is it a good idea to raise this animal?

Question

i recently found a baby alligator and i felt sorry for it and i took it home and place it in a lil water in a cooler until i could figure out what to do wit it i fed it some lunch meat and its really nice but what am i going to do when its gets big plus this animal eats alot to be so smalls so i am just asking what would u do if u were in my situation

Answer 1

Well if you REALLY brought it home because you cared, that is nice. BUT= keeping an alligator is against the law and if you don't take it back to where you found it, (I dont suggest that because mom might be around and you COULD be KILLED.) then call Animal control and tell them you found it and they will come and get it and put it where it can find food easily... By the way, baby alligators CAN break your fingers very soon after they are born... Get it back to the wild... They do NOT make good pets even if they WERE legal which they are NOT.

Answer 2

Put it back where you found it...it may die but that is natural.
Most shelters won't accept an alligator hatchling because they can't be owned as pets.
Most wildlife rescues will return the animal back into the wild. Alligators are not endangered and the WR isn't going to attempt rearing something that is already plentiful.
Zoos are already overcrowded with alligators. So you won't find much luck with them either.
If you are serious about keeping this critter you should have a good sum of money to invest in a setup. Since you are looking at a reptile that will get around 8-10ft you'll be looking into making at least a 20x8x20ft size pond. Plus you'll need an excellent filtration system (which is costly), and feed it chickens or fish. Sorry, no lunch meat. Also consider the possibility that if this alligator hatchling is a male it'll be very territorial or if the alligator was to escape and harm someone. Large, aggressive reptiles like an alligator which require many people to restrain it would be a huge liability.
In the long run you are far better off not keeping it. Mother nature will do a better job at raising it and that is what was intended.

Answer 3

Call an animal warden or a zoo. An alligator will get way too big for you to handle and could eventually hurt you.

While you do have it, keep in mind that reptiles can carry samonella (food poisoning) because it is naturally in their systems and when they go, it can get anywhere/everywhere. Any time you handle it or anything it has touched, wash well.

I wouldn't use the cooler for food again by the way. If you do - make sure you clean it very well and use disinfectant.

Answer 4

Call the animal rescue hotline in your area. Call the local zoo. Call pest control. Look in the phone book or on Switchboard.com for animal removal type businesses. Even a local pet store might have the number on hand.

Answer 5

I wouldn't keep an alligator. You should call animal control immediately. You should check with state law, because in some states, it's illegal to posess alligators.

Answer 6

Take it to your local zoo or animal control center. This is a wild animal, and will eventually bite you or someone else, no matter how kind you are to it. Save yourself the agony and get rid of it now. Do NOT flush it down the toilet or dump it in your local river.

Answer 7

Call a wild animal rescue service....that thing will grow up and eat you! Did you not see the movie ALLIGATOR in the 80's???? Sheesh...I'm STILL having nightmares...lol

Answer 8

I would find the nearest wild animal rescue and let them know because you know you cant keep an alligator those animals cannot be tamed.

Answer 9

Give it to an alligator farm before you lose a finger.

Answer 10

i'd put it back where you found it because

1) it's an alligator
2) It has a life too
3) It will get too big to keep in a cooler
4) Eventually it could bite your hand off