With fall approaching I was just curious about the various techniques used to over-winter your American Alligators. I was told a few years back by a VERY trusted herpetologist that they could very easily just be taken off food a few weeks prior to winter and then left outside over winter (I live part of their original natural range, West-Central Alabama). I tried it that year and sure enough my gator just went dormant and lay on the bottom until spring. He periodically rose to the top for a nose of air and seemed to come out of in pefect shape, and VERY hungry. To keep the water from freezing I just kept the hose dripping in below 32F weather. This year I plan to do the same thing. I believe outdoor caging is the best and since I live in the natural range I wouldn't think of housing mine indoors. Any other thoughts on the matter of winter housing for Alligators?