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rachellanham 07-18-2019 10:28 AM

Gators
 
Hey all! I just recently made the move to The Villages and I am finally getting used to this awesome lifestyle. Although I took annual vacations to Florida before I made the move, I never really though about the possibilities of seeing alligators in my backyard! I figured with all the golf course lakes/ ponds there would be a few babies here and there but dang, I have seen some big ones. I have a dachshund named Cooper and the alligators are definitely concerning for me. Has anyone had any problems with alligators? Do they pose a threat to dogs? I always keep Cooper on the leash but I have heard that alligators can run faster than humans! Any advice would be great.
Thank You

John_W 07-18-2019 10:38 AM

If you let your dog roam, you may also make the news. A gator can run 30mph for a short distance, faster then you. So keep that in mind.

Man fights off alligator to save dog - YouTube

75-year-old Florida man fights off alligator, saves dog - YouTube



Actually I would never let me dog off a leash, several have been taken by coyotes and some were only a few feet away from the owner.

Coyote snatches Florida woman’s dog right in front of her in yard

Pinball wizard 07-18-2019 11:18 AM

Use the dog parks

Two Bills 07-18-2019 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachellanham (Post 1665176)
Hey all! I just recently made the move to The Villages and I am finally getting used to this awesome lifestyle. Although I took annual vacations to Florida before I made the move, I never really though about the possibilities of seeing alligators in my backyard! I figured with all the golf course lakes/ ponds there would be a few babies here and there but dang, I have seen some big ones. I have a dachshund named Cooper and the alligators are definitely concerning for me. Has anyone had any problems with alligators? Do they pose a threat to dogs? I always keep Cooper on the leash but I have heard that alligators can run faster than humans! Any advice would be great.
Thank You

Watch out, and be careful in the evenings by the postal stations.
Most gators pick up their post after dark.

JerryLBell 07-19-2019 09:31 PM

You do have to watch your dogs and cats. Never walk them without a leash and don't leave them in a screened-in lanai. We have alligators here (and everywhere else in Florida along with the southeastern coast up to southern North Carolina and across the Gulf of Mexico to Texas) but we also have bobcats, panthers and coyotes. Heck we also have quite a few bald eagles and they have been known to make meals out of small pets.

The official dog parks are the safest place to let your dog run. Gators are not aggressive but can be fast over short distances (as in "20 to 30 yards"). However, they can't climb fences. The "unofficial" dog parks some folks use are not fenced in.

You're probably safe on most sidewalks as long as your dog is on a leash but even then you might want to steer clear of the many lakes, water retention ponds and water traps that are everywhere in The Villages, especially at dawn and dusk (favorite alligator feeding times). Any body of water in Florida large enough to fit an alligator will likely have an alligator in it at some time.

Remember, alligators were here first. They belong here. We don't. We're just lucky enough to be able to live around them. And they're really pretty cool in their own way.

Velvet 07-19-2019 10:17 PM

Before the gators there were dinosaurs, before them there were jelly fish, before them jungle forest, before that volcanoes... how far do we want to go back? I prefer to look forwards, myself.

Pets rely on us for their safety and we are in a sort of “semi-wilderness” here in Central Florida. You need to treat your pet as if you were going camping.

SanFranDianne 07-20-2019 03:55 AM

Gators CAN climb fences
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryLBell (Post 1665612)
You do have to watch your dogs and cats. Never walk them without a leash and don't leave them in a screened-in lanai. We have alligators here (and everywhere else in Florida along with the southeastern coast up to southern North Carolina and across the Gulf of Mexico to Texas) but we also have bobcats, panthers and coyotes. Heck we also have quite a few bald eagles and they have been known to make meals out of small pets.

The official dog parks are the safest place to let your dog run. Gators are not aggressive but can be fast over short distances (as in "20 to 30 yards"). However, they can't climb fences. The "unofficial" dog parks some folks use are not fenced in.

You're probably safe on most sidewalks as long as your dog is on a leash but even then you might want to steer clear of the many lakes, water retention ponds and water traps that are everywhere in The Villages, especially at dawn and dusk (favorite alligator feeding times). Any body of water in Florida large enough to fit an alligator will likely have an alligator in it at some time.

Remember, alligators were here first. They belong here. We don't. We're just lucky enough to be able to live around them. And they're really pretty cool in their own way.

There are a number of videos "out there" that show gators climbing fences. I remember one fence was at least 4-5 feet tall, and the gator got over it easily.

As for leaving pets on lanais, one guy from Community Watch told me that he has seen screens torn by wild critters like coyotes and bobcats who were trying to get through to pets.

Two Bills 07-20-2019 03:59 AM

To be honest, I would be more worried about disturbing a Fire Ants nest. Now those critters really do bite.
Played golf with a partner who played too close to a nest, and within seconds they were on him. Painful!

rachellanham 07-20-2019 12:54 PM

Thanks for all the information!

Blondesare 07-20-2019 01:44 PM

Welcome to Florida! Dachshunds are great little dogs. As with any dog or cat it is up to us to keep them safe and give them a long, loving life. Most of it is just common sense. Gators are extremely athletic and run faster, jump and climb much more than one can imagine. Keep any dog away from water, it's that just that easy. Don't leave animals out on lanais over night by themselves, that's easy. When it's hot like now leave your dog at home. Dogs can easily overheat and die before your eyes, most people don't know how to recognize over heating in dogs until it's too late. They will love you when you get home and be glad not to be stressed by the heat. If you wouldn't walk barefoot on the pavement, it's cruel to ask your dog to do it. If you truly love your dog, don't let them ride on your lap in the front seat of your car. You wouldn't do that with your grandkids as you know the air bags can kill them. What chance does your little, loving dog have? Dogs love us unconditionally, dumb or smart. They will live a long and healthy life if we are a smart, educated dog owner.

Schaumburger 07-20-2019 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondesare (Post 1665761)
Welcome to Florida! Dachshunds are great little dogs. As with any dog or cat it is up to us to keep them safe and give them a long, loving life. Most of it is just common sense. Gators are extremely athletic and run faster, jump and climb much more than one can imagine. Keep any dog away from water, it's that just that easy. Don't leave animals out on lanais over night by themselves, that's easy. When it's hot like now leave your dog at home. Dogs can easily overheat and die before your eyes, most people don't know how to recognize over heating in dogs until it's too late. They will love you when you get home and be glad not to be stressed by the heat. If you wouldn't walk barefoot on the pavement, it's cruel to ask your dog to do it. If you truly love your dog, don't let them ride on your lap in the front seat of your car. You wouldn't do that with your grandkids as you know the air bags can kill them. What chance does your little, loving dog have? Dogs love us unconditionally, dumb or smart. They will live a long and healthy life if we are a smart, educated dog owner.

Great advice for pet owners moving to The Villages! :ho:

JerryLBell 07-21-2019 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanFranDianne (Post 1665629)
There are a number of videos "out there" that show gators climbing fences. I remember one fence was at least 4-5 feet tall, and the gator got over it easily.

I stand corrected!

Quote:

As for leaving pets on lanais, one guy from Community Watch told me that he has seen screens torn by wild critters like coyotes and bobcats who were trying to get through to pets.
I was trying to make that point but seem to not have made it clear. Thanks for the clarification!

Cool Breeze Roll screens 07-22-2019 08:24 PM

Even Florida Gators like Mirage Screens by Cool breeze roll screens!
 
1 Attachment(s)
Even Florida Gators like Mirage Screens by Cool breeze roll screens!

Taltarzac725 07-23-2019 02:31 AM

Toxic, dog-killing toads invading Florida yards

My dog and a neighbor's dog up the road have had problems with these toads.

Just stay away from the ponds with respect to alligators and after a storm also avoid pools of water on roads and the like.

There are also various snakes you should look out for here in Florida. These are also usually near water. Venomous Water Moccasin or Harmless Watersnake?

John_W 07-23-2019 09:09 AM

From Villages Online Newspaper July 22, 2019

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds

A Villager was surprised to spot a bobcat walking on the wall behind his home.

The bobcat was spotted Saturday morning at the home of Doug Byers at 3728 Infinity Run in the Village of Hillsborough.

“This cat was whining like it was hungry and it looked malnourished,” Byers said.

The Florida bobcat is identifiable by its short tail and the fringes of fur that outline the sides of its head. It weighs between 13 and 30 pounds and has a tail with white on its underside and black markings on its top side.

Bobcats are mainly nocturnal hunters who may also prey during the daylight hours. During the summer the Florida bobcats will eat mostly local fauna including squirrels, opossums, rabbits and raccoons. During the winter months, they hunt birds that pass through Florida to escape the cold up north.


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