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Posted by Bill Moss on March 06, 2003 at 18:52:11:
In Reply to: calming down baby gators... posted by herboyracer on March 05, 2003 at 23:14:07:
First of all, you have to understand why the baby gator is behaving that way. It is food to a lot of critters when it is that size. They don't have the ability to rationalize as humans do so just about every interaction with another animal (like us) is potenially life-threatening to them. Your gator is not being "mean", it is just protecting itself. You will have to give it a lot of time to get used to you. Personally, I don't think they should be overly handled when they are this young. I would wait till it's six months or older - even a year, before you begin a lot of interaction with it. For now, just let it get used to the fact that you are around and are not going to hurt it. Remember, when you make a grab for it, it's the same thing a predator would do.
As for the diet - I've heard similar reports over the years from various sources, mostly by people here on this forum. One of the sources said the information came from a study done at the Rockerfeller Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. I emailed the director, Dr. Ruth Elsey, and asked her about it. She said she knew nothing of any such studies being done. Personally, I doubt the validity of any such claims until I can verify the origin and read the study for myself or hear of it from sources I consider realiable.
All the baby gators are purchased from "breeders" if you consider farm raised as being from a breeder. There isn't too much activity in the private sector breeding alligators for the sale of the babies.
Bill
:as youve all read (and knocked me about) i purchased a gator a few weeks ago...i love him to death...he seems to be quite the fan of hissing and trying to bite whenever anything is done near his enclosure...
:ive read that if you dont feed them thing with blood inside such as mice and fish...they lack of blood will reduce their naturl instincts a bit...is there any validity to this...also i tried lowering his water temperature a little bit...its in the high 70s now...
:even though he has been having little "temper tantrums" i still try to handle him a decent amount in hopes that he just isnt used to being picked up...as he was purchaced from a breeder...so that maybe after a while of him being picked up a few times a day every day he will calm down quite considerably...
:i think that the last might very well be my best option as it has worked with monitors ive owned but this is my first time actually owning an alligator and they are very different from monitors which im sure youve already realized...
:thanks for your time and any help will be GREATLY appreciated...also if you plan on saying things to just try to put me down about the ownership of this reptile...save it and go punch your next door neighbor instead...thank you...
:-christopher mchale
