Something else I found, and wanted to add to my last blog about Florida Alligators is the following photo. It’s a great picture of what Gators do around the time they want to start laying eggs. Â
Last year, this photo was taken.
On first inspection it would appear to be only my car… ’slightly dusty’… but take a closer look under my car below!
Don’t let this you put you off, it is quite a rare occurrence!
 A few more Gator breeding Facts:
Gators normally start to breed when they have reached around 6 feet in length.
Gator breeding season is normally around April when Courtship begins.
Females start to lay eggs around the June/July time period.
Gators lay around 40 to 45 eggs at a time.
Incubation period is about 65 days.
Hatching’s are around 6 to 8 inches at birth.
Until the next breeding season, the mother will protect her hatchlings against predators.
When we bought our home in 2006, I was lucky enough to find one with the help of Art Heiter (our Realtor) that has a beautiful conservation view.  We back onto 8 square miles of trees and forest with a large retention pond to look out over. This makes for some beautiful sights throughout the four seasons.
Over the past 2 years we have seen Otters, families of Deer (up-to 14 early one morning), all sorts of birds…watched a young Hawk sitting on our Oak Tree last week looking for its next meal, and the most interesting of all, Alligators.
At times we have up to three Gators in the pond at once, and have watched them with their off spring (which they are very protective of….I went a little closer than I should have to the edge of the bank once, and the mama Gator nearly came out of the water at me…). On the whole though, I have found Gators to have a real fear of humans unless people start to feed them; which of course we found out when moving into our new home, that previous guests in the area had been doing just this. A few of our Gators come to close to the bank looking for food now, which isn’t a good thing. Over time a Gator will lose its fear of humans and may come out of the pond!  Feeding Gators may look like good fun. However, all guests coming to Florida should please note this is illegal, and people could face serious consequences.
While observing the gators in our pond, it appears that during the early morning they come out of the water and bask on the edge of the land and pond, until the daytime heat becomes to much for them. Then, they retreat back into the water to prevent overheating. During the later afternoon hours, they will reappear back out of the water to bask again until night time. At that point they go back into the water for the evening.
A Few Florida Gator Facts:
Gators do not like salt water and can die from Sodium poisoning.
Since 1972 there have only been 9 fatal gator attacks in Florida.
Baby Gators can make very loud chirping noises to get the attention and assistance of there mother.
Only 1 in 10 Gators live past their first year!
Alligators living in the wild have an lifespan of approximately 35 - 50 years, and up-to 80 in captivity.
Gator Tail is eaten in Florida. Restaurants on the outskirts of the attraction area often serve Gator Nuggets… tastes like Chicken!… Don’t try catching your own…
In 1977, the alligator was reclassified from an endangered to a threatened species.
I was lucky enough this morning to take a couple of snap shots from across the pond of one of our Gators enjoying the Florida sun. Look closely on the far bank…
 Â
As you can imagine, I wasn’t going to get to close to this Gator, so this is as far as my Camera would zoom in for a closeup… Smile… show me ‘them teeth’
Unfortunately as I tried to get closer, the Gator heard me and slid into the water… as you can see, almost fully submerged, you can hardly see the Gator… Let this be a lesson to you to  swim in your Villa’s Pool, or in the Sea… not in ponds or lakes in Florida!
Like to see Gators up close and personal? Then GatorLand is your best bet. This 110 acre theme park is dedicated to every aspect of Florida Alligators. The park features a breeding marsh, observation tower, reptile shows, aviary, petting zoo, swamp walk, Gator Wrestling, and educational programs; plus thousands of alligators and crocodiles.
I am very fortunate to have a home over looking a pond. There are more villas for rent like this available in the resort area. So, if your really interested in seeing Gators and do not have young Children, then take the opportunity to rent a Florida villa that overlooks a pond or small lake, adn enjoy it! Your more likely than not to have Gators nearby… it’s fascinating to watch these creatures in their natural habitat, rather than in a petting zoo. If you should have trouble finding a home near a pond,  simply drop me an e-mail. I will do my best to try to find one for you!  If we can’t find a property that has Gators ready and wating, ask your property management company to order a couple for your arrival… joke
 Joking aside…
One of the most important rules is when you see an alligator in the wild… Leave It Alone! Alligators are not to be feared. They are however, to be respected.
Looking for further reading, then try these websites:
Recent Comments