spring – Alligator Alley https://gatoralleyfarm.com Alligator Farm & Family Nature Adventure Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:33:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 How Do I Learn Alligator Lingo? https://gatoralleyfarm.com/how-do-i-learn-alligator-lingo/ Fri, 19 Apr 2019 00:52:14 +0000 https://gatoralleyfarm.com/?p=701 After years of watching and listening to our alligators at the farm, we’ve learned a thing or two about their reactions. Reading an alligator’s signs throughout the day can be a tough job, so we’re here to show you how we know when our guys are happy, hungry and a little bit grumpy! Let’s begin with how they start their day.

Sometimes, our big guys wake up on the wrong side of the swamp, usually on a Monday (relatable, right?)! When this happens, they tend to give us some attitude first thing in the morning. But no worries, because guess what’s next?

LUNCH TIME! If you’ve ever been to our live feedings, you’ll recognize the expression below. One look at these alligators and we know what they want – food. Don’t worry, we keep our fellas well fed and HAPPY. In fact, you can catch one of three meal times every day at 11, 1 and 4.

Speaking of happy, here’s a nice photo of Prince Eric sporting his weekend hat! If you catch this guy during your next visit to the swamp, give him a shout out. Fashionistas always love when their style is appreciated.

On your next adventure to Alligator Alley, snap a few photos of our alligators and be sure to use our hashtag, #AlligatorAlleyAdventure, when posting to Facebook. Also, follow us on Instagram and say “hi” to our scaly friends in the comments section. They’re big fans of feedback.

]]> First Feeding of the Year https://gatoralleyfarm.com/first-feeding-of-the-year/ Mon, 25 Mar 2019 13:35:48 +0000 https://gatoralleyfarm.com/?p=685 Live feedings are back in season for 2019, and they are bigger than ever! If you haven’t visited during a live feeding and watched dozens of hungry alligators chomp on their lunch, get yourself to Alligator Alley NOW! These guys are HUNGRY, and it makes for quite the show.

Our feedings are at 11, 1 and 4 every day and typically last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes (depending on how hungry these guys are!). We usually go through about 200 pounds of pig per day to feed our growing fellas. Check out the clip below from a 4-o’clock feeding to see what’s in store for your first live feeding visit!

Don’t forget – we host field trips and birthday parties, too! For more information, check out our hours and pricing or give us a call at 251-946-2483.

]]> Opening Day at Alligator Alley https://gatoralleyfarm.com/opening-day-at-alligator-alley/ Fri, 01 Feb 2019 19:29:55 +0000 https://gatoralleyfarm.com/?p=670 The wait is finally over! Alligator Alley is scheduled to be back in action for 2019 on Friday, February 8, and our alligators can’t wait to greet our guests. It’s been a long winter and the warmer weather has been missed by many at the swamp. As the weather heats up, our scaly friends tend to become more active and get back to basking in the sun.

 

 

While alligators are most energetic when the temps sit between 82- and 92-degrees Fahrenheit, our little pals get eager when they see friendly faces touring the farm! Throughout the next several months, we’ll begin seeing more and more alligators break free from their camouflage and lounge in the sun with their friends.

 

 

If you’ve been waiting all winter to come back for a visit to Alligator Alley, mark your calendar for Friday, February 8! We’ll be open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. for you and your family to start a guided adventure to visit with our alligators. As you take in the view on your nature walk, continue your adventure along the elevated boardwalk to see alligators in their natural habitat along with other swamp inhabitants such as turtles, ospreys, owls and bull frogs only a couple feet away!

 

For more details about pricing or hours, visit our website. For those interested in the return of our live feeding times, they will return in early March! STAY TUNED, FOLKS!

 

]]> Alligator Profiles https://gatoralleyfarm.com/alligator-profiles/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 12:00:42 +0000 https://gatoralleyfarm.com/?p=559 We get questions all the time from visitors about our alligator’s names, characteristics, facts and more. So, we decided to share a few of our most popular alligator’s profiles with our loyal and curious followers. No need to thank us for the hard work that went into interviewing our alligators individually. They like the attention. (No one was harmed in the making of this blog.)

 

ALLIGATOR PROFILE:

 

Captain Crunch

Age: late 30s

Length: 13’ 2”

Weight: 800+ pounds

Fun Fact: Captain Crunch isn’t sweet like the cereal – he’ll bite back. Keep your distance from this guy, especially during feeding time.

Best known for: His world record for bite strength of 2,982 pounds. Ouch!

 

Big Moe

Age: late 30s

Weight: 750 pounds

Fun Fact: Not only is Moe big, but he’s blind in one eye. He doesn’t let that stop him from jumping really high out of the water. Watch out for Big Moe and his scare tactics.

Best known for: His bubbly personality.

 

  

Pickles

Age: 6 years old

Weight: 60 pounds

Fun Fact: Pickles is the most well-known among the young alligators. You can spot him sporting green toenails on the weekend.

Best known for: Having his very own Facebook page. Give him a follow!

 

Prince Eric

Age: late 30s

Weight: 700 pounds

Fun Fact: Prince Eric won’t just eat anything that’s thrown his way. His elevated palate is how he earned his name. #diva

Best known for: His royalty. All hail Prince Eric.

 

   

The Colonel

Age: mid 40s

Weight: 900-1000 pounds (Our scale tops out at 899.)

Fun Fact: The Colonel is the largest alligator on the farm, and also the laziest.

Best known for: Knocking heads and taking names. Look out.

 

Now that you know a little bit more about these fellas, do you think you can spot them on your next visit to the swamp? Put yourself to the test and tag us on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #AlligatorProfile and include your guess along with a photo of one of our guys! Remember, we’re open seven days a week, 10-5 and have live feedings everyday at 11, 1 and 4. Tune in on Facebook soon!

]]> All You Need to Know Before You Go https://gatoralleyfarm.com/all-you-need-to-know-before-you-go/ Tue, 20 Mar 2018 20:00:11 +0000 https://gatoralleyfarm.com/?p=521 Are you fascinated at the thought of over 450 alligators in your presence? We were, which is why we started alligator farming in Summerdale nearly 14 years ago. We wanted our farm to be enjoyable for everyone in the family. From alligators seen in their natural habitat to other inhabitants including turtles, ospreys, owls and bullfrogs, adventure awaits you at every turn on a self-guided tour through the swamp!

 

If you haven’t visited our farm friends yet, it’s time to start planning. Our park is now open for spring and summer seven days a week! So once you get here, where do you begin your adventure?

 

   

 

The first exhibit you’ll find after leaving our gift shop is through the covered walkway where we keep the itty-bitty fellas. If you grabbed some of our “alligator chow,” this is a good place for you and the kiddos to start passing out the snacks.

As you make your way through, a few hogs will catch your attention just over the fence. We have three new additions to keep our guy Moonpie company. Moonpie is around four years old and weighs a trim 500 pounds. Be sure to wave so they don’t feel left out!

Hey, Moonpie!

 

 

Next stop and a family favorite is the baby alligator station, where you can visit, feed and hold these little guys. Get up close and personal to your favorite baby alligator! While we do have some for you to hold, we don’t suggest you reach in for yourself to pick from the litter. A staff member is always on hand and ready to brighten your day as they place one of these little guys in your arms. *Cue the photo session*

 

 

Ready for something more intimidating? Keep moving past the “teenagers” in their private pools, and make your way over to the boardwalk that leads to the big guys. While peering through the swamp and searching for Captain Crunch, you’ll notice some alligators stay hidden in the moss, while others are out and about ready for show time, or, as we like to call it, our live feedings.

 

 

 

Everyday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. we have our live feedings – a must-see event featuring dozens of our hungry alligators climbing ashore for a good meal from our staff! As soon as they hear the dinner bell ring, they make their way out of the water and onto the grass to catch a bite. You don’t want to miss this show!

While we have a variety of animals like longhorns and ospreys, we definitely count on the alligators to be the leading excitement factor for visitors. If you’re planning a trip along the Gulf Coast this spring or summer, be sure to make a stop in Summerdale to catch one of our live feedings! For farm updates, live videos and funny photos of our best guys, like us on Facebook and follow our Instagram page!
  

 

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