While feeding a wild alligator seems harmless to begin with, alligators that are fed by humans begin to associate food with people and will approach people looking for a handout. Sometimes the alligators can be persistent in getting that handout and that is when the situation becomes dangerous. #a

I love the sound of a bellowing alligator. It is a very iconic sound from an alligator. The sound might be used for mating purposes, but it can also be used to establish territory. When territorial disputes arise, it can lead to fights. #alligator #bellowing #spring #coloradogators #fo

We were fixing a fence in our Morelet’s Crocodile pond. With the drain pulled and the water level low, one of our female crocs decided to make a snack out of some fish. #crocodile #fish #feeding #coloradogators #foryoupage

These are just two beautiful snakes that are going to be titans one day. These snakes are going to grow 15+ feet in length and will be giants one of these days. They originate around the same region of the world and, unfortunately, are sold as pets in the USA. #snake #pythons #titans #c

Some underwater footage of a Morelets Crocodile. She wasn’t excited about me being there, but we had to tear down an old fence. Notice how she becomes defensive after a bit. She opens her mouth and displays her teeth. A classic sign of crocodile defensive behavior. #crocodile #croc #underwat

Alligators will scavenge food as part of their diet. This is another way that alligators might associate people with food. If you gut a fish in the same location and leave the guts lying around, alligators may start coming to that location to look for a free meal. #alligator #scavenge #feedi

Bo Mangles is our big albino alligator at Colorado Gators. He is one of the largest albino gators in the world. Albino alligators are very rare, as there are only a few hundred of them in the world today. Because of the lack of pigmentation in their skin, they struggle to survive in the wild due to

This is a video from our last good snowfall at Colorado Gators. This is one of the really cool things about this facility. Even in the cold of winter, with snow on the ground, we have very active alligators that are looking for food. This is thanks to our geothermal water that provides enough heat

Sometimes the meat we have donated from people is difficult to hand-feed the alligators. When this happens, putting it in a pile and letting the gators eat what they want is the best option. #alligators #feeding #animalcare #coloradogators #foryoupage

So alligators have “claws,” but they only really use these to dig. Their toenails are dull. Alligators will recreate landscapesto fit their needs. They will dig out ponds to make them deeper or even create tunnels or caves to live in when needed. #alligator #cave #didyouknow #coloradogato

Alligators are cold-blooded animals and require an external heat source for warmth and to digest food. At Colorado Gators, that heat source is the geothermal water that keeps them warm and active even when it is snowing. #alligator #snow #unusual #coloradogators #foryoupage

Alligators have five toes on their front feet and four toes on their back feet. Each foot has three claws that are used for digging. #alligator #toes #claws #coloradogators #foryoupage

Alligators are truly amazing animals. Their survival skills are next level. Across their backs are bone plates known as osteoderms or scutes. These plates don’t just protect the animal; they also help to heat this cold-blooded animal up. #alligator #survival #coldblooded #coloradogators

Just a fun feeding video. One of my favorite things about my job is feeding the animals I work with. They are truly amazing creatures. #alligator #feeding #gator #coloradogator #foryoupage

Just a big, beautiful alligator eating. Their snouts are rather sensitive with nerve endings that are designed to pick up on vibrations. So when I tap on the snout, it activates those nerve endings, and they will open their mouths. This is part of their hunting instincts. #alligator #feeding

Alligators are cold-blooded animals that rely on external sources for body heat. The geothermal water at Colorado Gators provides this heat for them. Not surprisingly, they don’t want to get out of their hot tub for food. #alligator #snow #feeding #coloradogators #foryoupage

It can be a shock to some people to see alligators in the snow. It is even more of a shock to see them so active. Alligators are cold-blooded, meaning that they rely on external sources for body heat. This also means that when it gets cold, they slow down, stop eating, and even will enter a dormant

When working with alligators, you always have to be on your toes. Sometimes they can behave very unpredictably, and a very routine situation can become dangerous. I’ve hand-fed alligators hundreds of times and have seen a basic feeding turn into serious situations. Another reason why you never atte

Aren’t these creatures amazing! Alligators don’t chew their food. They swallow their food whole. When they get a chunk of food, they work the food into a position where they can swallow it. This big, beautiful alligator demonstrates this perfectly in the video. #alligator #feeding #gator

When the temperature drops, alligators stop eating as they require warmer temperatures to digest their food. Because of the warm, geothermal water, the alligators at Colorado Gators are still active and hungry even when it is snowing. #alligator #snow #feeding #coloradogators #foryoupa