# Gators?



## Lets Get Going (Mar 6, 2011)

My hubby and I are moving to the Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area for his job.  I've been looking at the Merritt Island area and it looks really nice, however....alot of the homes are on a canal or have ponds on or near the property.  I don't want to sound like a nervous Nellie, but  I've never lived around gator country so I don't know what to expect.  I have two pets that I love dearly and I don't want to lose them.

Any suggestions on what to expect from them critters?


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## ronparise (Mar 6, 2011)

Ive lived on a canal in Cape Coral for the last 15 years. Conventional wisdom, is dont walk your dogs too close to the edge. The reality is; I havent seen an alligator (except in the National Park on Sanibel), since I move here.

Dont worry, be happy. As we say in Cape Coral...just another day in paradise


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## siesta (Mar 6, 2011)

> I have two pets that I love dearly and I don't want to lose them.


 I'd invest in a fence, especially so your animals can enjoy your back yard without you worrying there is a gator waiting for them.


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## JoAnn (Mar 7, 2011)

*Do NOT feed the 'gators*.  We live on a small lake/pond and get the occasional 'gators who visit us.  We watch our Lab and tell her to not go in the lake, and she is pretty good about it.  If the gators come up to our dock, we do what ever we can to discourage that.  Sometimes someone will go swimming, but not us.  Most gators are afraid of people, but not if you are feeding them...or the fish.


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## Ridewithme38 (Mar 7, 2011)

There are very few animals that can mess with a full grown gator...What i would suggest is to raise a gator from very young...make it feel as though its a part of the family, let it eat next to the table when you eat, sleep on the end of the bed, you know....Gators are very territorial...so this gator will protect you from others that may want to come onto your land

Also i have read the Hippos work well to deter Gators....while i'm not sure where someone in florida would buy a hippo, i am sure others have thought of using them for home defense before against alligators, so there must be a market for them somewhere

Good luck!


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## JPD (Mar 10, 2011)

We love going to Merritt Island. There is a small raised dirt road that I went on last year, along the whole drive there was some of the biggest alligators I have ever seen in the wild. Don't trust any body of water down there. Also, you will see lots of manatees in the Merritt Island area.


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## Talent312 (Mar 10, 2011)

For a moment, I thought this thread might be about the Florida Gators Basketball team, ranked #12 in the nation, and predicted to be a #3 seed in the NCAA tournament... as unlikely as that seemed just a few weeks ago.

But yeah, do keep your pets away from them. Several years back, a park manager in central Florida, who should've known better, jumped into a murky pond and had his leg removed by a gator (he lived). Such incidents are rare, but its best not to get in their way.


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## Bee (Mar 10, 2011)

I'm a native Californian. Several years ago we lived in the Tampa Bay area for about a year. One day I was on the Dale Mabrey highway (like the El Camino Real) and the traffic was terrible (not too unusual). I was not happy! Then the DJ on the radio (Bubba, I think) came on and said the traffic was due to a gator in the middle of the road. Well, the thought of this still makes me  smile.   I never saw the gator, but I did see a few turtles on the road. Florida and it's wildlife is very different than California. Have fun!


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## tombo (Mar 10, 2011)

You will see a lot of gators if you go to the Kennedy Space center. As you ride the bus and in the car look in the ditches, canals, and waterways beside the road. The gators are usually small that you see, but sometimes you will see a whopper.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/alligators/kscovrv.html
Excerpt:"No discussion of wildlife at Kennedy is complete without mentioning alligators! While the interactions between man and alligator are few, the biggest problem is during Shuttle landings. Prior to each Kennedy Shuttle landing, it is the task of a special crew to clear the runway of all debris, including any alligators that might be sunning themselves on the runway surface."

People rarely get attacked by Gators, but dogs are nothing but a meal to a gator. Be careful with small children and dogs by the waters edge in most parts of Florida. Never feed the gators because they lose their fear of humans and become dangerous to adults and children in addition to dogs.

A more likely danger in Florida than a gator attacking you is getting bitten by a ratllesnake or water moccasin. There are some dangerous critters in Florida that you need to look out for when in the wild or just in your backyard.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=223462&odyssey=mod_mostread

http://www.wacktrap.com/people/stup...ches-jack-russell-dog-while-gator-knocks-door

http://floridagadfly.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/alligators-eating-dogs/


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## Talent312 (Mar 10, 2011)

Hey, tombo... here's another gator link: http://www.gatorzone.com/


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## hunkyleebo (Mar 11, 2011)

consider South Merritt Island (south of Pineda causeway) there aren't gators in the brackish Banana and Indian River lagoons down there


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## tombo (Mar 11, 2011)

Talent312 said:


> Hey, tombo... here's another gator link: http://www.gatorzone.com/



If ya'll had just given Cam Newton a laptop computer  you would probably have won the national Championship last year.  

Tebow was the best college QB I had ever seen. Unfortunatelly for Bama last year Cam Newton was better than even Tebow.


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## tombo (Mar 11, 2011)

hunkyleebo said:


> consider South Merritt Island (south of Pineda causeway) there aren't gators in the brackish Banana and Indian River lagoons down there



According to this web site there are gators in both of those places. I just checked because Gators do well in brackish water if it is not too salty and I often see them in Mobile Bay. The fishermen on this site discuss gators in the area and have some entertaining stories. Not sure if the area they are discussing is the same area you mention, but did want to point out that gators and sharks can swim in the same brackish water so the California transplants will know to be careful.


http://forums.floridasportsman.com/forum/east-central-general-info/gators-lagoon
"Plenty of gators in the South Lagoon, Northern Indian River and North Banana River. They get a bit territorial and some will set up to eat your released fish like a feeding station. They are sharper than some folks give them credit for! "


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## kjsgrammy (Mar 12, 2011)

We live in a 55+ condo association off a very busy road in Sarasota, FL.  Completely surrounded by businesses and other main roads.  We have small ponds throughout the community.  This past fall, we had two gators in one of the ponds.  The largest was 6-1/2 ft.  Smaller one was only about 3-1/2 ft.  The HOA had them removed by a trapper.  Unfortunately, not before the big one had scared the h*** out of one of our owners who was sitting in a lounge chair off her lanai reading a book.  The gator jumped out of the pond and grabbed an egret not 20 ft. from her and then proceeded to eat it while she sat frozen in her in chair.  Luckily the woman didn't have a heart attack on the spot.  We think they got into the pond by going thru the drainage culverts.  Where they originally came from, no one knows.


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## Lets Get Going (Mar 12, 2011)

*Thanks, I think...*

Thanks for all your info on gators.  I think me and my pets will stay indoors.

How about the Cocoa Beach area?  Any gators out there?


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## Jim Bryan (Mar 12, 2011)

There are alligators all over Florida. No place is immune, as long as there is water. Lived here all my 65 years. We have more now than ever.


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## rapmarks (Mar 12, 2011)

yes, gators all over Florida, one liked to travel through our neighborhoods, but not a site you usually see unless you live on a pond.


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## Lets Get Going (Mar 12, 2011)

*Gators*

So what do people do when they see one?  I'm sure they don't run away if you say "shooo!"

I'm sure there's rules about shooting them, right?


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## tombo (Mar 12, 2011)

Let's Get Going! said:


> So what do people do when they see one?  I'm sure they don't run away if you say "shooo!"
> 
> I'm sure there's rules about shooting them, right?



You have to get a permit to hunt gators. If you shoot one other than in self defense it is a hefty fine. You can however kill all the poisonous snakes you want, no fines.

Gators don't run if you say shoo, but for the most part they are scared of people and stay away.  If you are careful around the waters edge and where you swim you are pretty safe. Pets are another story. If a dog walks down to the waters edge to get a drink or cool off, a nearby gator will eat them in a heartbeat.


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## hunkyleebo (Mar 13, 2011)

yes, technically they could be anywhere.  i live on a lake and we have seen several.  However it would be very unusual to see one in the area I described.  You are much more likely to see manatees there.


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## Born2Travel (Mar 14, 2011)

tombo said:


> You have to get a permit to hunt gators. If you shoot one other than in self defense it is a hefty fine. You can however kill all the poisonous snakes you want, no fines.


 
So why can't someone just come up with a poison for all those nasty snakes?


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## Pedro (Mar 11, 2016)

I have lived in Merritt Island for 23 years, and other than finding an alligator in the garage a few years ago, we have never had a problem with them.  Of course, if you are hiking/walking by a canal, it's always good to keep an eye open for them. 

If you are a golfer, you are likely to see a few gators before the end of a round.  I have never hit an eagle or a birdie (I'm a really bad golfer), but I hit a Gator a few years ago. My ball dropped next to his mouth after hitting him.  I don't know what the rules are, but I took a free drop far more away than a club length away from him.


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## Saintsfanfl (Mar 11, 2016)

Ridewithme38 said:


> There are very few animals that can mess with a full grown gator...What i would suggest is to raise a gator from very young...make it feel as though its a part of the family, let it eat next to the table when you eat, sleep on the end of the bed, you know....Gators are very territorial...so this gator will protect you from others that may want to come onto your land
> 
> Also i have read the Hippos work well to deter Gators....while i'm not sure where someone in florida would buy a hippo, i am sure others have thought of using them for home defense before against alligators, so there must be a market for them somewhere
> 
> Good luck!



Certainly you are kidding but since you are from NY maybe not.


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## TUGBrian (Mar 11, 2016)

they really havent had much of an impact in the state since tebow left =)


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## csxjohn (Mar 11, 2016)

If you are interested it's very easy to tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile.

One you will see later, and the other in a while.


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## Sea Six (Mar 12, 2016)

Gators are everywhere there is fresh water.  If you see one, you call Florida Wildlife FWC and they will either relocate it or destroy it, depending how long it is.  Somewhere around 7 ft is the magic number.  If you're near salt water, you'll be glad to know the American Crocodile population is growing.


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## slabeaume (Mar 15, 2016)

I currently live in South Florida near the south entrance of Loxahatchee park.  One day I walked to the water's edge and heard a loud splash.  An alligator had been in the overgrowth about 5 feet from me and jumped into the water when I walked up.  I'm glad it was afraid of me!


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## Talent312 (Mar 15, 2016)

Sadly, the Gators had a mediocre season and will not be going to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. 
.


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## csxjohn (Mar 15, 2016)

Sea Six said:


> Gators are everywhere there is fresh water.  If you see one, you call Florida Wildlife FWC and they will either relocate it or destroy it, depending how long it is.  Somewhere around 7 ft is the magic number.  If you're near salt water, you'll be glad to know the American Crocodile population is growing.



Which do they do what to?


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## pedro47 (Mar 15, 2016)

Sounds like gators like small animals and fresh chickens.


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## Sea Six (Mar 15, 2016)

csxjohn said:


> Which do they do what to?



The little guys get a free ride, the big guys get put down.  That is, if they are on private property and are a nuisance.  FWC will not mess with gators that are where they belong.


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## Bailey#1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Gators also climb fences, I couldn't believe it but if you tour the Kennedy Space Center you will find that all their fences have an outward slope to them. That is to prevent gators from climbing over them!

See this video.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp_bUYPrTg


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## Kozman (Mar 19, 2016)

Not to worry! Alligators make great pets!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...hting-trained-pet-alligator-article-1.2565083


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