Alligators

Passport1

Passport1

Joined
Sep 17, 2012
Messages
3,646
Location
A Barrier Island
This guy has taken up residence in a pond very near my house. I'd guess he's at least 6'. I've lived with lots of wildlife, deer, bears, snakes but this is my first encounter with a 'gator. NC wildlife rangers won't remove anything <9'. My HOA doesn't seem to interested to hire a private service. I wouldn't mind but there are a bunch of geese with goslings that are going to be on the menu soon. Guess 'till he moves on, I'll just keep my kitty inside.

Anybody else have experience with these critters?


1715032259665.jpeg
 
As long as no one feeds it it should keep to itself and retain some level of apprehension towards humans. As you say, keep your kitty indoors. Worst case scenario, i believe NC has permits for hunting 'gators.

I love seeing them down here.
 
I live in alligator central and my house backs up to the everglades. I hate alligators. Most are not aggressive towards people and will seem to sun themselves in front of you, for years. But like any wild predator, when it's time, whether it's little ol grandma, a grandson or a dog, something is getting attacked. Most people don't see the attack coming until it's too late.

If you have a gator around, animals will go missing.

I've often wondered about the huge list of missing persons. I'll bet some are dragged to the bottom, never to be seen again. From time to time during drought, partial skeletons are found in FL lakes. Wedged under something by a gator.
 
I would find out how much it cost to have a service remove it, OP. And pay it myself if it wasn't too crazy. I agree it will likely cause a lot of sad and scary problems with local wildlife and pets.
 
Alligator eat one large meal a year, so the law of averages is on your side. Pretty gator for sure.
 
Passport1 said:
This guy has taken up residence in a pond very near my house. I'd guess he's at least 6'. I've lived with lots of wildlife, deer, bears, snakes but this is my first encounter with a 'gator. NC wildlife rangers won't remove anything <9'. My HOA doesn't seem to interested to hire a private service. I wouldn't mind but there are a bunch of geese with goslings that are going to be on the menu soon. Guess 'till he moves on, I'll just keep my kitty inside.

Anybody else have experience with these critters?


View attachment 218068
Click to expand...
Not direct experience in the sense of being in my backyard, but we have a lot of them in our community, though our community is quite large.

Actually, every community here along the coast with ponds have them. A family member just closed on a house today and his backyard pond has one as well.

I think they’re really cool, actually cute, many do, some don’t, sometimes my wife and I drive around looking for them and once I saw one swimming in a little lake in another community so I stopped my truck. I got out and walked near the shore and he made a U-turn and cruised about 15 feet away from me right past me.

I’m sure he wasn’t looking to eat me but was probably wondering if I was going to throw him a chicken or something LOL

But when the family member goes golfing, he showed me pictures of 5 to 7 footers laying in the sun along the path that the golf carts go.

Coming from Long Island where geese have ruined every single park on the island with their feces I’m glad for the alligators down here to make a good meal out of them. When I see a flock of geese in the water, I say to my wife well I guess there’s no gators in that pond.!

You do need to watch your pets though. Gators aren’t evil they have to eat like all of us.

Many people think they’re cute, check out this video shot by a homeowner in South Carolina

 
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I have lived near them for years. Why anyone would want a freshwater pond in their backyard in gator country is beyond me.

I used to fish in a pond with them until a small one kept chasing my bait up on shore.

As mentioned there not aggressive usually if you keep your distance. Way back when an old lady had her dog eaten by one while she was walking the dog. I had one up on all 4's run by me on the street coming home one night - maybe 8 feet or more- scared the living daylights out of me and yes, they move fast.

@Pew 's solution has my vote.

1715038798004.jpg
 
Passport1 said:
This guy has taken up residence in a pond very near my house. I'd guess he's at least 6'. I've lived with lots of wildlife, deer, bears, snakes but this is my first encounter with a 'gator. NC wildlife rangers won't remove anything <9'. My HOA doesn't seem to interested to hire a private service. I wouldn't mind but there are a bunch of geese with goslings that are going to be on the menu soon. Guess 'till he moves on, I'll just keep my kitty inside.

Anybody else have experience with these critters?


View attachment 218068
Click to expand...
How long has he been there? A big one usually won't stay in a small pond for long - not sure why - not enough food or? Although I hear they may come and go.
 
Cujet said:
They eat once or twice per week. Yes, large ones can go a very long time between meals, that's generally due to cold temperatures, lack of food etc. Given a good climate, they will eat and animals will go missing.
Click to expand...
I guess you missed it.
 
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