Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I went to sea world a few weeks back and a lady (employee of sea world) was holding a 3 foot American Alligator. Although I could tell it was pretty tame, she had him in a tight grip at the mouth and the tail. Everyone was touching the alligator as if it was a petting dog. Honestly, I hope no one gets the idea that these animals love to be held and fondled with like cats or dogs.
My personal opinion would be that anyone trying to pet a 3 foot alligator would have some serious injuries if not more. Btw, there were some nice 4-5 footers there in the basking area.

I actually like that they let people touch them. I think the more experience people have with any animal and the better they understand them the less likely they are to want to kill them.
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John Vandegrift

Pfan - No way, do you know what would happen if just any kid went and touched a 3 foot alligator ? Although I did enjoy touching the 3 footer, another employee should be standing there with a HUGE sign that says " do this in real life and you will be crippled "

I see both sides. I understand that touching an animal like that is a fantastic opportunity for people who will never see one in person. We get a lot of European tourists who have never even seen a little anole lizard before, much less an alligator. I also understand that we don't want people to become complacent and think small alligators are cute and cuddly. I can only speak for my region, but most Floridians have a pretty healthy respect for alligators. I'm sure that's probably true in LA, GA, MS, TX (and I'm not just talkin football and basketball, ha!) as well. I use small gators in my educational programs and while I allow children to touch them, I also review alligator safety and emphasize the respect they deserve as predators. I think touching helps to dispel fears and hopefully people are providing accurate information at the same time so that the public has a true picture of these creatures.