Duchess's story

[crocodile girl]

As many of you know, I have an american alligator named Duchess. I just thought I'd post a little background about her, for those of you who'd like to read about it.

Duchess came to me from an alligator farm. It was late december, and I wanted to do something good. Not sure why...but I looked the enclosure and decided that I didn't need a mate for The Prince (who was still alive at the time, The Prince was a nile crocodile). Instead, I could rescue an alligator from becoming a purse!

She came to me malnourished, extremely stressed, and covered in filth. The man who owned the alligator farm didn't want to sell her to me alive. He kept asking what I wanted the skin made into. But eventually, I got him to drive her over. Her parasite load was heavy, and she was absolutely miserable.

Well, nowadays, she's almost friendly. almost. remember she's an alligator, lol. She doesn't like ducks swimming in her water, and she'll come up from underneath them to scare them off. If she's about to be fed, she'll sometimes take them under the water for a snack while I'm getting the chickens ready.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

I was born in Fla. and when my grandmother was still alive I would go down there every summer to visit - we would always end up going to this alligator rance thingy and watch all the animals there I loved it ( and miss it) but I just read in the paper yesterday that our little zoo adopted an alligator named Wally that someone was throwing away ( family pet ) so this summer the zoo plans on building him a huge heated pond so he can grow and be happy right now he is 5 yrs old. so I look forward to watching him grow up.
I would love to see a picture of a few of your critters.

Julie

 

[lacyloo]

poor alligator

 

[picklespickles]

i just never even think about things like alligators. i will learn alot that,s for sure.

 

[Buster]

I wish I could remember the exact location,but when I was 11 years old I went to a family reunion in NW Florida- Panama City area. We went on a boat and saw deer and fish and alligators on a tour. At the end of the tour, we all swam in the water and there were alligators on the bank of the far side. When one would get in the water, some guys on boats would go corral them back up to shore! That trip to Florida has always been one of my best memories of childhood.

If there are any Floridians who know where this may be located, I'd like to know because I'd like to take my family there someday.

 

[carugoman]

Sounds like Mexico Beach or Appalachiacola or Choctawhatchee Bay or just about anywhere of a thousand places around these parts? Heck,it could even be Shoal river,which is ,literally,in my backyard. There's plenty of snappers,chompers and skeeters to keep you slap-happy! If you want,all y'all can stay rightchere,I have a travel trailer all set up with full hook-up or stay in the house...just me and the wife in 2400 square;plenty of room. BTW it was 77 yesterday and 81 the day before.

All y'all take care!

 

[lacyloo]

I have always wanted a pet alligator. But mom said they would probably eat alot, and i told her that i could just start feeding our dogs, to the gator but she still said no,
so i guess i will never have a pet alligator ......

 

[MissPrissy]

Alligators come up the creeks and streams in Ga, too. We had a gator in our pond for years when I was growing up in middle Ga. One old fella who was a friend of the family had a huge swimming pool sitting empty for years after his children where grown and gone. He used it to raise 'gators in. Very cool. Dangerous but cool.

 

[crocodile girl]

Well, I do have a pic of my komodo dragon, here's a link to it,
read the thread in the link find out why I don't usually post pics:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=27704

I have always wanted a pet alligator. But mom said they would probably eat alot, and i told her that i could just start feeding our dogs, to the gator but she still said no,
so i guess i will never have a pet alligator ......

If you want a loving, affectionate, and easy-care pet, an alligator is not for you. Yes, they do eat a lot. Duchess eats 5 adult chickens a day. And I give her huge chunks of beef, pork, mutton, etc. in addition to that. Every day. She's not tame. She is a very dangerous animal that is to be enjoyed from a safe distance.

If you want something lizard-ish, try an argentine tegu. they take work (do your research!) but if you get the right species (make sure it's an argentine and not a columbian) they will become as tame as a cat.

If you don't believe me, click here for a video of one man and his argentine tegus:

 

[Buster]

Quote:
Sounds like a great plan- I LOVE the South! I think it might have broke 32 degrees here yesterday (for a high), but not by much. The place I went to was in guided tour boats with a swimming area and diving platforms at the end of the tour- not that it's necessary, it's probably nicer to float down river and enjoy it w/out the crowds, just trying to recall the location from my memory...