|
|
 |
All Snake Killers
Click Here
God has made us different,
he made us so unique.
We slither on the ground,
we have no hands and feet.
Though you find us scary,
or maybe just plain weird,
our intentions are not to hurt you
or cause you such great fear.
Our venom's not meant for humans
but to help us when we eat.
So, please stop the senseless killing
before we're all extinct.
We're not saying you have to love us
or tell us we're the best.
God's the one who created us.
So, treat us with respect.
written by Sarah Clark
for Southeastern Reptile Rescue
Fears are educated into us
and can, if we wish,
be educated out.
-Karl A. Merringer
A righteous man cares for
the needs of his animal...
Proverbs 12:10
The snake is an animal.
It has a backbone and a heart.
It has red blood.
It drinks water and eats food.
It breathes air and feels fear
just like every other
animal in the world.
And, it's in a body that's
the hardest thing
for the average
person to understand.
(author-unknown)
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
Gator-Ade
|
|
Our American Alligator, known to us as Gator-Ade, was born in August of 2005 and still has a lot of growing to do. Hopefully with continued handling we will be able to keep him somewhat tame. Although, I should stress that alligators do not make good pets and can NEVER be considered tame! We just want him to learn to tolerate us and in the mean time not lose a finger. Right now, Gator-Ade is 27" long and weighs just a couple pounds. When fully grown they can be a monsterous 14' and weigh 800 pounds. Females are usually somewhat smaller attaining a maximum length of about 10'. Under ideal conditions, alligators grow about 8"-10" per year for the first few years of their life. Growth usually slows when the gator reaches 5'-6' in length. |
Even though Gator-Ade is cute now, he will grow quickly and won't be quite as cute and cuddly in a few years. Unfortunately, the alligators cuteness is many times to its detriment because people decide they want to keep an alligator as a pet and then they realize that they've made a huge mistake. The gator is then released into the sewer where it consumes.... just kidding - the gator is released to where it doesn't belong or is confiscated by authorities due to them being illegal to keep in captivity without proper permits. Many of these confiscated or captured alligators are sent to many of the alligator farms located here in Georgia. Ironically, the alligator farms which raise gators for their meat and hides have actually assisted in saving the wild alligators life. In the wild, alligators lay eggs numbering up to about 60 per nest. Due to many different factors, not all the eggs hatch and many of the ones that do, fall prey to birds, snakes, fish and even larger alligators. Along with protective regulations enforced by the government, some states issue permits allowing the farmers to harvest eggs from nests in the wild and hatch them in captivity. Once hatched, 14% of the alligators are raised to a length of 4' and are released back to the wild into designated areas. Once the alligator is 4' in length, its only predator is man. This helps to insure a strong wild population and takes the demand for hide and meat off of the wild gator. Wouldn't it be great if we had eastern diamondback rattlesnake farms!?
 |
 |
| A Georgia alligator farmer in front of one of the many brooding rooms which can hold up to 500 alligators each! | Baby gators inside one of the brooding rooms. | | |
 |
 |
|
| Here are a couple of our other gators. They're about 18" long. | Unlike Gator-Ade, this fella doesn't seem to appreciate being held! | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
