How many people have seen alligators in the Villages? How many?

[Taltarzac]

I used to see a lot of alligators around Palm Harbor where I lived from 1996 through 2005. There were often alligators around John Chestnut Park in Palm Harbor which borders Lake Tarpon. That lake had thousands of gators.

The park officials would usually get rid of the bigger gators at John Chestnut. There was about a 12 to 14 footer there for quite some time which tourists would often get way too close to in order to get their picture with it.

Once was visiting John Chestnut Park and saw two men sitting on top of a picnic table. Approached them slowly wondering what was going on from behind them. The picnic table faced a pond near Lake Tarpon. A 10 foot gator or so was waiting just past the picnic table for some kind of hand out. The men told me that the people at the picnic table previously to them must have fed it as he was waiting for me. Those two guys were still on the picnic table when I walked past coming back from my walk around a part of John Chestnut park 45 minutes later.

Have not seen an alligator in the Villages seen we moved here in 2005. Wondering how many gators people have seen here in the Villages? How big was this gator if you saw one?

[SteveFromNY]

I saw 2 in TV. One in the "canal" in LSL near the shuttle stop, and the other on the east side of Morse Blvd just before going over the bridge that goes from LSL to 466. There was time between the sightings, so it's conceivable it was the same gator. But I'm counting it as 2! :)

[Taltarzac]

I saw 2 in TV. One in the "canal" in LSL near the shuttle stop, and the other on the east side of Morse Blvd just before going over the bridge that goes from LSL to 466. There was time between the sightings, so it's conceivable it was the same gator. But I'm counting it as 2! :)


Sounds good to me. Supposedly, there is an alligator-- a 6 footer-- in the ponds near the Ashland Neighborhood Recreational Facility but I have not seen it. Have not be looking for it all that hard. I heard of an alligator near a pond on the Cherry Hill Golf Course. This is another 6 footer. Could be the same one though?

[SteveFromNY]

Sounds good to me. Supposedly, there is an alligator-- a 6 footer-- in the ponds near the Ashland Neighborhood Recreational Facility but I have not seen it. Have not be looking for it all that hard. I heard of an alligator near a pond on the Cherry Hill Golf Course. This is another 6 footer. Could be the same one though?


It could be the same one. Hey, maybe there's only one gator in TV. Maybe in the whole county! Maybe in the whole state? Nah ;D ;D I don't know much about their habits, but I suspect the gator has a mom and dad and maybe some brothers and sisters.

[mejahu]

So how high does a fence/wall have to be before a gator can't get over it? ???

[Taltarzac]

So how high does a fence/wall have to be before a gator can't get over it? ???


Don't alligators burrow in areas with rather wet mud and the like?

That alligator which had two gentlemen on top of a picnic table did not seem to be able to get up as high as a standard park picnic table. See my first post in this string about this story of the alligator and the previous rather stupid picnickers.

[b45]

Anybody seen much in the way of snakes around there, or in their yards?

[Taltarzac]

Anybody seen much in the way of snakes around there, or in their yards?


I have not seen any snakes here in the Villages, either. Have heard people around who have encountered pygmy rattlesnakes as well as black racers.

[islandgal]

I haven't seen any gators, but I have seen a snake (I think the same one) - twice in my enclosed courtyard and once crossing my driveway in the front. Have no idea what kind it is. but it's about 3 feet long. Fortunately I was inside during all three sightings.

[BethS]

We saw a gator today on the north side of 441 off of Aloha by the bridge, theres not much water in there and we had to look twice but its there, about a 6 footer!!! I thought gators would not live in retention ponds but I guess i am wrong.

[Barefoot]

We were going to buy a house over on San Marino Drive backing on the Preserve, until some of the neighbours told us alligators mate in the Preserve water area every Spring. That means there is definitely more than one gator folks! They see them and hear them mating (can only imagine what that sounds like)!! >:( Apparently the gators "won't bother you unless you bother them"; but "be careful when they're mating, they tend to be irritable". Needless to say we didn't buy that house!!

We wanted to back on a Preserve, but with two dogs, ... no way!!! Now we back on a golf course, but we made sure there is no water anywhere near.

I researched gators on the 'Net. Apparently they can climb trees and chain link fences ... there were pictures of them doing just that. Snakes don't bother me, but gators give me nightmares. Arrrrrrrg. :edit:

[Lucko]

Last May, a five footer was hanging around the pond between Bridgeport and the Palmer Legends golf course, and many people stopped on the east side of Buena Vista to see it.

[SteveZ]

:joke:In the next few months you may see more gators around - as the campaigns start to move into high gear. Gators are very fond of spoiled meat wrapped in hot air packages ;D

[zcaveman]

A couple of months ago I saw a small gator in the pond at Hawkes Bay at hole #3. Today we saw a gator sunning himself near hole 6 at Saddlebrook. Might be the same gator but he/she looked a little bigger.

[Irish Rover]

I've seen gators at LSL and the lake near Santiago. Fairly big ones.

[The Great Fumar]

Nothing this summer but last summer I saw about a three foot black racer snake at the 7th tee on amberwood golf course , as for alligators , the villages watches their size and when they reach 6 feet they remove them and take them to silver springs where they put them in a gator park.....I saw two last summer , I thought it was three but she said she wasn't and I took her word for it.............

[Happy Villager]

My husband and I ride our bicycles over the bridge on Morris Blvd to Sumter Landing and have spotted alligators in the water there at least four times. We have also seen gators near Palmer on Buena Vista. The only one we saw on land was on the Bacall Golf Course and it was just laying there sunning itself. We kept a good distance away from it.

As for snakes we have only seen one and that was also on the Morris Blvd bridge. It was being captured by a worker who told us it was poisonous. My neighbor across the street told us yesterday a worker she hired to trim her trees reported seeing a 3-4 ft black snake in her bottle brush bushes. Now I'm afraid to take my dog out in the yard in the dark!

[zcaveman]

I went to take my dog for his afternoon walk the other day and there was a baby black race (pencil thin and about a foot long) in front of the door. By the time I got Bart back and got out of the door it was skimming across the rocks and I lost him in the bushes. Haven't seen him since.

Always take a shovel or a rake and rustle your bushes before you go weeding or trimming.

[marygalexa]

my 44 year old son-in -law born and raised in Florida says that if there is a lake in Florida, odds are there is a gator. We saw one on the east sime of the bridge going over Lake Sumter. Mating season is May and November. Should have some activity coming up soon. Lake down around Leesburg where we went to a Bible Study a couple years ago was full of them. It Looked like a logging camp in the early morning there were so many of them. :duck: :duck:

[tonycirocco]

Been in FL for 40 yrs, Gaters are EVERYWHERE.

They especially like dogs, so don't let your pet wander too close to water, unless you wamt to lose them.

Tony :dontknow:

[Barefoot]

Been in FL for 40 yrs, Gaters are EVERYWHERE.
They especially like dogs, so don't let your pet wander too close to water, unless you wamt to lose them.
Tony :dontknow:


Tony, Gater question, do they ever stay on dry areas for a period of time or do they always stay close to water? We have a Villa that backs on a Rough and then a golf course (no water in sight) and there is a 3 foot fence. We have two dogs. One is 10 lbs, a tasty snack. Could there potentially be gaters lurking in the Rough?

Sign me
Gater Hater

[BETHPAGE BLACK]

Barefort..one thing you should know is that alligators travel through the irrigation system under the golf course. Have a house up by Duval Pool and a gator came up onto someones lawn right behind the pool last spring. Sent everyone scrambling and the sherriff came down. Watch your dog. I am not there as not retired yet so my dog never comes down with me when I vacation down there in my home. When I do..my dog will never be out alone...He is a real nice "lamb chop"...

[pgilson]

3 gator sightings in TV in 6 winters.
One little guy (maybe 1 1/2 ft) in the creek by the church on the corner of 466 and Morse Blvd.
Another larger one, maybe 4 ft. living in the pond just southeast of the same corner. I saw this one many times last winter, sunning himself.
A large one, maybe 6ft. in the front yard of a house on the south side of San Marino, near the intersection of Durango. We drove by on our golf cart and thought it was a new lawn ornament. We turned around to get a closer look, and it stood up and walked between the houses back to the wetlands behind the houses. I would not walk my dog in that area. He was a scary one! :o

[nanci2539]

Didn't I read once that a gator attacked and killed a woman in her back yard. I know it was in FLA but not in TV. Do gators usually mind their own business or will the attack without provocation?

[bestmickey]

Nanci....I think it depends on how hungry they are.

[Taltarzac]

Nanci....I think it depends on how hungry they are.


These alligator attacks seem relatively rare. 17 deaths due to alligator attacks in Florida since 1948? http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_all_att-health-alligator-attacks

Not too many really hungry gators in FL since 1948. They do have plenty of pickings now. :joke:

[trippin]

I've lived in TV for about one year. About six mos ago, while playing golf at Turtle Mound I saw 2 gators, each 3 to 4 ft. long in a water hazzard.

[Barefoot]

These alligator attacks seem relatively rare. 17 deaths due to alligator attacks in Florida since 1948? http://www.statemaster.com/graph/hea_all_att-health-alligator-attacks

Not too many really hungry gators in FL since 1948. They do have plenty of pickings now. :joke:


Hmmmm .. Interesting statistic .. Only 17 deaths due to alligator attacks in Florida in past 60 years. I think I read there were 3 in Florida in 2006 alone. Perhaps it is like shark attacks in the Carribean, they don't publicize them, it may scare off the tourists.

Guess when they track deaths, they mean humans. I wouldn't even want to guess how many kitty/doggie snacks have been consumed by Gaters.

In general I am an huge animal lover, but sorry, I think the only good gater is in a wallet.

Gater Hater

[GERALDINE]

Personally, being absolutely petrified of snakes...I too asked this question before moving down here 2 years ago. I was told..."there is a saying in Florida...if there is water...there are snakes and gators..." Unfortunately, I have found that to be true. Have personally seen more than 5 gators...some small, some large...and can't even count the number of snakes I've seen, especially over by Sunset Pointe on St. Charles by the pond. These snakes are so BIG, however...they don't even phase me. They are HUGE!! I'm serious!!! I would no more live on or near a "pond", or any body of water, down here than I'd jump off a bridge!!! These critters ARE here and they do come up into neighboring yards and garages if you leave your door open. My daughter had one get IN her van!!! :cus: YUK!!!

[PJ]

That's right JKP, there are plenty of snakes here! I've seen 5 black snakes, and there is a huge black snake living behind my vinyl siding, inside the wall between my garage and my front door! I didn't know this until recently, when a contractor working at my house told me he saw it going up behind my siding. I had been hearing some rustling noises there for quite some time, as I've done a lot of gardening there. Yikes!

[The Great Fumar]

I have allways been told that those Gators are just as afraid of you as you are of the Gators...........Well if thats the case , then that water is not fit to drink anyway...

Fumar

[GERALDINE]

PJ:

OH MY GOSH....Get someone to your house and get that snake out of your siding and then seal up the bottom so it can't get back up there. The thought of a snake living under my siding just gives me the "willies". I'd have to move out until someone caught it. I just can't handle the snakes. I can take the gators and the geckos (I know, I know...they're lizards...but gecko sounds less ominous!!) but NOT the snakes. UGH !!!!

A lady in one of my sewing classes, had a big black snake take up residence under her washer in the garage. Can you imagaine ??? She refused to go into the garage until she saw it being removed by someone. She first saw it when she was sweeping out the garage and thought is was a coiled up hose in the corner!!! WHEW...if that had been me...someone would have had to call 911 to revive me!!!

[zcaveman]

PJ:

OH MY GOSH....Get someone to your house and get that snake out of your siding and then seal up the bottom so it can't get back up there. The thought of a snake living under my siding just gives me the "willies". I'd have to move out until someone caught it. I just can't handle the snakes. I can take the gators and the geckos (I know, I know...they're lizards...but gecko sounds less ominous!!) but NOT the snakes. UGH !!!!

A lady in one of my sewing classes, had a big black snake take up residence under her washer in the garage. Can you imagaine ??? She refused to go into the garage until she saw it being removed by someone. She first saw it when she was sweeping out the garage and thought is was a coiled up hose in the corner!!! WHEW...if that had been me...someone would have had to call 911 to revive me!!!


Actually they are not geckos, they are anoles. There was an article about them in last month's SECO flyer.

[PJ]

Does anyone know who I could call to get the snake out?

[GERALDINE]

ZCAVEMAN:

I know they're not really "geckos"...I too read the article, but "gecko" just sounds cuter...you know, like the little green one on the Geico Insurance ads !!!! ;D

[GERALDINE]

Does anyone know who I could call to get the snake out?


PJ: I don't know who you would call...but for your sake I hope someone comes up with a good answer for you. I know back in Michigan, we used moth balls crushed up to keep snakes away. It can't hurt to throw some mothballs around that area and see if it will come out and leave...then you can seal up that area. Good luck!!

[Becky]

PJ, Maybe look in the yellow pages? Might have a "Critter - Getter" listed! I would also get that out of there!

Becky

[bestmickey]

That's right JKP, there are plenty of snakes here! I've seen 5 black snakes, and there is a huge black snake living behind my vinyl siding, inside the wall between my garage and my front door! I didn't know this until recently, when a contractor working at my house told me he saw it going up behind my siding. I had been hearing some rustling noises there for quite some time, as I've done a lot of gardening there. Yikes!


PJ, I've two questions for you. 1) Are these snakes poisonous? and 2) Would you mind telling me what village you're in? I'd like to avoid it when I go to purchase my home!

[zcaveman]

ZCAVEMAN:

I know they're not really "geckos"...I too read the article, but "gecko" just sounds cuter...you know, like the little green one on the Geico Insurance ads !!!! ;D


My wife prefers Gecko also - but she does not like the latest Geico commercials or the latest gecko "actor". She is learning anole.

[PJ]

Bestmickey,
I've been told the black snakes are not poisonous, but they are scary to me anyway. They are beneficial though, in that they eat mice and other rodents. I think they are pretty scared of us humans, and this one hasn't really threatened me. It just startles me to see him, because he's big, and it creeps me out to know where he lives! I live near Spanish Springs, I love this area, but I wouldn't let that keep you from going to any village in this area, because the snakes are in all the villages, just like the lizards, LOL. Just know that they do try to avoid us, but we're invading their space, and they have to go somewhere. You might be lucky and never even see one.

Just try not to be too scared, and come on down!!! It's a beautiful day in TV!!!

[bestmickey]

I'll surely be down! It's in the plan. I'm just really phobic about snakes. :yikes: I HATE THEM! I know they're all over Florida, but it sounded to me that you had a large concentration of them. At least, I hope that's a large concentration...I can't imagine having more of them around. :o Glad to hear the black snakes aren't poisonous...my sister's neighbor had one in her bushes. :yikes:

[zcaveman]

Make that SOME black snakes. The Cottonmouth is black and he certainly AIN'T your friendly snake. He will do you a world of hurt. If you do not know snakes, the first rule is all snakes are poisonous. Stay away from them. Do not attemt to pick them up.

If you know snakes, the more power to you.

[jadebox]

Knock on wood I have not seen a snake here and I have lived in TV for 5 and a half years.
I have seen many rabbits and super YUCK a rat but no snakes.

[Bubbalarry]

Saw one on Pelican # 5 or 6 hole not sure which hole but it was a par 4 last year that was close to 10 feet.