Alligators (Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando: 2013, purchase, living)

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by ipoetry

Only if you're wearing alligator shoes.

Originally Posted by Africanqueen

LOL thank you LOL ....So do east Orlando get really bad stroms ?

Yes, everywhere in Orlando gets bad storms. Thunderstorms here are not like that of thunderstorms across the country on a normal continuous bases. Daily we get thunderstorms and more often then not they are powerful enough to be considered mini hurricanes. (60+ Wind Gusts, Tornado Warnings, Thousands Of Lightning Strikes,Hail). But simply because the sea breeze covers a large area, really anywhere in central Florida can get hammered with a severe storm that day. At the same time, sometime we get regular thunderstorms, but usually they are full of lightning thunder and very high winds.

Dont worry about alligators. They are common everywhere in Florida, near lakes, rivers, or bodies of waters. yes they come in neighborhoods as well but they had to have been misplaces by a tremendous amount of water in their home, or led on by a human (Feeding or something).

[Iris14]

This post cracks me up

I've lived in Florida for 20 years now and the only time I've seen alligators is out by Cape Canaveral (oh, and at Gatorland Zoo...)
Yes, they're out there, but you really don't have to worry about them. Maybe if you are considering a lakefront house or have retention ponds nearby, but for most of us, it's not something to sit and think and worry about. They don't just walk down the streets and run after people, I swear!

I personally worry much more about the storms and lightning that we get. Those can be dangerous and destructive...

[doom1001]

If you're close to a lake or canal always be on the lookout,again as others said it's not like you'll see them all the time,but you have to just assume they're there.About a week ago down here in Miami a gator somehow ended up in the middle of a major street stopping traffic for a good while,it probably came from a canal that was nearby.One day I was in Celebration Florida and a gator was in the main lake by Market Street,it just came over to an overhang area with a sidewalk where people were and sat there like just looking at them,eventually all the idiots started throwing food at it,seems dangerous and not smart to get gators to associate humans with food,especially in such a busy popular area.I'm assuming this happens all the time as that gator just came over and sat there like expecting to have food thrown at it.

[Starrman69]

We have gators 20 feet away in the drainage pond behind our house. We don't go close to the pond unless we can clearly see that there aren't any gators in the area. In Florida you don't swim in water that doesn't contain chlorine and you can't see the bottom (it's been documented that gators have accessed pools by abandoned houses). It is against the law to feed any wildlife....especially gators!

[Alyzza]

I've seen the gators in the Canaveral area, but only one around here. That one was at Blue Springs park. We have bigger things to think about here, like bears. We used to go walking a lot after dark in the Sweetwater area, but in the last few years there I have seen several of them. We don't go walking much after dark anymore, especially on the eves before garbage day. They seem to know when that is! People with small dogs have to keep a real close eye on them, not because of gators but because of the hawks. So gators, eh… they seem to pretty much keep to themselves. Someone once told me that in every pond there is probably a gator.

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by doom1001

If you're close to a lake or canal always be on the lookout,again as others said it's not like you'll see them all the time,but you have to just assume they're there.About a week ago down here in Miami a gator somehow ended up in the middle of a major street stopping traffic for a good while,it probably came from a canal that was nearby.One day I was in Celebration Florida and a gator was in the main lake by Market Street,it just came over to an overhang area with a sidewalk where people were and sat there like just looking at them,eventually all the idiots started throwing food at it,seems dangerous and not smart to get gators to associate humans with food,especially in such a busy popular area.I'm assuming this happens all the time as that gator just came over and sat there like expecting to have food thrown at it.

I'm sure it wasn't there intention but that now that gator must be destroyed. Any gator that gets accustomed to human feeding can not be relocated in Florida as it's lost it's fear of humans and now associates us with food. It's a shame for the gator so please do not feed these guys.

[CoreLysium]

Ah, I responded to this in the other thread she asked the same thing. This one seems to be getting more responses. Shoulda posted in this one. Rats.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by christina.daye

Looking at MLS online for Orlando homes and neighborhoods. Can anyone tell me what the screen enclosures for the backyard, pools, patio, etc. are all about? My fear is that we will be moving into an area where we have to be careful of alligators. My pets are tiny, my kids might think it's ok to pet the pretty gator....chomp, chomp.

How realistic is this kind of scenario? Do the screens provide complete protection? Are the gators that prevalent?

Its a lot of gators, crocs, snakes, lizards and turtles in Florida, its definitely a reptilian state. Orlando has so many lakes, so I assume its many alligators and snakes in the mist.

[tinytrump]

I saw a video of a gator climbing a 4 ft. chain-link fence and went over it- no joke- but they will dig under it as well- I saw a lot of them in Bradenton near all these new homes with little screened in lanais- which protect you of zip-- but please don't forget we are also BEAR country!

[HokieGCC]

Small children playing on a lakeshore are in danger (unless specifically set up for swimming). Adults not so much but thats not a guarantee. If you don't live on a lake or canal and don't venture out in the wild you may go years at a time without seeing one. However, if you live near water, are a golfer, or a fisherman you may see them nearly every day. If you have small kids it is best to assume there is a gator lurking in every body of water even runoff ponds.