doesn't sound like know much about them at all. Based on your screen name i would assume you are what 24/25 years old? Do you have the means to keep an animal that will inevitably grow to upwards of 10+ feet long, weigh hundreds of pounds and have jaw power that is unmatched in the animal kingdom? Also, being in Georgia it still gets pretty cold...i would imagine your outdoor enclosure would have to be able to be closed off during the winter to keep the animal warm. I'm not claiming to know everything about gators but this isn't exactly an animal you should take lightly at all. They will never be tame, never be trusted and if given an oppurtunity will kill you...it is in their nature. Again, i'm not trying to pick on your or anything like that its more concern for your well being and the animal's.

 

[Focal]

http://www.reptileuv.com/reptile-caresheets/american-alligator.php

 

[tyler1986]

To metaldad904:to answer your ? about haveing experiance working with or owning any crocs.No i do not.And im going to assume 90% of the people or work with them or own them did not either before takeing on the feat.Also yes i have the means to take of this animal.I won my own home with about an acre for a backyard.Iv already got planes for how i am doing the outsie enclosure.Thanks to the zoo and the wonderfull and helpfull staff there.I am fully aware of the dangers of owning this animal as well.I have done alot of research on how to take care and how to handle this animal.I am mearly wanting to ask more people.Get othere opinions on the things i have been told.
To focal X:Thank you for the info!

 

[bigjej]

Tyler - Do not take offense at the questions being asked of YOU. People are trying to be helpful based the questions you asked of THEM. Just peruse the craigslist sections of various states, or even this forum, and you will find plenty of instances showing the result of excited people buying a croc or large snake or monitor or even dogs, without proper research, understanding or experience. Not having had croc experience is not the same as not having had any reptilian experience. Of course someone will have to have their ' first croc ' but it should not be their first large reptile, nor their first aggressive reptile because they a.)live long time b.) grow quite large c.) become quite expensive to properly care for d.) difficult to find proper homes for when owner decides can't/won't keep any longer and e.) VERY DANGEROUS even when smaller and kept by experienced keepers and/or institutions. The previous poster was making an observations of your post that were quite obvious. We might all be wrong, but it seems as your decision was made after speaking with a couple of people, maybe petshop owners or others with little proper experience. Before asking questions, which you should always do of course, it is best to spend quite a lot of time reading the available material on whatever topic you are interested in. This one for instance, has a lot of reputable, very available, reading material online and in print that answer most of these questions. By asking what you did, it seems like you haven't done enough research on your own. No one is being nasty, only expressing legitimate concern for you, your potential pet and this hobby which is constantly paying for the mistakes of irresponsible, ignorant or unscrupulous persons.

 

[bigjej]

I have never owned nor do i know anyone who owns a aligator.......
I was told that for the first 5 years they grow 1ft a year.

Who is doing the telling if you dont know anyone who has owned an alligator? Talk with some experienced owners, and not the guy on NY CL who keeps showing photos of his hatchling caimans but rather people who have kept and raised to adulthood large and smaller crocidilians. If you ae still interested, then perhaps try starting with a smaller, easier to house, species.

 

[metaldad904]

Like Eric said, we're just trying to help you and make sure you know exactly what you will be getting into. The last thing we wanna see if a headline on the news that your pet gator ate you or something like that. And to your comment that 90% of people who have them don't have experience is exactly why we are saying things like this. Just b/c someone else has done something doesn't mean you should...its just propagating a very dangerous and careless attitude. Also, just b/c you've done research doesn't mean you're ready, you need actual hands-on experience, just like owning a hot. Reading something on the net or books and talking to people who have them isn't enough to understand just how dangerous these animals really are. If you just go out and get one w/out any actual experience and just from the information you have read/heard you will inevitably get hurt. I'll admit the thought of a gator has crossed my mind and i've owned and care for many a large reptile species including burms, retics, various monitors but i know i'm nowhere near ready and probably never will be. This is an extremely expensive animal to keep which will take up a lot of time and money just to keep going, they will never ever be able to be trusted and will have the ability to kill you at any given moment. Again, nobody is trying to make offense towards you, we are just looking out for your safety as well as the animal's. If anything, how bout start with a larger reptile that isn't quite so dangerous....perhaps a water moniter or a black-throat. They get pretty big but aren't going to be nearly as difficult to care for nor as deadly. If you are hellbent on getting a crocodilian then maybe get a smaller kind like a dwarf caiman or something like that? While they are reportedly pretty aggressive i would much rather deal with something that only gets 6-8 feet vs. 10+ feet and very heavy. You say you have been talking people at the zoo, why not see if you can volunteer there and work with whatever crocodilians they have? That way you can get first hand experience as to what they're capable and make a much more informed decision. In the end you're going to do whatever you want but we're just trying to help keep you breathing and not another casualty in the papers.

 

[Mike Gay]

Hey Tyler, I'm new to these forums, but not to herps. To me if you want one, get one-period. Do you need a 20'X20' to start out? NO! They can grow fast and do if properly maintained. Words of experience based wisdom: Only get one. Two is not twice the fun. Keep it warm and clean and keep up-grading its habitat and in 4 years you will have a 6 footer (like our two)! Be smart 'cause they're not lap dogs. They will NEVER be tame, so
let it be an alligator and he'll never dissapoint. Do it and do it with pride.

 

[Mike Gay]

tanks for gators

Hey Tyler, Just a note on tanks for gators: You sometimes can get great deals on used tanks at pet shops or even garage/yard sales. Even though a tank will only be temporary, the knowledge you will get from watching your gator eat/pursue it's dinner is huge. You'll be able to see how it uses it's sensory pits on the lower jaw to locate hidden prey. You'll see the second eyelid in action and how they sit with mouth agape for a minnow to swim by. Just remembering ours as babies bring a smile to my face. Later when you move him to a pond, you'll know what's going on when he swings his head from side to side searching for a piece of (or whole) chicken. As hatchlings, ours were fed every other day. M&M's I called it-Mice & Minnows. Many hatchling are super skinny when you first get them. This only makes them eat/grow faster. Three to four inches a month is not unusual for the first few. Sooner than later a trip to your local Lowes Garden department may be in order. The preformed plastic lawn ponds make great habitats when set into a plywood base, much like a whirlpool tub. We used an outside filter system made from a storage tote that held a heater/medium/pump combo similar to a pond canister filter. That system just keeps getting bigger as needed.
We raised ours as alligators not lap dogs. They were minimally handled, usually only during cleaning. What's the fun in that? They're alligators!! They are perfect specimens of what walked with the dino's, and survived! There is no great mystery to keeping them, just dedication and realistic expectations.

 

[Mike Gay]

M&M's Expanded

Mice & minnows were a great staple for our hatchlings, yet variety is key to a healthy gator. In addition to m&m's we fed worms, crayfish, grass hoppers, dry cat food, pcs of lean meat & fish. Locally caught small fish are great. All spiney fins should first be trimmed off with scissors before being offered. Also, I always heard that frogs wild mice are high in parasites, so we avoided those. If you are short on properly sized food items, it's best to cut them to bite size. Gators revell in tearing things up. If the food item is too big, they'll grasp it and generally try to shake it to pieces. While fun to watch, it will totally trash the tank and you'll end up with fish soup. The best thing with variety is it gives you options. Whole food items should be your goal. At 6' we're now feeding small chickens, jumbo rats, fish & mazuri croc diet (for convenience) once a week.

 

[curtis alan harkrader]

or volunteer @ a zoo or something