Greetings

[1beataway]

She bought it at a reptile expo. Cost her $75, I think. It was an impulse buy. The seller told her it would be fine in a 20 gallon tank, and would grow like a few inches each year.

Last time we went to the expo, the price had dropped to $50, or 5 for $225.

So it was an impulse buy, and she didn't really know all the info she should have learned first, but now she's trying to do the best she can for it.

In the pet store I work at, many of my customers buy goldfish for their pet gator. It use to surprise me, but now I've heard of so many people having them.

[Kurt]

Unfortunately, most alligators sold in the pet trade die within a year of purchase. Those that survive past that get to die a slow death, living in cramped quarters, that stunt their growth. Those that manage to out grow their living hell end up on gator farms, where they eventually will end up being made into belts and shoes. A very lucky few might end up in zoos and similar institutions, but keep in mind they can only take so many.

[1beataway]

So far my friend has had the alligator for 10 months. She didn't start it in a 20 gallon though; it's in a 50 gallon. But it's tripled in size since she got it. She talks about buying a house where she can have an area for it, but truthfully I'm not sure if she'll be able to handle it when it gets full-size. I want to be optimistic; she seems determined to do the best for it.

But, it is a shame that so many people here have gators. I thought it was interesting that the sign actually said "Or 5 for $225."

[FrogSplash]

some people have even gone so far as to convert there basement into a gator room. might be ok for dwarf caimen or other "small" croc/alligator, but if your to have a realistic chance you need to have a proper miniature ecosystem set up in your backyard

[1beataway]

Yeah, there are a couple here who have them in their basement. Crazy.