Alligators and Snakes.... (Orlando, Melbourne, Titusville: tenants, live in, fence)

[Nypafl4u]

Originally Posted by Rabflmom

Maybe you are not made for living in a subtropical area. Not everyone is. My neighbor from New York is scared to death of our harmless little anoles and calls me to catch them and take them out of her house whenever she sees one even after living here for 20 year. You might want to look to Arizona or Texas, but then you will find other types of animals there to contend with. Even states like Tn, the Carolinas, Georgia have venomous snakes. Actually Delaware does have some copperheads, too. But you have to realize that in all these states we do not see snakes, gators, panthers, and bears every day. We don't see sharks swimming with us every time we go to the beach. Some of us actually can see the beauty and uniqueness of having so many different habitats for and species of animals to maybe get a chance to see in our own state.

If you do decide to move to Florida buy a condo on the beach or a house in a neighborhood where there are paved streets, sidewalks, and every lot developed for miles around your house. Don't choose a house on a river, lake, or canal and you probably won't see a lot of our creatures around. Don't go barefoot because of the fire ants and possible brown recluse spiders that might be in the grass. Don't visit any of the theme parks like Disney because every once in a while a gator is in the water of the canals of the park and sometimes a snake gets into the water of the slides at the water parks or can be seen in the flower gardens.

There are critters wherever you go. Some just go more unnoticed than others. We have some pretty huge rats in the subways of NYC. It hasn't stopped most from commuting everyday, but I bet some tourists might find it unbearable to look at. One of the many reasons I like coastal Florida (and the mountains of PA for that matter) are the diverse wild life that can be seen. We are the ones invading their natural homes. It is nature and is what comes of living on this planet. if you don't like it...stay indoors.

[molecularbreeze]

There are tragedies around Florida from alligators on a fairly regular basis from people being in the water where the gators are; in the last couple of years; a man killed in the Blue Springs area, on Wekiva River a Rollins professor lost her arm, and more recently, a burglar in an Orlando lake was killed at night.

[Nypafl4u]

Originally Posted by molecularbreeze

There are tragedies around Florida from alligators on a fairly regular basis from people being in the water where the gators are; in the last couple of years; a man killed in the Blue Springs area, on Wekiva River a Rollins professor lost her arm, and more recently, a burglar in an Orlando lake was killed at night.

Sounds like Nature won here. Not that I don't have sympathy for those attacked (except maybe the burglar in Orlando), but it seems to happen more when we invade their natural habitat. The cost of progress and expansion of the human race.

[hazelee]

I certainly wouldn't walk along a bank or bring an animal with me for that walk... gators can be quick out of the water and you may not even know they are there.... btw, they love dog..

[Nypafl4u]

Originally Posted by hazelee

I certainly wouldn't walk along a bank or bring an animal with me for that walk... gators can be quick out of the water and you may not even know they are there.... btw, they love dog..

...and cats, chickens and just about any other animal they can catch.

[ImmerLernen]

So, would a family house cat who may venture into the backyard be alligator bait?

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by ImmerLernen

So, would a family house cat who may venture into the backyard be alligator bait?

It is a possibility but more likely that a missing cat goes missing because of a coyote.

[ImmerLernen]

You have coyotes there, too???!!!???

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by ImmerLernen

You have coyotes there, too???!!!???

Yep, evidently they made their way to Florida last year. Satellite Beach and Indian Harbor neighborhoods have had missing cats(most of the feral cats have disappeared in one of our friends neighborhoods). Indian Harbour Beach pulls coyote traps amid controversy

[MIslandGirl]

We have had a major problem here on North Merritt Island because this is where the city manager of Indian Harbour Beach decided to release the coyotes. The neighbor behind us has lost numerous chickens and pigs to them. Not to mention all the missing cat notices up at the veterinarians office.