That would frighten me to say the least!!! They move faster than you give them credit for.

Yes they move pretty fast and for an "inquisitive" little one....it could mean their death. I am so glad all turned out great for you but that is pretty scary!

Unfortunately gators aren't the only thing to fear in Florida. I recently saw a program on the pythons that are spreading across the state. And they are not supposed to be there!!!!

They are a problem everywhere, but especially in areas prone to natural disaster like hurricanes and that have a natural ecosystem in which they can survive in the wild.

Invasive species are always and issue because of their not only unexpected danger (we don't prepare for them as we are unaccustomed to them) but because the ecosystem isn't naturally balanced to be prepared to them...I personally think that such should not be legally pets...in CA ferrets are also banned because they are so devastating to our ecosystems...but any pet that can kill and eat not only other pets but people just seems a bad idea to me personally.

Holy cow!! There are just some things that scare me beyond reason. Alligators fall in to that category.

Biking


Here is link to Shark Valley a public park/attraction in our area (south east florida).
We used to take our girls bike riding.. and sometimes we would take the Girl Scout Troop. We also used to go to a place "Billy Swamp Safari" ..
When we went bike riding we would ride around the gators sunning themselves. Now.. I am not saying gators are not dangerous at all, but most of the time with the proper respect you will be ok. I have read about gators attacking dogs and people, but it usually is when they have been feeding the gators or other actions that attract the gators. I would not have a "cook out at water edge" or let my dogs swim in a water that had gators for example.
I would NEVER let my Remy be in harms way.. trust me. The picture did not show the gator was swimming away and Remy was father from the shore or edge than appeared. I am glad you all cared enough to be concern, and/or realized the picture was just a point of interest.

I just wanted to be sure you did not think I would let Remy be in harms way. It sure was a suprise when I saw that gator.. it scared me .. but dh calmed me down- he does not get as nervious as I do. I was glad when Remy was on the sidewalk for sure:p

My boss recently went to a conference at the University of Florida and had to walk around a gator on the sidewalk!!!!

Man, I love visiting Florida but I don't want to live there. No offense to you Florida folk. But one look at a Palmetto bug and I ran!!!!

hahaha....the bugs are here, too...and I HATE them. But..I like the weather. Thank God I dont see alligators..
that might send me north again

AND those dinner plate size banana spiders!!!!! I almost took a shower with one once!:eek:

hmmmmm palmetto bug big enough to carry of my Remy or....
6 months of freezing weather and 6 ft of snow.....
which should it be???

Remy, stay South and you won't have to shovel snow!

lol that is what I was thinking!!!! I can use bug spray on the Palmetto bugs!!!

If Remy doesn't beat you to the bug and dispatch it himself! We used to have cricketts in the back yard sometimes and my late little Jilly simply delighted in snacking on them! She could scope out a crickett B4 I even knew what was going on and next thing I knew, the crickett was gone. I didn't like her doing that as I didn't know what the crickett had in the way of toxins, etc., but I never knew when she found one until it was too late. Finally, I guess the cricketts got the word because they stopped coming around! Ha!

:thumbup:

LOL!! Got me a Taurus Millenium myself, and my DH hunts gators. :D Gotta love Florida. Thankfully, we don't have any water on our property (the WHOLE .25 acres!!) so gators will be of minimal threat to Whitney!

Have you thought about calling a trapper to have it captured? I know there have been several instances around here of small dogs becoming gator bait...even on the end of a leash! I'm sure Remy wouldn't be allowed close enough for that, but those ugly dinos give me the willies. :eek:

The gator is not a "permanent" resident of our little lake. There is a .. I guess you would call it a canal that goes to the inter-coastal waterway -- so the gator comes and goes. Not even sure if the gator we see is the same. I am very careful that the dogs don't get too close to the water.. but I have seen dogs swimming in the water:eek:

I think if you stay away and don't feed the wildlife and are respectful in that you don't temp fate you will be ok.