[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

That explains it!

Yes true that........I can be VERY electrifying!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Well, I DO agree with you on this subject!

Will wonders ever cease?

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by battlebasset

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]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

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]

Originally Posted by Windguy

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]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

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]

Originally Posted by 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!

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.