Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,
I am doing a project for school and I am hoping
you can help me out.
I need to know these things:
1. how much and how often to alligators eat?

2. when building an enclosure for them, how much
space is needed, what type of fencing, and how
many alligators can be in together?

any help will be appreciated
thanks in advance

Tanner, age 10

Hi Tanner,

Alligators in the wild are opportunistic hunters/eaters and will likely eat every day during most the warm spring, summer and fall months. In the wild they don't usually kill and eat one big prey animal and eat their fill but will often catch and eat a smorgasboard of smaller prey animals throughout each day.

In captivity they are often fed their fill once or twice each week (if adult). Surprisingly large adults don't eat as much as one might think. Even a large male (11-12 feet) may only eat 10 or 15 pounds of food before he is satisfied. The average adult female (7 ft) will usually eat about 5 to 7 pounds.

Captive environments *should* be somewhat spacious. They should be at least three times as wide and twice as deep as the largest alligator is long, but more space would be better if possible. The pond should be twice as deep as the height of the largest alligator and twice as long. The width of the pond should be at least the length of the longest alligator.

The fencing should be a minimum of 4 feet high with smooth internal walls to prevent climbing. Though a content captive alligator will not want to stray from the safety of its pond. Fencing material can be cement block, plywood, wrought iron, or wood board. I would not advise chain link.

Multiple juvenile alligators can be housed together, but when they mature males will usually require their own territory. Males can be housed with one female. Multiple females is possible, but often females will fight and it is not advised. Females can do tremendous damage to one another and in an escape-proof environment this can be deadly. So it is best to house one male, with one female. The female may bite the male a little bit innitially, but this is very normal as she determines that he is a worthy male. She is not trying to do him any serious damage.

I hope this helps to answer some of your questions.

>>Hi everyone,
>>I am doing a project for school and I am hoping
>>you can help me out.
>>I need to know these things:
>> 1. how much and how often to alligators eat?
>>
>> 2. when building an enclosure for them, how much
>> space is needed, what type of fencing, and how
>> many alligators can be in together?
>>
>>any help will be appreciated
>>thanks in advance
>>
>>Tanner, age 10
-----
Believe in yourself and your abilities and you can accomplish anything.

.....Surprisingly large adults don't eat as much as one might think. Even a large male (11-12 feet) may only eat 10 or 15 pounds of food before he is satisfied. The average adult female (7 ft) will usually eat about 5 to 7 pounds.

Per what?

It really depends on the temps, Bill. But if the weather is very hot or very warm (at night too) and digestion is rapid, then every 2 or 3 days. And again, the rate of digestion can be slightly dependant on whether this is whole food (rats, rabbits, fish),.. or processed, cut up food (such as chicken, beef, pork) as well as whether or not there are bones (like chicken bones) in their meal. Then,.. if it is early spring and the weather is warm in the day, yet still chilly at night, and the water is still very cold, then the digestion can be very slow and they may eat a large meal every week or two. There are many variables and even just a few degrees in temperature can make a LOT of difference in the rate of digestion.

Hope this helps to answer your question.

>>.....Surprisingly large adults don't eat as much as one might think. Even a large male (11-12 feet) may only eat 10 or 15 pounds of food before he is satisfied. The average adult female (7 ft) will usually eat about 5 to 7 pounds.
>>
>>Per what?
-----
Believe in yourself and your abilities and you can accomplish anything.

Are you saying that you feed a 7' gator up to 15 lbs of food per week?

It depends on the situation,.. the time of the year and the individual, Bill. If it is spring and my girls are emerging out of their winter sleep and are thin, then I might allow them to eat their fill, sure. If they are females that recently layed eggs and are drastically underweight, of course I let them eat their fill. But usually, no, usually I don't allow them to eat their fill as I don't let them become obese. During the hot Southern months, if I allowed them to, they would likely eat every day.

Keep in mind, Bill, some of my girls are pushing 54 years old and have quite large bodies and can put down some pretty good poundage. Heck, if I allowed it (which I don't, 'cept early spring to regain their weight) they could probably eat twice that weight.

Do you own any 7 foot or larger alligators Bill? Or have you ever cared for any? 15 pounds really isn't a whole lot for two or three feedings. (actually, it would be 14, but who's counting, lol)

>>Are you saying that you feed a 7' gator up to 15 lbs of food per week?
-----
Believe in yourself and your abilities and you can accomplish anything.

you said
In captivity they are often fed their fill once or twice each week (if adult). Surprisingly large adults don't eat as much as one might think. Even a large male (11-12 feet) may only eat 10 or 15 pounds of food before he is satisfied. The average adult female (7 ft) will usually eat about 5 to 7 pounds.

so you are saying then that you feed them approx 6 to 13% body weight per week. I feed mine 2 to 3 percent in the warm months and most would consider her to be a little heavy. Yours must be as round as dinner plates.

you said
Do you own any 7 foot or larger alligators Bill? Or have you ever cared for any? 15 pounds really isn't a whole lot for two or three feedings. (actually, it would be 14, but who's counting, lol)

Well yes, Brian - I think you know that I do as I have posted photos here many times and have allowed people to visit my "facility". (Adam Britton has been here, if that's credible enough)

Also, 7 lbs every 3 days actually equals 16.33333 lbs per week (but who's counting, lol)

With Brady Barr

for reference, the smaller one is 42" - 2002

2002

At Renfest 2003

I absolutely agree with you, Bill.

>>you said
>>In captivity they are often fed their fill once or twice each week (if adult). Surprisingly large adults don't eat as much as one might think. Even a large male (11-12 feet) may only eat 10 or 15 pounds of food before he is satisfied. The average adult female (7 ft) will usually eat about 5 to 7 pounds.
>>
>>so you are saying then that you feed them approx 6 to 13% body weight per week. I feed mine 2 to 3 percent in the warm months and most would consider her to be a little heavy. Yours must be as round as dinner plates.
>>

Bill, I implied that they "can" and maybe sometimes are fed that much, but I most certainly never said that I "feed my gators that much all the time". And why are you focusing only on the maximum example of food given as well as the most frequent feedings given? I said "once or twice a week", and "5 to 7 pounds". This can easily be 5 pounds a week too. In addition to this my much older girls weigh a lot more than younger females so the percentages you quote,.. based clearly on a much younger and smaller female,.. don't apply to my older gators. How can you draw a conclusion as to how heavy my girls are and thus what percentage they consume, never having seen them? Plus,.. in my last post I clearly told you that I make it a point to not overfeed my babies and that I watch what they eat very carefully. Are you not quite comprehending my earlier posts? I suggest you re-read them more slowly.

>>you said
>> Do you own any 7 foot or larger alligators Bill? Or have you ever cared for any? 15 pounds really isn't a whole lot for two or three feedings. (actually, it would be 14, but who's counting, lol)
>>
>>Well yes, Brian - I think you know that I do as I have posted photos here many times and have allowed people to visit my "facility". (Adam Britton has been here, if that's credible enough)
>>

That's very nice that you had your facility inspected by Mr. Brittan. Is it just the two alligators, or do you have more? I have somewhere around 50. (I haven't counted in a looong time). I have been keeping them since the mid 70's. You? One of my larger males came from a guy that has been putting reptiles and other animals in movies for the last 20 years. But back when I got this male in 76 he owned a reptile import/zoological supply business with a partner. I am not at liberty to drop his name, but anybody who is somebody will know who I'm talking about.

Judging by these pictures here your larger gator is only about 6 feet and judging by her teeth she is about 10 to 12 years old. What's the stats on her Bill? The large upper teeth on my old girls are easily 1 1/2 inches and yes, they (the girls) are very big. But solid. The older a gator gets the girthier they become. My girls are MUCH larger than a dinner plate and have very little fat at all. I feed them a highly regulated and balanced diet and I not only trim all the fat on processed meat pieces but I make them exercise for each piece. I do this by making them walk or swim about 80-100 feet for each piece.

>>Also, 7 lbs every 3 days actually equals 16.33333 lbs per week (but who's counting, lol)

5 pounds every 7 days equals 5 pounds per week, lol. (But who's paying attention?)

>>
>>With Brady Barr
>>
>>
>>for reference, the smaller one is 42" - 2002
>>

Thanks for posting
-----
Believe in yourself and your abilities and you can accomplish anything.

earlier you said
>>In captivity they are often fed their fill once or twice each week

Bill, I implied that they "can" and maybe sometimes are fed that much

The "often" is a far cry from "can" and "maybe sometimes" (maybe sometimes??). Nice job of backpedaling though.

said "once or twice a week", and "5 to 7 pounds".
in a previous post in this thread you stated:
"But if the weather is very hot or very warm (at night too) and digestion is rapid, then every 2 or 3 days"

in addition to this my much older girls weigh a lot more than younger females.....

Not surprising given how much you are feeding them

How can you draw a conclusion as to how heavy my girls are and thus what percentage they consume, never having seen them?
You have been asked time and time again to post photos to both validate and illustrate some of the things you say, but you always refuse.

Plus,.. in my last post I clearly told you that I make it a point to not overfeed my babies and that I watch what they eat very carefully.

Yes but in another post you stated that baby alligators should be given all they can eat, feeding them as much as 6 times per day.

Are you not quite comprehending my earlier posts? I suggest you re-read them more slowly.

How can anyone comprehend your earlier posts, they are so full of contradictions nobody can follow them. Obviously neither can you because you mess up all the time.

That's very nice that you had your facility inspected by Mr. Brittan

He didn't inspect it, he was just here. The point is that if anyone doesn't believe anything I say, there are well-known and well-respected people that can validate what I say. How about you. Care to provide some names and contact information?

I have somewhere around 50. (I haven't counted in a looong time). I have been keeping them since the mid 70's.

Well you say it so I guess there is at least a chance that it's true

One of my larger males came from a guy that has been putting reptiles and other animals in movies for the last 20 years. But back when I got this male in 76 he owned a reptile import/zoological supply business with a partner. I am not at liberty to drop his name, but anybody who is somebody will know who I'm talking about.

so what

Judging by these pictures here your larger gator is only about 6 feet

Well you're close - only off by minus ten inches.

The large upper teeth on my old girls are easily 1 1/2 inches

Again I say Lets see the pictures

As for 1-1/2 inches, that's very large! They must be quite a curiosity - refer to the photos below:

Using the one inch from the nares to the eye orbit equals one foot in overall length ratio, this one was about 8-1/2 feet in length.

This should be self explanitory.

and yes, they (the girls) are very big. But solid. The older a gator gets the girthier they become.

As previously stated, not surprising given the mass quantities of food they are apparently given.

My girls are MUCH larger than a dinner plate....

perhaps you need to read a little slower - I said as ROUND as a dinner plate

I feed them a highly regulated and balanced diet and I not only trim all the fat on processed meat pieces....

I might be just a dumb ol Midwesterner so bear with me a moment. Exactly how do you do this when by your own admission you live in a different state than your gators?

but I make them exercise for each piece. I do this by making them walk or swim about 80-100 feet for each piece.

In an earlier post (Sept 10) you stated that your ponds are from 200 gallons to 1500 gallons. Now doing a little math (remember, I'm not all that smart) it seams to me that in order to have a swimming legth of 100 feet, your "pond" would have to be about 2 feet wide x 1 foot deep (or some similar ratio) to equal 1500 gallons. Do all 50 gators come down the chute one by one? Must be quite a sight to see. To bad you live in a different state.

Here's another thing I'm confused about. In the infamous "tame" gator thread from last July, you said that the reason your gator is so tame is that you are with it 24-7, even allowing it into your bed. But once again on Feb 18th you confirm that they don't live with you in Cal. but are in a different state. Please help me here Brian (Damon Josh whoever you are), where am I not getting it?

And why, in the 128 pages of posts on the Board of Inquiry, was there never anything mentioned about your alligator breeding facility? A fifty gator facility in which you have hatched "thousands" of eggs would certainly be a part of your worthwhile accomplishments, wouldn't it? You freely talked about everything else, including your supposed hundred grand worth of morphs that you are breeding in 4 snake rooms (in addition to a lot of other "interesting" information posted there)

You can respond, or not but there comes a time in everyones life when it becomes necessary to "put up, or shut up", and I think the time had come for you to do so.

I will not let these threads degenerate into what they have in the past so take all your shots, I will not respond. I will not give you the enjoyment of "playing people on strings" as you were so proud of saying on the BOI - even though I suppose just by posting, I have already allowed it to happen.

As more of a lurker on the board then anything, who doesn't want to get ensnared in some battle over your valditiy, or what not, I don't want to argue about not haveing these animals.

BUT, im sure I speak for most of the people on here, viewing, saying !PLEASE! Could you take some pics of them and thier pens ? Id absolutely love to see some of your big tame gators.

Digi-cams arent that expensive anymore and a nice one can be picked up for under 300$ -

(Heres a shot of me and osceola at a show -)

Raven -

Hello Raven,

That gator is really growing nicely. Do you still have a website with your artwork. I am quite interested in looking at some more drawings. Your a talented fellow.

Sincerely,
CD

Hi, I emailed you, but apparently it didn't go through (or did it ?)- whats your email ?

(heres the site I have up currently, but it needs some updateing and relabeling (grumble grumble, mislabeled art) but its got my contact info - http://visitanimalia.com/

Raven -

Hi Tanner,

There is no better project for school than one on alligators I'm an educator and use alligators in my 'projects' as well. I'll try and answer your questions below.

>> 1. how much and how often to alligators eat?

Alligators appetites will vary over the course of a year. A young animal may eat relatively often compared to a large adult. In my area, south Texas, we have a large population of alligators and I keep several myself. I have been able to observe these animals both in captivity and in the wild. They all stop feeding usually from late Oct till late March/early April. Once they begin feeding young animals eat a variety of food items from fish, frogs, insects,other reptiles, birds, and small mammals.

Adults eat more of the same, just bigger examples. Such as raccoons, adult birds, wild hogs, and occasionaly deer. Adults may not feed for days or weeks, in some cases months even during the warm parts of the year. Some wild alligators may eat fewer than 20 meals annually. There have been studies on crocodile populations in Africa were some animals went nearly 2 years without feeding. It's tough out there sometimes.

>> 2. when building an enclosure for them, how much
>> space is needed, what type of fencing, and how
>> many alligators can be in together?

As much as possible. Different states have different regulations in the actual 'rules'. I would suggest going to Texas parks and wildlifes website and looking there. Also you may look at the 'Croc FAQ' by Dr.Britton at the top of the page for a more detailed answer.

Alligators do ok when kept together in acceptable enclosures. Much better with broken up sightlines. BUT are also ver content by themselves.

Tanner, I have written a book with the input of many on this forum called 'The Ultimate Guide to Crocodilians in Captivity' I will gladly send you a copy to help you in your research if you would like. Just email me and I'll send one to you.

Sincerely,
CDieter