It’s alligator mating season, and your heart may just skip a beat! As the air heats up and the days grow longer, love is in the air for these scaly creatures. So get ready for a wild ride filled with love, danger and maybe even a bit of reptilian romance. When it comes to alligator mating season, all you need is love!

Courtship begins in mid-April and lasts through the end of May. Male alligators make a low bellowing sound and slap the water to draw a female’s attention, warning other males to stay away. Males who are ready to mate will become vicious fighters during mating season as they compete for available females. They may even come away with missing legs or blinded eyes.

Alligators will also use scent to attract mates, emitting a pheromonal musk. Alligators start the mating process by engaging in courtship behaviors once they have found a potential mate. They might push one another underwater or rub and press each other’s snouts and bodies, demonstrating their power and establishing their superiority to other suitors.

Females may mate several times during the season and typically lay 35 eggs, although the clutch may be anywhere from 20 to 50 eggs. After covering them in her nest made of soil, vegetation or debris, she will guard them, keeping an eye on the eggs for up to nine or 10 weeks.

After about 65 days, the baby alligators will hatch in mid-August or early September. The mother alligator stays with her young for up to two years after they hatch, protecting them from predators and teaching them how to hunt and survive in the wild.

So there you have it, folks! Alligator mating season is an exciting and fascinating time of year for these scaly creatures.

If you’re feeling daring and want to experience the magic of alligator courtship up close and personal, head over to Alligator Alley from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out our website for more information, you might even witness the beginning of a brand-new alligator family!

My daily routine is pretty simple, as you might expect. It mainly consists of eating, sleeping and soaking up the sun. But, I have to admit I can get a little rowdy at times. So, get ready to see what my life at Alligator Alley looks like.

Rise and shine

At 7 a.m. sharp, the sun rises and wakes me up to start my day of sunbathing and stretching out my beautiful scales. This is my favorite part of the day, and I make sure to savor every moment.

Lunch is served

By 11 a.m., my stomach is growling and it’s time for lunch. I’m not a big fan of eating in front of an audience, but some of my fellow alligators do a live show three times a day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. I prefer to have my meals in peace, away from the crowds. Once I’ve had my fill, I’m ready to lounge in the sun and enjoy the rest of my day.

Dinner and dress-up

I love any excuse to get dressed-up and paint my nails. Don’t I look great? As the day winds down, it’s time for dinner with my other alligator pals.

Good day and good night

As the sun sets, I take my leave and slither into the water, where I’ll rest and get ready for another day of eating, sunbathing and enjoying life as an alligator at Alligator Alley. Thank you for joining me today, but now it’s my bedtime. Good night!

Want to see what our alligators are up to? Visit us at Alligator Alley every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and check out our website for more information.

Animals play an important role in maintaining balance in our environment and in our daily lives. This year, celebrate Earth Day by doing things that will protect the beautiful place we live in and share with wildlife.

Visit Alligator Alley Alligator Alley was founded on the preservation of alligators, and we are proud to say that we have saved many alligators from the fate of being captured and euthanized. We are committed to educating the public about alligators and other animals. At Alligator Alley, you can connect with nature and learn about these amazing animals through exciting and immersive experiences every day.

Celebrate as a Family

You can create a fun, interactive activity that covers all types of wildlife to further educate your kids (and yourself). Bring your favorite animals to life in your own home by making origami with your kids, or create an animal-themed game that’s both fun and educational. You might be the one educating us the next time you stop by!

Don’t Feed Wildlife

While our farm animals enjoy our tasty food and entertaining feeding shows, you should never feed a wild animal. Feeding wildlife can cause nuisance problems in a community or on a property. This can endanger these species in their natural habitats.

Reduce Plastic Use and Make Sure Not to Litter

Remember the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. When you litter, it can end up in our waterways, causing harm to animals who may consume it.

We play a significant role in ensuring the health of our environment and the protection of animals. Use Earth Day to make a difference in our community and leave a lasting impression on all who live here. Looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day near you? Visit us at Alligator Alley every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and go to our website for more information

Myth 1: Running away in a zigzag pattern is the best way to escape an alligator.

A more practical way to escape an aggressive alligator is to run away in a straight line as fast as you can. While gators can move quickly on land, they can only do so in short bursts before they tire out.

Myth 2: Alligators are more afraid of us than we think.

True. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans. When encountering a human in the wild, an alligator is more likely to flee than become aggressive. This does not necessarily mean that humans don’t need to be cautious around alligators, but they do not need to live in fear of them. It’s wise to observe alligators from afar, just like during the live feedings at Alligator Alley.

Myth 3: Alligators have great eyesight.

True. It’s a common belief that alligators have bad eyesight due to the shape of their head and position of their eyes. However, because alligators’ eyes are positioned on either side of their head, they actually have a wider view and can spy on prey from afar.

Their eyes are also made to see in extreme low-light conditions. Inside their eye beneath the photoreceptor cells, is a layer called the tapetum lucidum. The layer allows their retina to reflect light back into the cells, increasing the amount of light that the gator can detect.

Myth 4: Alligators can’t climb well.

False. Due to their strong muscles, sharp claws and powerful tails, alligators are actually quite agile climbers. Using their tail, which is half of their body length, alligators can push themselves over a fence or wall if needed. After all, they are distant relatives of lizards who are excellent climbers.

And there you have it – you can’t always believe everything you hear! To see these amazing creatures in action, make a visit to Alligator Alley any day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit our website for details on hours and pricing.

Alligators are frequently misunderstood animals and protecting alligators is more than just about preserving biodiversity. Alligators help us to maintain a critical balance in our environment and freshwater ecosystems. The American alligator was on the verge of extinction until the Endangered Species Act of 1966 was passed to protect alligators from poaching. Our mission is to educate and inform the public about these fascinating creatures in a safe and unique way, while also allowing visitors to observe the animals in their natural habitats.

When visiting Alligator Alley, you’ll begin with a guided adventure through our swamp where you’ll see over 600 alligators along with snakes, tortoises and lizards. Not only will you witness these animals in their natural habitats, but our interactive exhibits allow you to hold, feed and interact with various species of reptiles. We created the farm to be an immersive experience that closely mimics these animals’ natural environments.

Come be a part of all the action at Alligator Alley every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can support other organizations and their conservation efforts by visiting The International Reptile Conservation Foundation to conserve reptiles and amphibians and their habitats. As always, we look forward to seeing you on your next adventure at Alligator Alley. Visit gatoralleyfarm.com/about/hours-pricing/ for details on hours and pricing.

Our alligators are looking forward to the warmer weather when the sun is high in the sky and the water begins to warm up again. During the colder months, our gators like to stay warm by burying deep below the water’s surface, dozing on and off all day and occasionally snacking on a savory meal. Because alligators brumate in the winter, they sleep more and eat very little, so they are ready to feast when the temperatures rise again. Top priority of 2023: bring on the live feedings!

Tortoises, on the other hand, stay warm and cozy inside to maintain their core body temperature. Our farm-famous tortoise, Godfather, isn’t a fan of the cold and needs plenty of bright light to mimic summertime conditions. His top priority of 2023 is finding the largest, most comfortable rock to bask on in the sun during the warmer months.

What are you looking forward to in 2023? We hope whatever your priorities are for the New Year, they include a trip to Alligator Alley to visit over 600 alligators as well as snakes, tortoises and more! View our hours and pricing page to plan your next visit to the farm.

Most of our friends stay at the swamp because let’s be honest – who wouldn’t want to? This just means we get extra quality time with them. From Christmas carols and movies to sleeping and more sleeping, our alligators sure do have a great time around the holidays. 

While most alligators don’t eat much during the winter months, sometimes they can’t resist a Christmas cookie or some eggnog (Pickles especially can get a little rowdy)! At Alligator Alley, we cherish the slower months to spend quality time with our alligators before things really pick up again in the spring. 

The highlight of the holiday season is when Pickles dresses up in his Santa Claus costume and gives gifts to all his scaly friends. Last year, he got everyone their very own Santa hat. We are looking forward to what he’ll come up with this year!

We hope everyone has a happy holidays! In case you don’t already know, we will be closed from November 28 to December 22. We will reopen December 22 and 23 but are closed December 24 and 25. We will open again December 26 – 30 and will close at 2 p.m. on December 31. For more information, view our winter hours and visit our Instagram and Facebook pages.  

We had the opportunity to sit down with our scaly friend and discuss the ins and outs of Alligator Alley – after all, he would know. We even got to snap a few photos of his different costumes. Let’s see what he had to say! 

Q: Howdy, Pickles! Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. How have things been going at the swamp?

A: Thanks for having me. It’s been an adventure around here. From hurricane season to harvesting season and kid’s back in school, it’s been a real wild time. I’m just enjoying these last few weeks of sunshine before the cold weather hits.

Q: How does a handsome guy like yourself get along with the other big personalities here at the swamp?

A: Well, you know, not everyone can be as good looking as me – I mean, have you seen my green nail polish? But, we get along as best we can. We stay out of each other’s ways and try not to fight over the same mate. 

Q: So, I have to ask: what is with the green nail polish? 

A: Growing up around all these alligators, I had to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Also, green tends to complement my skin tone.

Q: What’s your favorite outfit you’ve strutted around over the past years?

A: Great question! I’d have to say my Easter Bunny costume or my cowboy hat.

Q: Where does the name “Pickles” come from?

A: I LOVE to eat Pickles! When I was just a baby, I stole a cheeseburger and ate the pickles off of it. Ever since, I can’t get enough! Pickles and chow together make for the most delicious combo.

Q: Lastly, what’s your favorite part of Alligator Alley?

A: I like to swim around the swamp and make friends. I’ve never met a stranger! 

Q: Well, Pickles I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today! Happy swimming!

A: The pleasure has been all mine. See you around the swamp!

Pickles had to leave our interview for an important photo opportunity in his Halloween costume, but he will answer any fan mail you might have. Just send him or any of the other alligators your questions at info@gatoralleyfarm.com and we’ll add you to our newsletter to receive updates on what’s happening around the farm! By the way, Pickles has his own Facebook page– check him out!

We are currently open every day except Wednesdays. Be sure to stop by and spot Pickles munching on his favorite snack!

Alligators mate from mid-April through the end of May. A female alligator will typically lay 35 eggs that will incubate in the nest for up to 65 days. Nests are often located along banks of ponds or marshes and are ten feet in diameter and up to three feet high. Mama gators protect their nests using vegetation such as mud, plants, sticks and grass. 

During the month of August, if we have hatchlings on the farm, our staff assists the mother gator in the harvesting process by retrieving eggs from her nest and placing them in an incubator. Many hatchlings in the wild do not survive due to predators and natural disasters, so here at the farm, incubation protects the eggs and helps them grow and remain healthy.

Once the eggs begin to hatch, hatchlings use their egg tooth, a special tooth baby alligators develop, to break free from their shells. The mama alligators watch and protect their young until they are ready to take on the world on their own. This typically takes about a year and then the baby alligators will join a “pod” or group of baby alligators. Pods stay together, protecting one another from predators. Once our alligators reach four feet in length and transition into adulthood, they are considered safe in the wild or at the farm, except maybe to other, larger alligators. 

Now you know all there is to know about harvesting season at Alligator Alley. Stop by and visit all your alligator friends and be sure to hold them and snap a picture or two! 

Turtles 

Freshwater turtles love spending most of their time hanging out in lakes and ponds or even sunbathing on rocks and logs. Their webbed feet help them smoothly skate through the water. The majority of turtles prefer warm weather, and they tend to hibernate underground during colder seasons. 

Tortoises 

Unlike turtles, you will likely find tortoises on land. Their stumpy, solid feet make walking a breeze! Like turtles most tortoises are omnivores, eating plants, fish, snails and insects. Tortoises inhabit hot, dry climates, but when they want to escape the heat they bury themselves in the mud. Pay a visit to Godfather, one of our most popular tortoises!

Snake

Have you seen something slithering around? It’s probably one of our snakes! Banana is a Burmese Python, one of the world’s largest snakes. Because of poor eyesight, Burmese use heat sensors and chemical receptors to catch their prey. These carnivorous snakes can swallow food five times larger than their head!

Bullfrogs

Bullfrogs get their name from the sound they make. People attribute the sound to the “mooing” of a cow, which is where the “bull” originates. These carnivorous amphibians can live for seven to nine years and weigh just over one pound. Similar to turtles, bullfrogs favor warm weather and hibernate in the mud during colder seasons.

Pigs

At Alligator Alley, you will see our domestic pigs roaming around or playing in the mud. Unlike the feral hogs we feed to our alligators, our domestic pigs are happy members of the farm family.  

Longhorn Cattle

Did you know we have longhorn cattle on the farm? One of our oldest longhorns is named Hootie. They can be spotted from the parking lot, so keep an eye out for them next time you visit Alligator Alley!

Alligators

Last, but certainly not least, our infamous alligators! These carnivorous creatures have a lifespan of 35 to 50 years, and males on average weigh 600 pounds. However, Alligator Alley’s very own Captain Crunch weighs over 800 pounds. Males typically grow between 10 to 15 feet long, half of that being their tail. Because alligators tend to be clumsy on land, they enjoy hanging out in rivers, lakes, swamps and marshes. With webbed feet and a powerful tail, alligators glide through the water with ease. 

 Now you’re all caught up on our farm friends. Check out the details on pricing and hours before your next visit. We can’t wait to see you at Alligator Alley!