Eggs to Hatchlings

Around late June and early July, the mother alligator typically lays about 35 eggs in a nest made of mud, sticks and other plant matter. The nests are usually about three feet tall and six feet in diameter, located in swampy areas like you’ll see if you stroll down our boardwalk. During the 65-day incubation period, the mother guards the nest to protect her young. Just as the alligators are ready to hatch, they alert their mother by making high-pitched noises from inside of the egg. She will then either carry her young into the water on her back or release the hatchlings by opening the nest into the water.

*Interesting fact: The temperature of the nest determines whether the eggs develop into males or females. Cooler temperatures between 82 and 86 degrees produce females; moderate temperatures between 82 and 90 degrees will produce a litter of some males and some females; and warm temperatures between 90 and 93 degrees will produce male alligators.

Adolescent Alligators

During the first years of the alligator’s life, they learn to eat small animals in and near the water. They typically feed on insects, snails, worms, birds and small fish – everything is on the menu when you’re an opportunistic alligator. They stay close to their mother for at least the first year of their lives to be protected from a variety of predators including raccoons, otters, wading birds and fish. Very few hatchlings will actually survive to adulthood, only about 2-3 our of an average clutch of 35 eggs.

Entering Adulthood

Alligators can remain with their mother for up to three years before seeking out their own territories. Once the young alligators reach four feet in length, they’re considered virtually invulnerable in the wild. Here in Alabama, they can grow upwards of about 12 inches per year. That growth rate will slow once sexual maturity is reached, usually when they are around 6-7 feet in length.

Mating and Courtship

When the weather gets warm in mid-April through the end of May, alligators begin their search for potential mates. A male alligator starts this complex mating ritual by announcing his presence, making low bellowing sounds and sending vibrations through the water. Once a female has chosen her mate, the male scares off other suitors and then pushes the female to make his intentions known. After the pair mate, the female retreats to build her nest, while the male alligator repeats these mating rituals. Females will actually mate with multiple males, therefore having multiple fathers in that one clutch of eggs.

Typically, the average alligator’s lifespan is 50 years; however, the oldest on record is in its early 70s. While alligators of 10 feet can have as much as 1,800 pounds of bite, alligators can grow to a maximum length of 14 feet. Here at Alligator Alley, we’re home to Captain Crunch, a 13-foot, 8-inch long alligator weighing over 800 pounds and holding a world record for his bite strength of 2,982 pounds! To learn more about the life of an alligator, come visit us in February for a tour of the farm!

Not familiar with the process? Well, you’ve come to the right place for a crash course in alligator egg harvesting.

1. There’s a season for mating.

Alligators actually mate by mid-April through the end of May. On average, around 35 eggs are laid, and they incubate in their nest for up to 65 days.

2. Alligators make intricate nests.

Female alligators put time and effort into the nests they create for their babies. The nests are usually up to 10 feet in diameter and up to 3 feet high. The mounds are created using mud, plants, sticks, and grass. Even more interesting, the alligators renest in the same spot 70% of the time – in the wild and here at the farm.

3. Temperature is important.

Unlike all other reptiles, the temperature at which the eggs are incubated will determine the gender. When temperatures are below 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit, females result. Males typically incubate at above 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit—anything in between the two results in an even number of males and females.

4. Hatching time.

The eggs begin to hatch around September! The baby alligators have an “egg tooth” to help them escape from their shells. The mama alligator provides protection from predators to this point. After that, the hatchlings are almost fully independent once they get out of their shells, searching for food and evading predators.

5. What is harvesting?

On farms, the staff often assist the mother in the process, which is called “harvesting.” Basically, the farmers will retrieve the eggs from the nest and place them in an incubator. After they hatch, the hatchlings become new additions to the farm!

6. Why harvest?

As reptiles that were once upon a time on the brink of extinction, harvesting has actually helped in conservation efforts. In the wild, alligator eggs are often destroyed by nature or are eaten by predators such as birds. Harvesting ensures that they are safe and can all successfully hatch. It also helps the farm keep up with the alligator population.

Now that you know all about harvesting, come visit us soon when the new babies arrive! We are eagerly awaiting their arrival—and your’s!

1. Get out of the house

Summer is a great time to relax in your air-conditioned house, but it’s also prime time to get out into nature and soak up some sun. Alligator Alley has plenty of wildlife to explore and plenty of spots to cool off in the shade. Take a tour of the grounds on our elevated boardwalk, get up close and personal with a baby alligator, and take a turn feeding some alligators yourself.

2. Embark on an educational adventure

Summer might mean school’s out, but that’s no reason to stop learning! At Alligator Alley, we make wildlife education fun and interactive. Between our guided tours, live feedings and hands-on interactions, you’ll leave with a whole new level of wildlife knowledge. Did you know that an alligator can go through as many as 2,000 teeth or more in its lifetime? It’s true! Visit us this summer to learn more fun facts about our scaly friends!

3. Visit Captain Crunch

Captain Crunch is one popular alligator around here, and for a good reason: he holds the world record for bite strength at 2,982 pounds! The Captain measures 13 feet 7 inches long and weighs more than 800 pounds. He’s a bit of a lone wolf and tends to keep to himself; and with a bite like that, we won’t disagree.

4. Hold a baby alligator

Get up close and personal with a real alligator by holding one of our babies. These little ones are only a few feet long and they can’t wait for their chance to hang out with the big guys! But for now they’re the perfect size for you to hold. Before you snap a photo with your alligator, be sure to check out its eyelids! Alligators have two sets of eyelids, a normal outer set like humans and a second, clear set that opens from side-to-side and helps them see under water.

5. See more than just alligators

Even though we have a large population of alligators here, we also have tons of other animals to see. Check out the turtles, green herons, bullfrogs and golden silk orb weavers hanging out with the alligators. These animals are normal inhabitants of the alligators’ ecosystem and help them feel right at home here. Don’t forget to visit Hank and Moonpie, our two hogs who love to ham it up for the camera, and our fox squirrel, Fatbaby, who loves to entertain spectators. Be sure to stop by Reno’s Reptiles to see and hold all sorts of animals including snakes, lizards, and turtles, his exhibition will be here until August, so don’t miss your chance!

Check out our summer hours and pricing to start planning your trip! Also, make sure to set up notifications from our Facebook page to catch our live feedings.

We start each day with our morning rounds. We call in all the “kids” and check to see that everyone got along through the night, make sure there were no fights, no escapes, and no break-ins (our security team is pretty robust, so that’s not usually something we have to worry about).

Once we’ve accounted for all of our reptile friends, it’s time for daily maintenance. We drain all the ponds, refill them and everyone gets a bath… Everyday.

Then it’s into the walk-in freezer to check out the food stock. A typical inventory includes about a dozen feral pigs that have been turned over by one of our wildlife specialist friends who’s helping control the undomesticated population. The next step is food prep… We’ll leave out the specifics.

When meal prep is done, we grab the leaf blower, clear off paths, pick up trash and check off any others tasks to make sure everything’s ready to open up!

10:00 a.m. – Doors open!

11:00 – First feeding of the day. These guys are HUNGRY. We try to make it a show that’s worth your while.

After lunch, it’s time to meet and greet, talk to customers, and welcome tourists and locals alike. We try to answer all questions and make sure everyone is up to speed on what to expect during their visit to the farm. Surprises and alligators aren’t a relaxing combination.

1:00 – Second feeding, or as we call it: “crunch time.”

Usually things slow down a bit after the second feeding. If you’re not into crowds, this is the time to make your appearance.

Depending on how busy the first two feedings were, more food might need to be prepped. We usually go through about 200 pounds of pig per day… Told you these guys were hungry.

4:00 – Last feeding of the day. Come and get it!

After that, it’s time to start winding down. We make sure everyone has cleared the walking trails, put the baby alligators back in there home with a little fresh water, and start on food prep for the next day. It’s a good time to check off some regular maintenance to-dos and take care of any repairs needed.

And that’s a day in the life of an alligator farmer. Now, we didn’t mention the field trips and birthday parties, which are always a good time. Some days we’ll make a trip to check on our alligator friends in the area. You may have seen some of them at places like Ralph and Kacoo’s in Mobile. Other days we’re helping with an alligator on the loose. No matter what we have on our agenda, we hope you’ll pick a day to come visit us soon!