I got to hold a baby alligator today!!!

[Clifton Tesh]

It took everything in me not to take off running with this cute little guy!

I love alligators. When I was little me and my Papa Gabe used to go fishing and we would feed the fish we caught to the alligators. It is one of my most favorite memories. (Yeah, yeah, I know it's illegal now but the 80's were a different era. We didn't know what "safety" was)

When I make deliveries or pick up loads in the south, if I'm near a body of water, I will look for the alligators (because we know they're there). It always makes me happy to see them around.

Well, we were on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC for the past week and today was our last day and we got to go to Alligator Adventure. It was expensive, about $40 a person, but I was in alligator heaven!!!

There are so many alligators and crocodiles here. OMG, I wanted to just hug them all... They wouldn't let me hug any of them but they did let me hold a baby!


HES'S SO STINKING CUTE!!!!


Just look at all the babies!!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Isn't it great when you find something that brings back happy memories?

This place reminds me of Gatorland in Orlando which our boys were crazy about when they were little.

 

[slo]

This is great!
I remember going to Gatorland in Florida when I was a kid and thought it was a cool place.

Every time we go to Florida I’m always looking for alligators and I never see any, which kinda bums me out - LOL! I don’t know why I’m so intrigued with them, but I am. We also watch Swamp People on TV, which my DH and I both enjoy.

Thanks for posting the pictures - it looks like a fun day.

 

[happybaker]

It looks like you had a great day! And I love that something you did with your grandpa still lives in you

Our first grandson was born last year, and I hope he will have a lasting memory like this of us.

 

[Meriweather]

My DGD would love that!!
She did just go on a Crocodile Walk last night. She got to pet a baby and see snakes.
It was at the Herpetological Society, which is one of her favorite places (but an hour away).

 

[Stratman50th]

Come on over! My backyard:

 

[Dan Murphy]

Very neat, Clif!!! Great memories from the past, fun times today.

Also, have to say, nice seeing you more often of late here on the CB.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Very neat, Clif!!! Great memories from the past, fun times today.

Also, have to say, nice seeing you more often of late here on the CB.

I took a break from all forms of social media a few years back. It was mentally refreshing.

I have just recently started using a couple of the forums again because I just missed some of my on-line interactions.

I do not think I will ever be going back to Facebook though.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I took a break from all forms of social media a few years back. It was mentally refreshing.

I have just recently started using a couple of the forums again because I just missed some of my on-line interactions.

I do not think I will ever be going back to Facebook though.

Well, you picked a good one here, Clif, to include in your return. Welcome back.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Great photo of a great experience, glad you had the chance to add this to your memories.

 

[RedAngie]

Sometime in the later 1980s we stopped at a place between Orlando and Tampa where you could hold baby gators. In some random box I have a photo of myself holding one.

Also had a python, about 3
feet long, around my shoulders.

I love these signs for tacky souvenir stands.

 

[NotUrsula]

This is great!
I remember going to Gatorland in Florida when I was a kid and thought it was a cool place.

Every time we go to Florida I’m always looking for alligators and I never see any, which kinda bums me out - LOL! I don’t know why I’m so intrigued with them, but I am. We also watch Swamp People on TV, which my DH and I both enjoy.

Thanks for posting the pictures - it looks like a fun day.

Just go outside at night with a flashlight and point it at any body of water, the red dots you'll see just on the water's surface are gators; their eyes reflect the light.

In the wild it's actually easier to find them with your nose than your eyes, especially during the heat of the day. Wild alligators smell like rotting meat because they eat mostly carrion; if you catch a whiff of that smell when near a non-chlorinated body of fresh water, you are more than likely not more than 50 yds downwind of one. (However, I don't recommend trying to move closer to investigate; they are astonishingly fast when they wish to be, and one good tail slap can swamp a canoe or kayak.)

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Well, you picked a good one here, Clif, to include in your return. Welcome back.

I enjoy this forum. It is well moderated and there's people like you!

It was a little bittersweet coming back though. I learned that Pa Hunter passed away

Sometime in the later 1980s we stopped at a place between Orlando and Tampa where you could hold baby gators. In some random box I have a photo of myself holding one.

Also had a python, about 3
feet long, around my shoulders.

I love these signs for tacky souvenir stands.

View attachment 880658

I am definitely going to have to keep my eyes out for these signs on my next Florida trip!

 

[Clifton Tesh]

This place reminds me of Gatorland in Orlando which our boys were crazy about when they were little.

This is great!
I remember going to Gatorland in Florida when I was a kid and thought it was a cool place.

I knew somewhere like this had to exist in Florida because I've heard Fluffy talk about it but I didn't know the name and I didn't know it was in Orlando and I now know where I'm visiting the next time we go to WDW!!!

My DGD would love that!!
She did just go on a Crocodile Walk last night. She got to pet a baby and see snakes.
It was at the Herpetological Society, which is one of her favorite places (but an hour away).

I hope she keeps that love for our furless and featherless friends! There's not a lot of women in the herpetology world and I always love seeing a young lady develop a love for these magnificent creatures!

This was my friend Jake. He passed away on me in 2006. It was a very sad day. I'm married now and my wife is terrified of snakes and lizards so I no longer own any but one day I plan on building an acclimated building where I can have my own herpetarium!

 

[Meriweather]

She loves snakes. She would have one for a pet, but her mother won't let her.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I find gators fascinating and we often try to spot them (from a safe distance, with a good lens!) when we're in Florida. Here's a favorite pic from our last trip:



I'm jealous but happy for you that you got to hold a baby one!!!

 

[Clifton Tesh]

She loves snakes. She would have one for a pet, but her mother won't let her.

View attachment 880707

I think Grandma should get her one then her momma can't say no!

At least that's how things work around here... Momma says no, grandma says yes, momma can't argue with Grandma

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I find gators fascinating and we often try to spot them (from a safe distance, with a good lens!) when we're in Florida. Here's a favorite pic from our last trip:

View attachment 880721

I'm jealous but happy for you that you got to hold a baby one!!!

Oh he's so pretty! I would definitely be giving him hugs!

I don't do the whole safe distance thing. I do the "I want a cool story when I get to heaven" thing

 

[Stratman50th]

I'm an avid alligator watcher. Some people watch birds, I watch alligators. Always keep my distance, no feeding and show a lot of respect. Always check the pools in the evening before jumping in. There's a bunch of big drainage ponds in our neighborhood. They all had at least one swamp puppy. I haven't seen any in about a year. I suspect the association had them removed. No reason for it as they were all small- 4 feet or less. It won't be long before all the ponds have at least one new resident because, Florida and it's water.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I'm an avid alligator watcher. Some people watch birds, I watch alligators. Always keep my distance, no feeding and show a lot of respect. Always check the pools in the evening before jumping in. There's a bunch of big drainage ponds in our neighborhood. They all had at least one swamp puppy. I haven't seen any in about a year. I suspect the association had them removed. No reason for it as they were all small- 4 feet or less. It won't be long before all the ponds have at least one new resident because, Florida and it's water.

It always amazes me when people are surprised when they see an alligator in Florida.

I'm more amazed when I'm in Florida or Southern Georgia and I see a mud puddle and there isn't an alligator in it