Should I factor in Alligators when looking for a home location?

[FFlank]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

[JohnN]

The closer to water, the better you'll find an alligator. But the chances are slim. However, don't be walking your dog near the water and be alert if you go there.

[walterray1]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

you get what you want with this post.

[tophcfa]

You would be better off worrying about real risks like fumes from the turnpike or electro magnetic fields from power lines than gators. Your risk of being struck by lightning is far greater than the risk of a gator attack.

[Velvet]

There are all kinds of deniers but OP has a valid question. Alligators like water, marshes, ponds, lakes. They go from one water to the other. Look at the house you are interested in on the map. Is it on an alligator path?

On the other hand, it is true, alligator attacks are rare in TV.

[Pairadocs]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

Wouldn't allow such a fear to dominate my choice of location for a home. Probably much more likely to be hit crossing a street or slipping in your own bathtub. But both of those things DO happen. So, if you choose a lot on a pond or lake, always be cautious but if that is going to dominate your thoughts, maybe not pick a lot on water ! Also keep in mind, many many people in all parts of Florida have found small gators on porches, stoops, crossing lawns, on just "relaxing" in the sun on the patio. Almost everyone of those people was NOT harmed.

[FFlank]

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts so far. I know that issues are unlikely to arise, but I thought that maybe areas further north (where folks have been living for several years) might be less likely spots for alligators. Maybe this theory doesn't pan out, but I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the issue

[Papa_lecki]

Alligators all over Florida, around lakes. The lakes are connected via underground pipes, it’s part of the water management system. Gator use the pipes to move around.

you might have a gator at your front door, and you might win the lottery.

[Chi-Town]

There are all kinds of deniers but OP has a valid question. Alligators like water, marshes, ponds, lakes. They go from one water to the other. Look at the house you are interested in on the map. Is it on an alligator path?

On the other hand, it is true, alligator attacks are rare in TV.

I know where Alligator Alley is but unsure about Alligator Path.

[Battlebasset]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

Best advice is to stay away from the ponds. That said, a number of houses that have water views from their backyard just slope down to the pond. There would be nothing to stop a gator, if motivated, from walking up to your house. If you are constantly putting your dog out there, it might be their motivation.

I live on a pond, but there is a three foot retaining wall and a 42" fence on top of that. Vertical balusters, so gator couldn't climb it (probably). So if you want to live on water, and are really concerned, consider what is between the back/front of your house and the water, and could a gator breech it.

[FFlank]

Best advice is to stay away from the ponds. That said, a number of houses that have water views from their backyard just slope down to the pond. There would be nothing to stop a gator, if motivated, from walking up to your house. If you are constantly putting your dog out there, it might be their motivation.

I live on a pond, but there is a three foot retaining wall and a 42" fence on top of that. Vertical balusters, so gator couldn't climb it (probably). So if you want to live on water, and are really concerned, consider what is between the back/front of your house and the water, and could a gator breech it.

This is good to know. Thank you.

[bowlingal]

Gators have been known to climb fences, North, South, East and West...the gators are everywhere. Does not matter in the villages if you buy in the historic section or the newer section.

[FFlank]

Gators have been known to climb fences, North, South, East and West...the gators are everywhere. Does not matter in the villages if you buy in the historic section or the newer section.

Thanks! That was really what I was looking for with my original question. My original thought was that, with the established community to the north, there might be fewer gators there and more in the relatively undeveloped south. Seemed logical to me at the time I posted :)

[Ele201]

The closer to water, the better you'll find an alligator. But the chances are slim. However, don't be walking your dog near the water and be alert if you go there.
What you said is so true. I just read an article that coincidentally proves your point. A woman in St Lucie county was walking her dog near water in her retirement village. She got attacked by a gator that authorities said was at least 700 lbs. I feel very sad for her and I am not one to blame a victim. But yeah, try not to do that.

[Josephjmarchese]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

I have found that the correct answer for “is there a gator in that pond, swamp etc.?”
Is Yes! Always assume that. My concern would be small grandkids visiting getting too close to the water. So It’s ok if you want to be on the water, but know the risks and act accordingly

[Southwest737]

Nope. Wouldn’t be a consideration in house buying.

[sowilts]

We live on a retention pond at Linden. Currently two, male and female. They don’t come up to the house and will move from place to place. Every pond may have one. They are everywhere and like everyone said do not take dogs close to the ponds which people do. Don’t feed them. Have not seen any cats. There are more dangers out there. Snakes, Owls, cinch bugs, bad drivers. They are all over Florida. Don’t worry be attentive in your surroundings.

[coffeebean]

Nope. Wouldn’t be a consideration in house buying.

Yes. Would be a consideration for me. I would not want to live on any water here in The Villages.

I lived on a very large man made retention lake in south Florida for several years. That community had heavy duty grates in their water management pipes to keep gators out of the lakes where residential homes are. There were never any sightings of gators in any of those retention ponds and lakes. The Villages must not have those grates to keep gators out of our retention ponds. Enjoy your water view if you choose to live on water but it's not for me.

[JGibson]

Buy a Courtyard villa. It would be rare for an alligator to climb those fences.

[spinner1001]

Thanks! That was really what I was looking for with my original question. My original thought was that, with the established community to the north, there might be fewer gators there and more in the relatively undeveloped south. Seemed logical to me at the time I posted :)

The southern areas of The Villages have more natural wetlands than the northern areas (see link below for a wetlands map of Sumter County). The difference is likely due to the terrain is flatter in the southern areas of TV compared to the northern parts.

Florida Wetlands: Wetlands Near Sumter County (https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/wetlandextension/counties/sumter.htm)

However, alligators also live in the man made retention ponds. I don’t know of any public information for the locations and acreages of retention ponds across TV. The northen areas certainly have retention ponds as do the southern parts. I believe the south has more natural lake areas than the north.

We live on a pond in the south and my wife is concerned but not obsessed over alligators. As others have said, your chance of a personal close encounter with an alligator is remote assuming you don’t walk your pet near water. I suggest that you learn more about alligator behavior as your concerns may lessen. Below is a link for starters.

WEC203/UW230: Living with Alligators: A Florida Reality (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW230)

Assume your chance of a personal close encounter is 0.01% in the southern areas, your chance in the northern areas might be 0.001%. Is it reasonable to buy a home in the north solely because the chance is 0.009% slimmer? I don’t believe it is. There are other things to think about when buying a home. Good luck.

[Bogie Shooter]

Alligators all over Florida, around lakes. The lakes are connected via underground pipes, it’s part of the water management system. Gator use the pipes to move around.

you might have a gator at your front door, and you might win the lottery.

:what:

[mikeycereal]

I didn't factor in any alligators when I moved in last year. It took me several months to even see one. Saw a baby one sunning itself at the shore of each of our large ponds the other day. I just keep my distance and stay near the path. That lady who was killed brought her little dog right up to the edge of the pond and didn't see the gator's eyes moving toward them. It probably thought it was feeding time. The further you are from the edge of the pond your % of running into one go drastically below rare. I'm more concerned about bad drivers here.

[Laker14]

I think your chances of a gator encounter are slimmer in the northern areas, for the reasons mentioned, and the chances go up the closer you are to water, but they aren't zero anywhere. They do move from pond to pond, especially during mating season. Generally not a threat to humans, but I have no desire to get up close and personal.
If I had a small pet I'd be very watchful.
If I wanted to live by a water feature , I'd be extra alert, but I wouldn't let the fear of alligators keep me from living there. I'd respect their presence, but enjoy the rare sighting as a benefit of living near the water.

[ehendersonjr]

Alligators can be found anywhere there is water in Florida. That includes lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made ponds. In fact, alligators infest all 67 Florida counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Basic tips to abide by while living among alligators and crocodiles in Florida include: never feed a gator, keep your distance if you see one, swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and keep pets on a leash away from the water. Will one show up on your doorstep? Probably not, as gators tend to fear us as much as we fear them. At some point though, you’ll be near water in TV. Keep your eyes open and pay attention. Otherwise, welcome to The Villages!

[RICH1]

The North is the best kept secret in The Villages…….

[MandoMan]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

I’ve been here over two years and only seen one, beside a pond right behind Aviary Rec Center, and it was a hundred yards away. You are much more likely to find a black snake around your house. You are more likely to see wildlife on the nature trails than near your house.

[wbilbrey99@yahoo.com]

Only if you like Alligator bites.

[Captainpd]

Okie dokie. How many post can we post about an absolutely not smart question? If you walk close to the ponds with your bait on the end of a leash, there is a chance that at least one of you aren't coming home. JMHO

[jarodrig]

Meet Winston, our pond’s resident gator…. We enjoy seeing him whenever he desires to pay a visit.

Photo taken from our bedroom window ….

[LuvNH]

Thanks! That was really what I was looking for with my original question. My original thought was that, with the established community to the north, there might be fewer gators there and more in the relatively undeveloped south. Seemed logical to me at the time I posted :)

My home is north of 466 on a golf course with several retention ponds some close, some a distance away. There is a very large retention pond very close to our postal station .............. we have NEVER seen an alligator. We have lived here 18 yrs and the only thing we have seen is one coyote and a small fox. But, we would never walk a dog along the edge of any pond. It really comes down to common sense.

[NoMo50]

Assume your chance of a personal close encounter is 0.01% in the southern areas, your chance in the northern areas might be 0.001%. Is it reasonable to buy a home in the north solely because the chance is 0.009% slimmer? I don’t believe it is. There are other things to think about when buying a home. Good luck.

So, you're saying the chances of a gator encounter in the southern Villages is 10x higher than in the north? Sorry, but I'm not buying that. The smart play is to assume that any body of water can have at least one resident gator. During mating season (April - June), they do tend to move around more. Golf courses have lots of water features, and you can see gators on virtually every golf course in the Villages. Are there more gators down south vs up north? Very possible...but not ten times more.

[charlie1]

There are all kinds of deniers but OP has a valid question. Alligators like water, marshes, ponds, lakes. They go from one water to the other. Look at the house you are interested in on the map. Is it on an alligator path?

On the other hand, it is true, alligator attacks are rare in TV.

I would not worry about alligators. I have been in Florida for almost 40 years, most of which were on ponds or swamps with alligators. Just be a smart pet owner by keeping your pet on a leash and AWAY from the ponds! Do not feed the alligators! Do not have your grandkids near the ponds without supervision! Do not provoke the alligators. The only attacks in the Villages that I am aware of have been against dogs where the owner was careless by not having the dog properly constrained.

[ohioshooter]

We live on a pond and I watch for gators every day. I really enjoy watching them. Our pond is very low now and I haven’t seen one for days.

[Velvet]

I would not worry about alligators. I have been in Florida for almost 40 years, most of which were on ponds or swamps with alligators. Just be a smart pet owner by keeping your pet on a leash and AWAY from the ponds! Do not feed the alligators! Do not have your grandkids near the ponds without supervision! Do not provoke the alligators. The only attacks in the Villages that I am aware of have been against dogs where the owner was careless by not having the dog properly constrained.

I agree. Still I like to look around me when I get the morning paper.

Copy of an old photo:

[OhioBuckeye]

You know I think you’re getting to excited about worrying about Gators. I would be more worried about what they’re charging for a new home to the owner for a home along a golf course, a body of water or living where there’s nobody building behind you. Just depends what you’re looking for gators are the least of my worries about buying a home. I would be a little more worried about gators if I was building close to the Everglades.Just don’t worry about where you buy so much but how much do you want to spend. Buy close to what you like to do, anywhere in TV & you can’t go wrong!

[airstreamingypsy]

I would factor it in, simply because I love seeing them. I would live near a pond hoping to see one frequently. I loved dinosaurs in second grade, and it seems I still do.

[Buckeye Bill]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

Don’t worry, around here it’s a big deal when one is spotted in a lake people will stop to take a look.

[MrFlorida]

Don't buy near water. The rule of thumb in Florida is: If there's water , there's a gator in it.

[Quent]

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts so far. I know that issues are unlikely to arise, but I thought that maybe areas further north (where folks have been living for several years) might be less likely spots for alligators. Maybe this theory doesn't pan out, but I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the issue

They are here and they move around when food supplys diminish

[MrFlorida]

They are here and they move around when food supplys diminish

Especially now, mating season is about to begin.

[Michael 61]

I walk the beautiful “gator trail” by the ponds in Richmond each morning - I will often see Multiple gators either in the ponds, or sunning themselves on the shore (usually baby ones). The trail itself is raised, but you need to be watchful, since gators will travel from one pond to the next via land.

[larbud]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?


New Jersey..������������������������������

[dschneider]

You would be better off worrying about real risks like fumes from the turnpike or electro magnetic fields from power lines than gators. Your risk of being struck by lightning is far greater than the risk of a gator attack.
And at our age neither of the above are factors.

[Altavia]

I would factor it in, simply because I love seeing them. I would live near a pond hoping to see one frequently. I love dinosaurs in second grade, and it seems I still do.

Same here along with the other wildlife. The gaters are well fed, fat and happy with all the fish in the lakes.

[Gpsma]

Worry more about what your new neighbors will be like than an alligator

[Windguy]

I live on a pond, but there is a three foot retaining wall and a 42" fence on top of that. Vertical balusters, so gator couldn't climb it (probably).
I took the bus tour at KSC. We saw a 10’ (?) fence with an outward-leaning short fence on top around one of the launch sites. The bus driver said it was to keep out the alligators. Even a 10’ high fence without the extra bit on top was not good enough.

Forget about retaining walls or fences to keep them out, but worry about things that are much more likely to kill you such as riding in a cart without a helmet.

[ThirdOfFive]

There are all kinds of deniers but OP has a valid question. Alligators like water, marshes, ponds, lakes. They go from one water to the other. Look at the house you are interested in on the map. Is it on an alligator path?

On the other hand, it is true, alligator attacks are rare in TV.
A few years back my wife and I were walking along a gravel road adjoining the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. Moose country. A couple of cars saw us and stopped. Turned out they were researchers from a Big Ten university…Ohio state, if I recall correctly. Their spokesperson, an earnest young lady in ranger hat and camouflage shorts, asked us if we could give them directions to the “moose habitat”. Turns out they were in the area to research the critters.

I recall telling her that the “moose habitat” was pretty much anywhere the moose wanted it to be.

Probably equally true for alligator paths. I doubt the critters are too concerned about following established routes. Their path is going to be pretty much anywhere the alligator wants it to be.

[manaboutown]

It seems to me sinkholes have been a bigger problem in TV than alligators. OP, you may want to check out where they have occurred in the past.

[FFlank]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I know that it’s a typical newbie question but it’s great to get everyone’s thoughts on the subject

[Pennyt]

During mating season gators travel between ponds. It's a rule in Florida that if there is water, there is probably a gator somewhere in it...even retention ponds. As far as fencing, I remember a photo of a gator climbing a chain link fence. So, they can climb. I've seen gators trying to cross 4 lane highways when I lived in Tampa. No where will you be guaranteed to be gator-free. Just remember to never feed one and stay away from the water's edge, especially in the mornings and evenings when gators tend to feed. They are opportunists and look for the easy meal. That being said, most of the time they stay away from humans (unless people have been feeding them). I've canoed the Hillsborough River with them swimming alongside the canoe and they never attacked.

[Carlsondm]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?
We purchased one street in from the ponds for that reason. We are close to the water, but not on the water. During mating season the gators seem to move a bit and I don’t want to meet one during my morning walk.
We see gators the rest of the year sunning themselves around the ponds, but they are no trouble if you give them space. They seem to keep the snakes down.
We are in a new area that was developed from a cow field. Birds, gators and snakes are returning to our ponds after the construction commotion. We live in a wildlife encouraged area, if that is what you are asking. Wetlands and ponds are abundant. I always assume gators and snakes are close by. Usually if you have gators you won’t have snakes though. Typically it’s one or the other. If you buy in a heavily travelled shopping area wildlife may not be as abundant.

[Battlebasset]

I took the bus tour at KSC. We saw a 10’ (?) fence with an outward-leaning short fence on top around one of the launch sites. The bus driver said it was to keep out the alligators. Even a 10’ high fence without the extra bit on top was not good enough.

Forget about retaining walls or fences to keep them out, but worry about things that are much more likely to kill you such as riding in a cart without a helmet.

Was it a chain link fence? They can climb those.

[Lea N]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

JohnN gave you the best advice (that I've read so far.) Keep your eyes and ears open but don't live in fear. Keep in mind that May & June is mating season for gators and that is when they are more aggressive.

When my husband and I lived in SE FL I used to walk every morning with our dog. We weren't near any bodies of water, but still I stayed alert. We lived in an area that wasn't very developed at the time. I used to look around and if I saw a pick up truck in someone's driveway I knew I could run there with my dog if I had too, and jump in the back of the truck. Except, I didn't know that gators can climb fences! :shocked: So it's not likely a truck would deter one.

Back in the 70's my husband's folks moved to FL. When they first moved in they found a small gator in their pool.

[Glorantha]

We live in the southern part of TV and love seeing all the wildlife, especially alligators. I have small dogs and walk them multiple times daily on the trails along the retention ponds. I’ve become very adroit at scanning the bodies of water to spot any alligators that may be present. Our dogs are leashed and I don’t let them walk to the waters edge. We have seen coyotes and I do keep them away from the large family of turkeys that frequent our trails.

Not sure where the OP lives but deer are the most dangerous animals in the USA. Alligators are #9, well below livestock, dogs and bees/wasps/hornets.
Top 10 Deadliest Animals in America - AZ Animals (https://a-z-animals.com/blog/top-10-deadliest-animals-in-america/)

[Vermilion Villager]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

I live on a natural pond in Marsh Bend that connects to Hogeye Sink. My lanai is 25' to the edge of the water.
We have a resident alligator about 5' long and during mating season there are 3-4. To be honest I have a hard time sneaking close enough to get a snaphot with my cell phone before they scatter. Bottom line is NO they are not a problem.

[Daxdog]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

No, don’t worry, if you are worried move into the Lofts.

[coffeebean]

Meet Winston, our pond’s resident gator…. We enjoy seeing him whenever he desires to pay a visit.

Photo taken from our bedroom window ….

No thanks. You can have it!

[coffeebean]

I would not worry about alligators. I have been in Florida for almost 40 years, most of which were on ponds or swamps with alligators. Just be a smart pet owner by keeping your pet on a leash and AWAY from the ponds! Do not feed the alligators! Do not have your grandkids near the ponds without supervision! Do not provoke the alligators. The only attacks in the Villages that I am aware of have been against dogs where the owner was careless by not having the dog properly constrained.

Those gators are FAST. What will supervision do when that gator comes charging at those kids? Ridiculous to even think about going near any body of water here.

[coffeebean]

I agree. Still I like to look around me when I get the morning paper.

Copy of an old photo:

Avon calling.

[coffeebean]

Same here along with the other wildlife. The gaters are well fed, fat and happy with all the fish in the lakes.

So......was that poor unfortunate woman who was recently killed by a gator an appetizer?

[coffeebean]

I took the bus tour at KSC. We saw a 10’ (?) fence with an outward-leaning short fence on top around one of the launch sites. The bus driver said it was to keep out the alligators. Even a 10’ high fence without the extra bit on top was not good enough.

Forget about retaining walls or fences to keep them out, but worry about things that are much more likely to kill you such as riding in a cart without a helmet.

Don't you mean a motor cycle? I've never seen anyone wear a helmet in a golf cart. Seat belts, yes but not a helmet.

[jimjamuser]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?
Up at the top of the hill at the Orange Blossom water tower. And if I were you, I would rent for 6 months because there is a possibility of a recession and home prices could come down. And buy nothing south of Sumter Lake.

[jimjamuser]

You would be better off worrying about real risks like fumes from the turnpike or electro magnetic fields from power lines than gators. Your risk of being struck by lightning is far greater than the risk of a gator attack.
I have been hit by lightning twice in my life. But, then I have NOT lived a sheltered life.

[jimjamuser]

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts so far. I know that issues are unlikely to arise, but I thought that maybe areas further north (where folks have been living for several years) might be less likely spots for alligators. Maybe this theory doesn't pan out, but I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the issue
The water tower area in Orange Blossom.

[jimjamuser]

We live on a retention pond at Linden. Currently two, male and female. They don’t come up to the house and will move from place to place. Every pond may have one. They are everywhere and like everyone said do not take dogs close to the ponds which people do. Don’t feed them. Have not seen any cats. There are more dangers out there. Snakes, Owls, cinch bugs, bad drivers. They are all over Florida. Don’t worry be attentive in your surroundings.
Bad drivers, for sure in TV Land.

[jimjamuser]

Alligators can be found anywhere there is water in Florida. That includes lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made ponds. In fact, alligators infest all 67 Florida counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Basic tips to abide by while living among alligators and crocodiles in Florida include: never feed a gator, keep your distance if you see one, swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and keep pets on a leash away from the water. Will one show up on your doorstep? Probably not, as gators tend to fear us as much as we fear them. At some point though, you’ll be near water in TV. Keep your eyes open and pay attention. Otherwise, welcome to The Villages!
Gators are relatively inactive during the day. Completely different at night - they become MORE active predators. Do NOT be around a swamp or pond at NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!

[jimjamuser]

Alligators can be found anywhere there is water in Florida. That includes lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made ponds. In fact, alligators infest all 67 Florida counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Basic tips to abide by while living among alligators and crocodiles in Florida include: never feed a gator, keep your distance if you see one, swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and keep pets on a leash away from the water. Will one show up on your doorstep? Probably not, as gators tend to fear us as much as we fear them. At some point though, you’ll be near water in TV. Keep your eyes open and pay attention. Otherwise, welcome to The Villages!
Gators do NOT fear humans. They are prehistoric with TINY, tiny brains. They FEAR NOTHING! Just like sharks have no fear of man.

[jimjamuser]

Meet Winston, our pond’s resident gator…. We enjoy seeing him whenever he desires to pay a visit.

Photo taken from our bedroom window ….
If he is over 4 ft he should be destroyed. Failure to do so will end up like that lady recently being killed. They are cute right up until the time they charge you, bite you, and drown you. Send a picture of cute Winston to the relatives of that poor, very DEAD woman. I am sure they would REALLY appreciate that.

[tophcfa]

I have been hit by lightning twice in my life.

That explains it!

[jimjamuser]

I agree. Still I like to look around me when I get the morning paper.

Copy of an old photo:
I suppose that is how cute Winston cuddles up to his neighbors. Isn't that CUTE?

[Marathon Man]

You would be better off worrying about real risks like fumes from the turnpike or electro magnetic fields from power lines than gators. Your risk of being struck by lightning is far greater than the risk of a gator attack.

Three myths. Alligators, turnpike, and power lines. No problem with any of them.

[jimjamuser]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I know that it’s a typical newbie question but it’s great to get everyone’s thoughts on the subject
Not a bad question., That's why I suggested to rent for about 6 months and check the financial channels to see what the predictions for a recession or downturn are.
....as you can see there are 2 schools of thought about GATORS. One is that they are cute pets that you can look at from a distance. The other school of thought IS a little darker and I think of it this way if Man could control lightning strikes, they would do so. Man can control alligators over 4 ft in densely populated areas like The Village Land. So I would advise that they DO control them. The local lady here is VERY DEAD because of a too BIG alligator. What is a human life worth compared with a "CUTE" Winston human killing machine.

[jimjamuser]

We live in the southern part of TV and love seeing all the wildlife, especially alligators. I have small dogs and walk them multiple times daily on the trails along the retention ponds. I’ve become very adroit at scanning the bodies of water to spot any alligators that may be present. Our dogs are leashed and I don’t let them walk to the waters edge. We have seen coyotes and I do keep them away from the large family of turkeys that frequent our trails.

Not sure where the OP lives but deer are the most dangerous animals in the USA. Alligators are #9, well below livestock, dogs and bees/wasps/hornets.
Top 10 Deadliest Animals in America - AZ Animals (https://a-z-animals.com/blog/top-10-deadliest-animals-in-america/)
That list sort of bends the truth. Would you rather have a face-to-face encounter with a deer or a shark? Deer do not attack the automobile. It attacks them and there is an accident. A shark can attack a human but encounters are rare because sharks are rare. At least compared to deer. And there are only black bears in Florida, not Grizzlies. Blacks are nocturnal and normally NOT aggressive. I believe that about spiders .....again because of numbers. But, I would put large alligators up high on MY list of dangerous Florida critters.

[jimjamuser]

I live on a natural pond in Marsh Bend that connects to Hogeye Sink. My lanai is 25' to the edge of the water.
We have a resident alligator about 5' long and during mating season there are 3-4. To be honest I have a hard time sneaking close enough to get a snaphot with my cell phone before they scatter. Bottom line is NO they are not a problem.
Really????/Tell that to that very DEAD lady's relatives.
........And try sneaking up on a 5 ft alligator at night at about 2 AM to get a picture.......THEN AND ONLY THEN will you see how cute and cuddly they are - they will cuddle a person all the way down to the bottom of the lake.

[jimjamuser]

So......was that poor unfortunate woman who was recently killed by a gator an appetizer?
Well, I DO agree with you on this subject!

[jimjamuser]

That explains it!
Yes true that........I can be VERY electrifying!

[coffeebean]

Well, I DO agree with you on this subject!

Will wonders ever cease?

[Worldseries27]

best advice is to stay away from the ponds. That said, a number of houses that have water views from their backyard just slope down to the pond. There would be nothing to stop a gator, if motivated, from walking up to your house. If you are constantly putting your dog out there, it might be their motivation.

I live on a pond, but there is a three foot retaining wall and a 42" fence on top of that. Vertical balusters, so gator couldn't climb it (probably). So if you want to live on water, and are really concerned, consider what is between the back/front of your house and the water, and could a gator breech it.
that's what miss lucy said.

[Rwirish]

No, gators are everywhere.

[wawriwwawriw]

You are in Florida. Still, three years in TV I only had one sighting. We do lots of hiking and when we encounter one, we just keep a distance. If you have a dog, don’t let it go near the border of the water.

[bluecenturian]

Been here over 4 years and our house is on a larger pond. Another pond across the street. See alligators frequently in the pond and sunning in the banks. Even had 1 large guy walk through the backyard to get from 1 pond to the other. As long as you give them space and don’t walk your animals near the water we have never had a problem. I would get cameras on the outside of your house to monitor if they wonder through the yard but don’t make your decision solely based on where the alligators are.

[bonrich]

And then there are the golfers. Yep, looking for that little white round thing in the water, not aware of anything else around you, who could be waiting for you to find that rare golf ball, one of a kind, my lucky golf ball, family treasure. Be aware of your surroundings!

[HeleneGB]

Don't live close to a pond or golf course.

[fcgiii]

We live on a large pond near lake Deaton. We have several alligators that frequent our pond. We have given them names. Sometimes they sun themselves on the banks around the pond. Most of the time they just slowly swim about. They don't bother anyone. The numerous fishermen that frequent the pond keep an eye out and move if they come near, which is rare. The only violence we have ever seen was when one caught a fish. They were here when the Villages was a dream and will be here when it decays into ruin.

Do.net fear the gators. Enjoy them.

[NotGolfer]

Last week watched a video on FB....a couple of fishermen in a boat had caught a fish and a gator saw it and swam quickly after it (the fish) and snatched it THEN it turned around and jumped out of the water at the men. They dropped their camera so didn't see what happened after that. I wouldn't even fish here. People just don't think while golfing neither. Let the ball be if you saw it near the water OR if it goes in tall grass. We were told not to fetch them (golf balls) as there are also snakes to be wary of. There are so many other factors to think about (not worry) when moving to Florida.

[Windguy]

Don't you mean a motor cycle? I've never seen anyone wear a helmet in a golf cart. Seat belts, yes but not a helmet.

No. I did mean golf cart. How many people have died in a cart accident when they hit their head on the pavement? Far more than have been killed by gators.

I used to listen to Car Talk on the radio. The hosts, Tom and Ray, actually said that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to wear a helmet in a car, but admitted it would never catch on.

[Bilyclub]

No. I did mean golf cart. How many people have died in a cart accident when they hit their head on the pavement? Far more than have been killed by gators.

I used to listen to Car Talk on the radio. The hosts, Tom and Ray, actually said that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to wear a helmet in a car, but admitted it would never catch on.


Seat belts seem like such an easier fix for the problem.

[cjrjck]

It's going to depend on a lot of factors but if there is a marsh or small river near you, then you have a better chance of seeing a gator close to your house or a pond near your house. You will likely see a greater abundance of other wildlife. Some like that. In areas that are farther from marshes and rivers, alligator occurrences are much less common. Which is why I would advocate removing alligators in TV from these more isolated neighborhood ponds. Repopulation is much less likely to occur, at least for some time. In the ponds closer to marshes such action would prove somewhat futile. Still, I would be much more concerned about hurricanes than wildlife, but personally neither come close to outweighing the reasons for living in Florida in the first place.

[airstreamingypsy]

Really????/Tell that to that very DEAD lady's relatives.
........And try sneaking up on a 5 ft alligator at night at about 2 AM to get a picture.......THEN AND ONLY THEN will you see how cute and cuddly they are - they will cuddle a person all the way down to the bottom of the lake.

LOL, the posts get nuttier and nuttier...... the dead lady did the equivalent of crossing a freeway in the dark. "2AM to get a picture" who does that?

[ThirdOfFive]

And then there are the golfers. Yep, looking for that little white round thing in the water, not aware of anything else around you, who could be waiting for you to find that rare golf ball, one of a kind, my lucky golf ball, family treasure. Be aware of your surroundings!
True. And not just the alligators. I’ve seen golfers slogging through waist-high scrub looking for their ball, often hard against a pond or swamp. Gators you can usually see before they become a threat. Snakes, not so much.

[PugMom]

it factored with us. i chose a home away from H20 not only due to gators/snakes, but also flooding concerns. now i know Village homes rarely flood out, but i'd still choose to be away from the waterside.

[snbrafford]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

We have lived here 4+ years. A good piece of advice for ANYWHERE in FL is that if there is water, there is a gator. We have "ponds" close to us and have seen a gator more than once. We play golf and frequently see a gator in the water on along the water on the course. I've even had to bypass a hole because of a gator.

You just have to be aware. The further you are from water, the less likely you are to see one. The bigger the body of water, the bigger the gator. Don't walk along the ponds especially with you pet. If a golf ball goes in the water, think twice about retrieving it.

[airdote22]

Termites are to be more likely than gaters near water.

[coffeebean]

And then there are the golfers. Yep, looking for that little white round thing in the water, not aware of anything else around you, who could be waiting for you to find that rare golf ball, one of a kind, my lucky golf ball, family treasure. Be aware of your surroundings!
My main concern with gators is that I work in my yard. I'm on my hands and knees or cleaning out foliage lots of times and would worry that a gator just may come up from behind me. It's hard to "be aware of your surroundings" when you are knee deep in yard work.

[kkingston57]

The closer to water, the better you'll find an alligator. But the chances are slim. However, don't be walking your dog near the water and be alert if you go there.

99.9% of the time, No. Generally they stay at or near good sized ponds/lakes. Also they are defensive animals,

[WingedFoot78]

They caught a gator in NYC the other day. That's sort of north.

[jimjamuser]

We live on a large pond near lake Deaton. We have several alligators that frequent our pond. We have given them names. Sometimes they sun themselves on the banks around the pond. Most of the time they just slowly swim about. They don't bother anyone. The numerous fishermen that frequent the pond keep an eye out and move if they come near, which is rare. The only violence we have ever seen was when one caught a fish. They were here when the Villages was a dream and will be here when it decays into ruin.

Do.net fear the gators. Enjoy them.
Gators in ponds are fun to see. - the problem becomes when the Gator gets over 4 ft. The villages is a highly populated area with both humans and dogs. A person or even a medium-sized dog could POSSIBLY fight off a 4 ft alligator. But, IF the Villages BRASS allows gators bigger than 4 ft , they are just saying, "We don't mind LOSING a few dogs each year and maybe an arm or two".
........People can see LARGE gators at State and Federal wildlife areas or on a river canoe trip. Allowing BIG gators within the Village's boundaries is UNCONSIONABLE.
..........Maybe the residents would like The Villages to stock some nice, CUTE freshwater SHARKS (they exist) in our LAKES also!

[jimjamuser]

LOL, the posts get nuttier and nuttier...... the dead lady did the equivalent of crossing a freeway in the dark. "2AM to get a picture" who does that?
I didn't say the dead lady did that, for all I know it could have happened in the daylight. The point is that Gators are MUCH more aggressive at night than during the day.
........ Personally, I did get stuck in a situation where I HAD to walk out of a swamp at NIGHT through gator-infested
water. I said earlier that I have NOT led a sheltered life. And at night a gator makes a sound like ......if you can imagine a frog as big as a car!
Note ::::::: It DID happen in DAYLIGHT.

[jimjamuser]

it factored with us. i chose a home away from H20 not only due to gators/snakes, but also flooding concerns. now i know Village homes rarely flood out, but i'd still choose to be away from the waterside.
That IS also good advice - that IS why you need to rent for 6 months before buying in order to get "the lay of the land".

[JMintzer]

Not a bad question., That's why I suggested to rent for about 6 months and check the financial channels to see what the predictions for a recession or downturn are.
....as you can see there are 2 schools of thought about GATORS. One is that they are cute pets that you can look at from a distance. The other school of thought IS a little darker and I think of it this way if Man could control lightning strikes, they would do so. Man can control alligators over 4 ft in densely populated areas like The Village Land. So I would advise that they DO control them. The local lady here is VERY DEAD because of a too BIG alligator. What is a human life worth compared with a "CUTE" Winston human killing machine.

A "local lady"? She lived 165 MILES away...

Facts Matter...

[JMintzer]

Gators in ponds are fun to see. - the problem becomes when the Gator gets over 4 ft. The villages is a highly populated area with both humans and dogs. A person or even a medium-sized dog could POSSIBLY fight off a 4 ft alligator. But, IF the Villages BRASS allows gators bigger than 4 ft , they are just saying, "We don't mind LOSING a few dogs each year and maybe an arm or two".
........People can see LARGE gators at State and Federal wildlife areas or on a river canoe trip. Allowing BIG gators within the Vialages boundaries is UNCONSIONABLE.
..........Maybe the residents would like The Villages to stock some nice, CUTE freshwater SHARKS (they exist) in our LAKES also!

Care to cite where you came up with that "4 ft" rule?

[JMintzer]

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/UglyAggressiveCockatoo-size_restricted.gif

[Velvet]

My main concern with gators is that I work in my yard. I'm on my hands and knees or cleaning out foliage lots of times and would worry that a gator just may come up from behind me. It's hard to "be aware of your surroundings" when you are knee deep in yard work.

I work in my yard too, perhaps not as much as you seem to, but I do like gardening. I have found a black snake coiled under a bush I was trimming. And bees or hornets in another bush, and two birds protecting their nest in another bush, the birds were aggressive! So now days I come out with a soapy spray and spray the bush first, everything moves away, and then I trim it. Never saw an alligator in the gardens at Mallory perhaps maybe ones that face the golf course. I wonder if bear spray would work on alligators? I never hear anybody mentioning it.

[jimjamuser]

I work in my yard too, perhaps not as much as you seem to, but I do like gardening. I have found a black snake coiled under a bush I was trimming. And bees or hornets in another bush, and two birds protecting their nest in another bush, the birds were aggressive! So now days I come out with a soapy spray and spray the bush first, everything moves away, and then I trim it. Never saw an alligator in the gardens at Mallory perhaps maybe ones that face the golf course. I wonder if bear spray would work on alligators? I never hear anybody mentioning it.
Just guessing, but I would NOT want to depend on bear spray, which is like pepper spray. Alligators are prehistoric creatures with small brains and tough lungs. I would tend to think that it would be less effective on them. And they have double eyelids or some such things (for those that pick at every detail even when I am just guessing.)

[jimjamuser]

Same here along with the other wildlife. The gaters are well fed, fat and happy with all the fish in the lakes.
Well, that was just NAMING the PROBLEM.......Gators HERE have grown too BIG.......so that now they can THREATEN dogs and people as we have seen with the 85-year-old lady that experienced the TERROR of a hideous DEATH. I saw the video of her violent DEATH. It was like she was attacked by a Rhino or a ROGUE elephant or a man-eating tiger in INDIA.
.......Does the Villages want to be like a 3rd world country like INDIA or AFRICA?
.......People can still watch gators under 4 ft and enjoy them - and probably more of them if the over 4 footers were "REMOVED". People would LOSE nothing and gain the confidence of NOT being charged by a prehistoric MINDLESS killing MACHINE.
.....Watch the video .......IF you DARE!

[jimjamuser]

Don’t worry, around here it’s a big deal when one is spotted in a lake people will stop to take a look.
People stop to watch car wrecks........all the same, same.

[Altavia]

I work in my yard too, perhaps not as much as you seem to, but I do like gardening. I have found a black snake coiled under a bush I was trimming. And bees or hornets in another bush, and two birds protecting their nest in another bush, the birds were aggressive! So now days I come out with a soapy spray and spray the bush first, everything moves away, and then I trim it. Never saw an alligator in the gardens at Mallory perhaps maybe ones that face the golf course. I wonder if bear spray would work on alligators? I never hear anybody mentioning it.

The gators here seen relatively docil, probably well feed from fish and birds in the ponds. Just keep your distance.

Fire ants are my nemesis - especially thanks to an alleric reaction.

[jimjamuser]

Termites are to be more likely than gaters near water.
No dog or human has EVER been killed by a TERMITE.

[jimjamuser]

My main concern with gators is that I work in my yard. I'm on my hands and knees or cleaning out foliage lots of times and would worry that a gator just may come up from behind me. It's hard to "be aware of your surroundings" when you are knee deep in yard work.
Get one of those rear-view mirrors that are sold at bicycle shops.......problem solved.

[jimjamuser]

99.9% of the time, No. Generally they stay at or near good sized ponds/lakes. Also they are defensive animals,
Watch the video as that DEFENSIVE animal SNUFFS the life out of a human WOMAN. That was pretty OFFENSIVE to her......to the MAX !

[jimjamuser]

The gators here seen relatively docil, probably well feed from fish and birds in the ponds. Just keep your distance.

Fire ants are my nemesis - especially thanks to an alleric reaction.
They are "docile" in the warm sunlight of the afternoon. At night they turn into KILLER water DINOSAURS ! Also early morning and twilight.

[ThirdOfFive]

They are "docile" in the warm sunlight of the afternoon. At night they turn into KILLER water DINOSAURS ! Also early morning and twilight.
Seems as if “common” sense is a rarity with some.

People do stupid things all the time. Stay out in the Florida sun too long and (depending on the amount of exposed untanned skin) you’ll suffer a sunburn. Nice long empty stretch of road ahead so you do 80 in a 55 mph zone and there’s a cop hidden behind that sign up ahead, you may very well get a ticket. And so on.

Gators are what they are, and what they are is a rather timid reptile that is perfectly happy to stay around his watery, weedy habitat while staying as far away from humans as he can. Oh, he may become belligerent if a human threatens him, or if he has dinner lined up and some human tries to take it away from him, but blaming the gator in a case like that makes about as much sense as blaming the road for your speeding ticket or blaming the sun for your sunburn.

People can be protected from their own stupidity for only so long. Maybe it’s time to take a little responsibility for what we do.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I've been here for almost eleven years. I also lived in Florida for five years back in the eighties. I've never seen an alligator outside of a pond or lying on the edge of a pond. I've heard three stories where one was spotted walking down a street or in someone's back yard. I saw one story where one was on someone's front porch at night.

Alligators are not aggressive unless they are threatened. They eat about once every one to three weeks. They spend most of their lives at the bottom of ponds, lakes and rivers. Generally if you approach and alligator, they will jump into the water.

I've heard of two or three instances in the Villages where one attacked a small dog. Usually it was when the dog owner was walking their pet along the edge of a pond.

Also in the sixteen years that I've lived in Florida, I've seen a few venomous snakes. Mostly water moccasins in a pond on a golf course where I used to work. I occasionally see black racer snakes which are harmless and run away when approached.

In general, alligators and snakes are not a problem. You should be aware of where they are when close to ponds.

We also have pygmy rattle snakes down here. I've never seen one but I make sure that I have a club with me when going into native areas on a golf course.

[joelfmi]

Absolutely wild alligators that can move around without being fenced in is to me a major problem and should be addressed before I will purchase a home there.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Absolutely wild alligators that can move around without being fenced in is to me a major problem and should be addressed before I will purchase a home there.

Wild alligators are a fact of life in Florida. If you see water, there are alligators in it. People have been living in Florida for hundreds of years and have moved here in droves since the 1950s.

It's not a problem and it will never be addressed so I assume that you'l never move here.

[Kenswing]

Absolutely wild alligators that can move around without being fenced in is to me a major problem and should be addressed before I will purchase a home there.
As if you really ever planned on purchasing a house here. :1rotfl:

[Bogie Shooter]

Absolutely wild alligators that can move around without being fenced in is to me a major problem and should be addressed before I will purchase a home there.

Just a foot note to all the other things you hate about The Villages.

[jimjamuser]

I've been here for almost eleven years. I also lived in Florida for five years back in the eighties. I've never seen an alligator outside of a pond or lying on the edge of a pond. I've heard three stories where one was spotted walking down a street or in someone's back yard. I saw one story where one was on someone's front porch at night.

Alligators are not aggressive unless they are threatened. They eat about once every one to three weeks. They spend most of their lives at the bottom of ponds, lakes and rivers. Generally if you approach and alligator, they will jump into the water.

I've heard of two or three instances in the Villages where one attacked a small dog. Usually it was when the dog owner was walking their pet along the edge of a pond.

Also in the sixteen years that I've lived in Florida, I've seen a few venomous snakes. Mostly water moccasins in a pond on a golf course where I used to work. I occasionally see black racer snakes which are harmless and run away when approached.

In general, alligators and snakes are not a problem. You should be aware of where they are when close to ponds.

We also have pygmy rattle snakes down here. I've never seen one but I make sure that I have a club with me when going into native areas on a golf course.
Well, paragraph one said "saw a story" like maybe (?) it was some kind of lie. Those are MUCH more than just a story - there are 2 different pictures of Gators perched on front porches in THIS VERY thread. And I believe that there was an instance recently in Tampa where several BIG Gators crossed a busy highway.
......They are prehistoric and have pea brains and have no, ZERO fear of humans. As a matter of fact when I lived in the south center of Fl. often in BIG thunderstorms I and MANY other people would hit a gator on a state highway. I almost lost control of the car after hitting a 4 footer and it was NOT dead, it slithered away. You almost never see a dead on on the side of the road - but I have seen just about EVERY animal on the side of the road. I once saw a 1/2 alive Golden Eagle on the side of a road that had gotten hit by an 18-wheeler. He was getting blown around every time a truck passed by the wind, but it could not fly away. I stopped and pulled him (or her) back from the road. I put on welders gloves and used vice-grips to hold onto his claws as I pulled.
........Strangely, it had one good eye and one busted eye and as I pulled.... its head turned over and its good eye looked right into my eyes .......and IT DIED. Very freaky.....I said earlier that I have NOT lead a sheltered life.

[jimjamuser]

I've been here for almost eleven years. I also lived in Florida for five years back in the eighties. I've never seen an alligator outside of a pond or lying on the edge of a pond. I've heard three stories where one was spotted walking down a street or in someone's back yard. I saw one story where one was on someone's front porch at night.

Alligators are not aggressive unless they are threatened. They eat about once every one to three weeks. They spend most of their lives at the bottom of ponds, lakes and rivers. Generally if you approach and alligator, they will jump into the water.

I've heard of two or three instances in the Villages where one attacked a small dog. Usually it was when the dog owner was walking their pet along the edge of a pond.

Also in the sixteen years that I've lived in Florida, I've seen a few venomous snakes. Mostly water moccasins in a pond on a golf course where I used to work. I occasionally see black racer snakes which are harmless and run away when approached.

In general, alligators and snakes are not a problem. You should be aware of where they are when close to ponds.

We also have pygmy rattle snakes down here. I've never seen one but I make sure that I have a club with me when going into native areas on a golf course.
Paragraph 2 - Gators are not aggressive ....etc, etc. WELL, actually the opposite is true. Like I have said previously......try walking through Gator infested swamp water at midnight.......I have.
.......Gators are SO AGGRESSIVE that they come out of their egg snapping at everything and anything in sight. Just ask a gator expert or try YouTube.

[Altavia]

My main concern with gators is that I work in my yard. I'm on my hands and knees or cleaning out foliage lots of times and would worry that a gator just may come up from behind me. It's hard to "be aware of your surroundings" when you are knee deep in yard work.

Keep a bang stick around for self defense - just pop it in the back of the head or between the eyes ;-)

[https://youtube.com/watch?v=dSewlCwEsxw&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

[jimjamuser]

I've been here for almost eleven years. I also lived in Florida for five years back in the eighties. I've never seen an alligator outside of a pond or lying on the edge of a pond. I've heard three stories where one was spotted walking down a street or in someone's back yard. I saw one story where one was on someone's front porch at night.

Alligators are not aggressive unless they are threatened. They eat about once every one to three weeks. They spend most of their lives at the bottom of ponds, lakes and rivers. Generally if you approach and alligator, they will jump into the water.

I've heard of two or three instances in the Villages where one attacked a small dog. Usually it was when the dog owner was walking their pet along the edge of a pond.

Also in the sixteen years that I've lived in Florida, I've seen a few venomous snakes. Mostly water moccasins in a pond on a golf course where I used to work. I occasionally see black racer snakes which are harmless and run away when approached.

In general, alligators and snakes are not a problem. You should be aware of where they are when close to ponds.

We also have pygmy rattle snakes down here. I've never seen one but I make sure that I have a club with me when going into native areas on a golf course.
Last paragraph about "pigmy rattlesnakes", there are normal rattlesnakes throughout Fl. that I have seen pictures of dead ones that when held up by a man 6'4" the snake extends from ground level to above his head. And was about 4 inches in diameter. I once threw a pitchfork at a rattlesnake that was so thick that one of the pitchfork tines penetrated its body and the pitchfork was stuck straight up in the ground.
It wrapped around the pitchfork and its rattlers was singing out very loud. So, I decided NOT to try to finish it, so I went home. Next day, I expected to find it dead.......WRONG.....STILL rattling away. 3 days passed and the same thing. Finally, I got my shotgun and ended the situation. I felt obligated to eat it, so I did. I heard that they tasted good, but mine did NOT - maybe I cooked it wrong.
.......Moral of the story, if a 10 lb rattlesnake can be so tough and hard to KILL, what do you think that a human could do if at night in a swamp they were unarmed and encountered EVEN a 4 ft GATOR? I would place MY bet on the GATOR.
........Gators get hit by an automobile on Highways and crawl away.

[coffeebean]

I work in my yard too, perhaps not as much as you seem to, but I do like gardening. I have found a black snake coiled under a bush I was trimming. And bees or hornets in another bush, and two birds protecting their nest in another bush, the birds were aggressive! So now days I come out with a soapy spray and spray the bush first, everything moves away, and then I trim it. Never saw an alligator in the gardens at Mallory perhaps maybe ones that face the golf course. I wonder if bear spray would work on alligators? I never hear anybody mentioning it.

A lot of my yard work is cleaning up after the shrub trimmers have been on my property. No one does a clean up the way I like it.

I once had a snake spring from a bush and fly right over my head, hit the ground and slithered away. That experience has not deterred me from my yard work. Thank goodness I'm not spooked from that snake.

[jimjamuser]

I work in my yard too, perhaps not as much as you seem to, but I do like gardening. I have found a black snake coiled under a bush I was trimming. And bees or hornets in another bush, and two birds protecting their nest in another bush, the birds were aggressive! So now days I come out with a soapy spray and spray the bush first, everything moves away, and then I trim it. Never saw an alligator in the gardens at Mallory perhaps maybe ones that face the golf course. I wonder if bear spray would work on alligators? I never hear anybody mentioning it.
I Googled the effect of bear spray (pepper spray) on alligators. The spray affects mammals ONLY. There is ZERO effect on reptiles and birds.

[jimjamuser]

A lot of my yard work is cleaning up after the shrub trimmers have been on my property. No one does a clean up the way I like it.

I once had a snake spring from a bush and fly right over my head, hit the ground and slithered away. That experience has not deterred me from my yard work. Thank goodness I'm not spooked from that snake.
Quite an interesting experience.

[ThirdOfFive]

Last paragraph about "pigmy rattlesnakes", there are normal rattlesnakes throughout Fl. that I have seen pictures of dead ones that when held up by a man 6'4" the snake extends from ground level to above his head. And was about 4 inches in diameter. I once threw a pitchfork at a rattlesnake that was so thick that one of the pitchfork tines penetrated its body and the pitchfork was stuck straight up in the ground.
It wrapped around the pitchfork and its rattlers was singing out very loud. So, I decided NOT to try to finish it, so I went home. Next day, I expected to find it dead.......WRONG.....STILL rattling away. 3 days passed and the same thing. Finally, I got my shotgun and ended the situation. I felt obligated to eat it, so I did. I heard that they tasted good, but mine did NOT - maybe I cooked it wrong.
.......Moral of the story, if a 10 lb rattlesnake can be so tough and hard to KILL, what do you think that a human could do if at night in a swamp they were unarmed and encountered EVEN a 4 ft GATOR? I would place MY bet on the GATOR.
........Gators get hit by an automobile on Highways and crawl away.
Is it true they taste like chicken?

[JSR22]

Absolutely wild alligators that can move around without being fenced in is to me a major problem and should be addressed before I will purchase a home there.

You will NEVER by a home here, because there is not free transportation. Your constant negative posts make you look foolish.

[RPDaly]

////

[JMintzer]

Well, that was just NAMING the PROBLEM.......Gators HERE have grown too BIG.......so that now they can THREATEN dogs and people as we have seen with the 85-year-old lady that experienced the TERROR of a hideous DEATH. I saw the video of her violent DEATH. It was like she was attacked by a Rhino or a ROGUE elephant or a man-eating tiger in INDIA.
.......Does the Villages want to be like a 3rd world country like INDIA or AFRICA?
.......People can still watch gators under 4 ft and enjoy them - and probably more of them if the over 4 footers were "REMOVED". People would LOSE nothing and gain the confidence of NOT being charged by a prehistoric MINDLESS killing MACHINE.
.....Watch the video .......IF you DARE!

Once again, it wasn't HERE... It was OVER 165 miles away...

[JMintzer]

Last paragraph about "pigmy rattlesnakes", there are normal rattlesnakes throughout Fl. that I have seen pictures of dead ones that when held up by a man 6'4" the snake extends from ground level to above his head. And was about 4 inches in diameter. I once threw a pitchfork at a rattlesnake that was so thick that one of the pitchfork tines penetrated its body and the pitchfork was stuck straight up in the ground.
It wrapped around the pitchfork and its rattlers was singing out very loud. So, I decided NOT to try to finish it, so I went home. Next day, I expected to find it dead.......WRONG.....STILL rattling away. 3 days passed and the same thing. Finally, I got my shotgun and ended the situation. I felt obligated to eat it, so I did. I heard that they tasted good, but mine did NOT - maybe I cooked it wrong.
.......Moral of the story, if a 10 lb rattlesnake can be so tough and hard to KILL, what do you think that a human could do if at night in a swamp they were unarmed and encountered EVEN a 4 ft GATOR? I would place MY bet on the GATOR.
........Gators get hit by an automobile on Highways and crawl away.

Why are you spending so much time in the swamps?

[JMintzer]

This 'lil guy crosses the same path, back and forth, every day, going from one pond to the other... He doesn't bother anyone and nobody bothers him...

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cd/38/6f/cd386ffd99bc046d14f0e9580417ebec--in-florida-funny-photos.jpg

[jimjamuser]

Had this one just walk across my path one day. It could have cared less about me and just went on its way. Of course if I had my little mutts with me....
Notice that it is daylight when they are less aggressive. Alligators are basically nocturnal. And they can run 40mph so if it was night and it went for you like the video I saw of the lady that got EATEN recently, then that would have been TOO CLOSE to SAFELY take a picture. DO NOT underestimate the speed and POWER of any Gator over 4ft.

[Retiring]

My wife and I just finished a lifestyle preview visit, and are planning on returning in a few months for a longer stay. I know that gators are a fact of life in TV, but we're not anxious to find one on our doorstep when going out to get the morning paper :). When it comes time to pick a home location, is there a part of TV where a close encounter is less likely?

When I took my first trolly tour of TV we had a real interesting gentleman for a tour guide. This was about 5 years ago, before I was old enough to live here (built house last year). The tour guide could not stop talking about the alligators. He was obsessed. Yes, alligators are everywhere, yes they might nap at your doorstep, yes they eat pets and people, keep your distance and lastly he said if living with alligators bothers you, don’t move here. At the end of the tour everyone thanked him. Almost all said they were about to make the mistake of moving to TV. Thankfully, the tour guide convinced them they should look elsewhere. I had spent a year on various TV forums and knew this tour guide was out to lunch. What he said went in one ear and out the other. I should have mentioned something to the higher ups, but the gentleman appeared to be about 100 yrs old and I didn’t want to do anything that might cause him such distress that…

I live a block from a pond. I’ve been told there is an alligator but I have never seen it. If you have pets or small grandchildren that will visit, perhaps you should avoid anything near a retention pond. When I was looking for a building lot, I purposely kept my distance from any water. My fear was/is snakes. I’ve been in TV 18 months now and have yet to see an alligator or snake, I pray it stays that way.

[JMintzer]

Notice that it is daylight when they are less aggressive. Alligators are basically nocturnal. And they can run 40mph so if it was night and it went for you like the video I saw of the lady that got EATEN recently, then that would have been TOO CLOSE to SAFELY take a picture. DO NOT underestimate the speed and POWER of any Gator over 4ft.

From the google machine:

"Alligators can reach speeds of up to 35 mph on land (though they are known to tire quickly). In the water, an alligator can reach a top speed of 20 mph."

Add to that, they WON'T chase people unless threatened...

Oh, and please tell me how you came up with your 4' limit...

I ask because of these lil' "facts"

"Alligators less than 4 feet in length are not large enough to be dangerous to people or pets, unless handled. You should never handle an alligator, even a small one, because alligator bites can result in serious infection and it's illegal."

"Serious and repeated attacks usually are made by alligators over 8 feet in length and are probably attributed to chase and feeding behavior. Female alligators will defend their nest and young. Alligators quickly become conditioned to people, especially when food is involved.

Some more "facts"...

"Florida alligator bite statistics date back to 1948, ranging around three major bites per year. The chance of someone being attacked is one in 3.2 million. The worst years for fatalities were 2001 and 2006, with three people dying each of those years from Florida alligator attacks. And there have only been 23 fatalities between 1948 and 2016. There have even been stretches during which no fatal attacks by alligators occurred in Florida."

[JMintzer]

When I took my first trolly tour of TV we had a real interesting gentleman for a tour guide. This was about 5 years ago, before I was old enough to live here (built house last year). The tour guide could not stop talking about the alligators. He was obsessed. Yes, alligators are everywhere, yes they might nap at your doorstep, yes they eat pets and people, keep your distance and lastly he said if living with alligators bothers you, don’t move here. At the end of the tour everyone thanked him. Almost all said they were about to make the mistake of moving to TV. Thankfully, the tour guide convinced them they should look elsewhere. I had spent a year on various TV forums and knew this tour guide was out to lunch. What he said went in one ear and out the other. I should have mentioned something to the higher ups, but the gentleman appeared to be about 100 yrs old and I didn’t want to do anything that might cause him such distress that…

I live a block from a pond. I’ve been told there is an alligator but I have never seen it. If you have pets or small grandchildren that will visit, perhaps you should avoid anything near a retention pond. When I was looking for a building lot, I purposely kept my distance from any water. My fear was/is snakes. I’ve been in TV 18 months now and have yet to see an alligator or snake, I pray it stays that way.

And I think we all know who that tour guide was... ;)

[Altavia]

From the google machine:

"Alligators can reach speeds of up to 35 mph on land (though they are known to tire quickly). In the water, an alligator can reach a top speed of 20 mph."

Add to that, they WON'T chase people unless threatened...

Oh, and please tell me how you came up with your 4' limit...

I ask because of these lil' "facts"

"Alligators less than 4 feet in length are not large enough to be dangerous to people or pets, unless handled. You should never handle an alligator, even a small one, because alligator bites can result in serious infection and it's illegal."

"Serious and repeated attacks usually are made by alligators over 8 feet in length and are probably attributed to chase and feeding behavior. Female alligators will defend their nest and young. Alligators quickly become conditioned to people, especially when food is involved.

Some more "facts"...

"Florida alligator bite statistics date back to 1948, ranging around three major bites per year. The chance of someone being attacked is one in 3.2 million. The worst years for fatalities were 2001 and 2006, with three people dying each of those years from Florida alligator attacks. And there have only been 23 fatalities between 1948 and 2016. There have even been stretches during which no fatal attacks by alligators occurred in Florida."

What about land sharks?

Candy Gram

[RPDaly]

////

[FFlank]

When I took my first trolly tour of TV we had a real interesting gentleman for a tour guide. This was about 5 years ago, before I was old enough to live here (built house last year). The tour guide could not stop talking about the alligators. He was obsessed. Yes, alligators are everywhere, yes they might nap at your doorstep, yes they eat pets and people, keep your distance and lastly he said if living with alligators bothers you, don’t move here. At the end of the tour everyone thanked him. Almost all said they were about to make the mistake of moving to TV. Thankfully, the tour guide convinced them they should look elsewhere. I had spent a year on various TV forums and knew this tour guide was out to lunch. What he said went in one ear and out the other. I should have mentioned something to the higher ups, but the gentleman appeared to be about 100 yrs old and I didn’t want to do anything that might cause him such distress that…

I live a block from a pond. I’ve been told there is an alligator but I have never seen it. If you have pets or small grandchildren that will visit, perhaps you should avoid anything near a retention pond. When I was looking for a building lot, I purposely kept my distance from any water. My fear was/is snakes. I’ve been in TV 18 months now and have yet to see an alligator or snake, I pray it stays that way.

Good post and good information. thank you!

[manaboutown]

Knock, knock. Who's there? Florida alligator bites man on his front porch after he opens door: police | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-alligator-bites-man-his-front-porch-he-opens-door-police?intcmp=fb_fnc&fbclid=IwAR3gy4l5FV8iMqa__oJ3_ejsNtftx2ZLdhc1eNsnl mrmGe7TjP3X4k5No7Y)

[JMintzer]

Knock, knock. Who's there? Florida alligator bites man on his front porch after he opens door: police | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-alligator-bites-man-his-front-porch-he-opens-door-police?intcmp=fb_fnc&fbclid=IwAR3gy4l5FV8iMqa__oJ3_ejsNtftx2ZLdhc1eNsnl mrmGe7TjP3X4k5No7Y)

Daytona Beach...