At the pet store near my house they sell baby american alligators to everyone. The problem is that people buy them and when they get to big, they let the gators loose in lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water. This could eventually mess up the ecosystem and hurt people. Do you think this should continue?

nope, i sure dont. In fact, i would give the local DNR a call. It is illegal in some (should be all) states to sell crocodilians without a permit and even then the person buying it must have a permit themselves. People have NO IDEA what they are getting themselves into! grrrrr it makes me even madder than the local store that sells baby igs. But at least iguanas dont grow large enough to actually KILL a human being.

This issue is a great one to take to your local fish and game department or DNR. If I were you, i would definitly do all within my power to try and stop this horrible act of animal cruelty (and dangerous lack of common sense from the store clerk) from not only continuing, but ever going on again.

*deep breath*.....phew, glad I got that one out of my system lol. I just cant stand it when I hear of stores selling these sort of animals! It seems that we all know what an adult alligator can do to a person and when people buy this cute little baby, they know good and well what it will grow into. BUT, they have this stupid idea in their heads that when it grows up they'll "just give it to a zoo or something". Sorry, but I do believe that this was the subject of a horror movie once.....girl buys baby gator, parents flush gator down the toilet while girl's at school, alligator grows into SUPER GATOR in the sewers and eventually breaks out and kills everything in it's path.

the whole point of conservation programs is to educate the public about how vital but respectable these animals are. Yet people listen to the media and movies more anyways so why not take a hint from the movie???.....stupid stupid poor unfortunate saps is what they are. lol

thanks for posting this...allows me a chance to vent.

good luck,

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

So many people get in over their heads with boas or pythons, and these are really nothing compared to an alligator.

I think there should be major hoops to jump through to purchase an Alligator. Generally, if this is the case, only those really interested in caring for them go through the trouble. Not always, but it sure does cull the purchasing numbers.

I think there should be major hoops to jump through with most herps. Even with common herps that parents buy for their kids to get them to shut up. I'll admit, those were my parents. I wanted a Sulcutta....thankfully my parents were smart and knew enough to buy me an anole. But I still think about that Anole almost every day. It must have suffered incredibly. It never had UVB, or a real strong heat source, or hiding spots or humidity or anything. I didn't know better, I couldn't even read yet, but my parent just viewed it as disposable and figured that if it died they'd just replace it while I was sleeping and i'd never notice...we all know better now.

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Wow! Ive often wondered what would go through someones head when thinking of purchasing such an animal that will eventually become deadly. I definately dont believe these animals should be sold as pets,or any possibly dangerous animal. Do people actually think these animals be trained or tamed not to kill? Certain counties here in Ohio it is only illeagle to sell but not to own and that is as far as the law goes. After that it is up to the individual townships to interpret , modify and enforce these laws. If I wanted to obtain an aligator all I would have to do is take a 30 ride down the highway to the one of the Flea Markets that have multiple vendors who deal in exotic pets.Right now someone is jumping through a lot of hoops to keep his bears, who have escaped off of his property before. But I think until laws change or there just isnt a demand for this type of pet, theres not a whole lot that can be done. Its sad definately.

Also I recently posted a pic of my dad and me when I was younger. In the picture he had the snake around his neck and we were holding a young aligator. Those wern't our pets, that was taken at Gatorland in Kissimie Fl. Just so there arent any wrong ideas out there.

I agree that a phone call to the local wildlife department is in order. In many places it is illegal to sell crocodilians as well as just having them. I know in my city it is forbidden to keep crocodilians on non comercial property.As far as what they were thinking when they bought it.
Part of the problem is misinformation and outright lies. I have overheard so many unscrupulous dealers say so many outrageous things just to make a sale it should be criminal! Topping the list is the old "if you keep it in a small tank it won't get any bigger" hogwash! I almost got thrown out of a flea market over a "discussion" I had with a vendor over telling this to someone in reference to them buying a caiman!
However another part of the problem and it is a real concern to serious keepers is the growing fascination with having something dangerous just so they can act like a bad a** to their friends. It seems that having something that can kill you has become almost a status symbol to some. It began with large constrictors and is now escalating to venomous snakes. I guess the danger of being suffocated to death just wasn't as awe inspiring as being envenomated!
Now don't get me wrong there are many keepers who are maintaining venomous reptiles and other potentially dangerous animals for the right reasons and are responsible in their stewardship of these animals.
Then there are the guys that walk into a bar and go "Hey check out my new rattlesnake!"

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I can't imagine having enough room in someone's house for a Caiman, let along a gator! Seems the only people who are even EQUIPPED to keep these large animals live within 20 miles of the Gulf or lower eastern edge of the U.S. They just about have to be kept outside.

I suppose if you had the cash you could build an indoor pond, but I don't see that happening too often.

One of these days I would love a Tegu. However, I know enough to know that I need some serious floorspace.

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Zane Neher.

The great and strong man is one who bears within his character many contradictions.
Crocodilian care.

In my state,it is illeagal to sell any reptile or amphibian without a permit...but they dont enforce that law. This is what the owner of the pet store told my mom when we bought a turtle, "You have to be an educator or a scientist or something like that to buy this so you need to sign this paper just to be on the safe side, but no one ever comes around and checks." I'll contact the DNR anyway.

Should alligators be available as pets, yes, I think so. However, it should be much harder to obtain one. There need to be licenses required, and the gators themselves should be more expensive. It should also be illegal to sell them in states where the climate would make an outdoor gator enclosure impossible.

Pet stores back home in North Dakota sell baby gators for around $80-$200. Any kid cam come along and buy one. NOBODY in the entire state has an adult gator as a pet. This means that there a lot of gators being dumped, dying, etc.

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