Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone here help me find out how I can obtain a license in Florida to keep my alligators? I have 4 natural lakes on my property and I was informed that the state is about to take these guys off my property if I do not get a permit. Isn't that a JOKE! LOL I have over 100 acres and they were here before I even moved here and now the state is telling me that they will be forced to kill these awesome creatures only because they are on private property. Anyway, I need to know where to get one and how much they are. This is so ridiculous. I feel as if I am living in some 3rd world communist country where everything you do HAS to be governed by the state. Thank you

I feel for you , what a shame. It would be great to put a bench out and just watch them.
I would imagine it would be like any other state you have to go thru the fish and wildlife agency.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out
crocodil

Now if that just doesn't take the cake!!! This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have heard of for a long time if not ever. Guess I better not get any property where there might be an indigenous venomous snake. I would have to get a license and then risk getting sued if anyone got bit. This is all getting way to out of the people's hands and controlled too much by the government. These laws are made by the same people who want to be able to sue someone for natural disasters. Makes me want to live alone on some forgotten island, just me a few lizards, a few snakes, a turtle or two and maybe some beautiful parrots.

Either snapperman is lying or someone is lying to him. The state would never come on to private land to remove alligators from an open body of water such as a pond, lake, creek, or canal; unless they were requested to do so by the landowner, or they (the alligators) were being mistreated. Private landowners are encouraged to live with alligators and not to have them removed unless there is a clear and present danger. I am disapointed that people would assume so easily that the state was in the wrong. By far and away most wildlife laws benefit wildlife and their ecosystems and are not written to inconvenience wildlife lovers.

Look... maybe to some degree the laws are made to benefit the wildlife....but really....there has to be limits! this is ridiculous. sometimes i think that its just so they can get the profit from the permits. like other people said.. the law gives people a slap on the rist for drug abuse, drinking, ect., but you your looking at more than likely a few thousand dollar fine or jail time for keeping an alligator. even if you have them in a beatuiful full sized enclosure, perfectly fed, and heathly animals your still looking at pursicution. what has the world gone to, by 2010 your going to have to have a permit to use the restroom. its justt getting out of hand.

Too true, I agree with Chris. Even though the alligators were in my "backyard" ( I have over 200 acres) I did not discover them until 2 years after I acquired this property! They were living peacfully in one of the wild lakes on my property and still are. If I catch one wildlife officer tresspasssing on my property he will see the end of my shotgun. There is no law about how I should treat trespassers! LOL I swear to God, we will eventually need a permit to take the trash out to our own curbs with the way things are going in the U.S. In the state of Florida Wild Life Officers KILL the alligators when they are called.. How is that for GOOD GOVERNMENT? ... How on EARTH can regular vendors at fleamarkets sell the heads of these awesome creatures for a profit, BUT we can not OWN one? Come on.. GET SERIOUS!