# are alligators smart **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057 "2013-03-26T23:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![e.fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@e.fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/e.fred)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/1 "2013-03-26T23:43:32Z")
I am thinking of taking a small alligator from the swamp and put it in my uncles pond. My friend said he took one and he feeds it hamburgers and hot dogs and can teach it to do tricks. Will this alligator grow up to be like a dog or will it bite people? also are they still dinosaurs ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/2 "2013-03-27T00:05:21Z")
Ladies and gentlemen: Darwin in action. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/3 "2013-03-27T00:28:53Z")
> [@e.fred](#): > > I am thinking of taking a small alligator from the swamp and put it in my uncles pond. My friend said he took one and he feeds it hamburgers and hot dogs and can teach it to do tricks. Will this alligator grow up to be like a dog or will it bite people? Plenty of dogs bite. You can condition most wild animals (from infancy) to wait for food to be brought to it and almost completely tamp down the hunting reflex (just make sure they are never hungry). The defense reflex is more difficult, so no matter how well trained your alligator is, he will probably still bite if he feels threatened, whether that threat is real or not. And unlike a dog, a reptile will feel no shame for having done so and probably won’t even let go until he is killed or tranquilized. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/4 "2013-03-27T00:36:09Z")
> [@e.fred](#): > > I am thinking of taking a small alligator from the swamp and put it in my uncles pond. My friend said he took one and he feeds it hamburgers and hot dogs and can teach it to do tricks. Will this alligator grow up to be like a dog or will it bite people? also are they still dinosaurs Eh. . . I might be going out on a limb here, but it almost seems as though everything after the first three words contradicts the first three. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/5 "2013-03-27T00:50:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen: Darwin in action. Yeah. But since I guess somebody has to take the bullet… > [@e.fred](#): > > I am thinking of taking a small alligator from the swamp and put it in my uncles pond. Assuming for half a second you are not yanking our chains for yuks, this is not a good idea. Because… > [@](#): > > My friend said he took one and he feeds it hamburgers and hot dogs and can teach it to do tricks. Your friend if he exists is unwise and likely prone to either hyperbole or falsehoods. Unwise because aside from hamburgers and hot dogs not being a nutritionally sound diet for your pet alligator, habituating them to seeking out people for handouts can lead to all sorts of potentially unpleasant consequences. A possible liar because, no, they will not learn tricks. Unless your definition of a trick is extraordinarily broad ( “hey, watch him take a hot dog out of my hand!” ). This is because… > [@](#): > > Will this alligator grow up to be like a dog or will it bite people? Alligators are not dogs. There is some anecdotal evidence that some pet reptiles that are interacted with enough can learn to loosely recognize individual owners/handlers. And they can certainly learn to associate people with being fed. But that’s about as far as it goes. They are, like all animals, wonderful little marvels of evolution and extraordinarily successful at doing what they do. What alligators don’t do is engage in significant daily social interactions with others aside from mating, policing territory, females guarding their young and adults occasionally eating smaller and weaker members of their own species. They can not be trained in any sense other than the roughest habituation and and can never be trusted not to suddenly decide to get aggressive. Doesn’t mean they will - well fed, lazy pet alligators used to not having to work for a living will probably usually be indolent enough. As crocodilians go they are apparently more mild-mannered than many. Just means they are utterly un-dog-like in just about every category. An exceedingly poor choice of pet. > [@](#): > > also are they still dinosaurs They never were. [Sister group](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archosaur). ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/6 "2013-03-27T00:59:11Z")
Gators aren’t stupid. They have been around for millions of years. Dinosaurs are extinct. If people feed an alligator (or most any wild animal in fact) it will learn that humans = an easy meal. Soon it will hunt for wild prey less, and seek out the human more. This not only puts humans in danger, but the animal as well. A gator who is bold and unafraid around humans is often euthanized because they can no longer be trusted. This is why signs in gator areas forbid you from feeding them. Also, animals of any kind deserve a proper diet. If you feed them junk food, it’s unhealthy for them and they probably won’t eat the foods that they really need. It might make them sick or die young. Before getting any kind of pet, you should consider its lifespan, its adult size, how much it will cost you in food and vet bills, potential hazards, your living situation now and in the future, future relationships, children, and who will take care of it if you die or are disabled. I’ve spent a lot of time near alligators. I would strongly advise against taking one as a pet. If the pond is a good alligator habitat, a gator will find it and you can enjoy watching it live a long happy wild life. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/7 "2013-03-27T01:02:21Z")
It’s also illegal to take wildlife for your own. And messing with gators is INCREDIBLY stupid, no matter how mall they may be. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/8 "2013-03-27T01:08:14Z")
Another thing… Alligators aren’t entertaining, and there’s not much to look at. I photograph them often and it takes an entire day in the hot sun just staring and waiting for maybe 2 minutes of movement. Otherwise, they’re completely underwater, exposing just the top of their head, or if you get lucky, basking in the sunshine. They just don’t move much. Not very fun if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/9 "2013-03-27T01:09:30Z")
> [@PurpleClogs](#): > > I’ve spent a lot of time near alligators. TMI. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/10 "2013-03-27T01:43:19Z")
Agreed with pretty much everything posted so far, really bad idea in short and add these 1. Not “smart” but have enough “smarts” to fill their niche, ambush predator as strike when prey is looking away, lulled into complacency, can’t see gator etc. 2. You said little alligator, you are aware that little now means big later and big they get, no scary big, dog, human, horse eating big. See they ambush and drag into the water, jaws clenched with bone crushing force and spin their prey round and round to disorient and muddy the water, then after you are dead by drowning they stash you somewhere under water til you are a little ripe for eating. Please do this and win a Darwin Award, **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/11 "2013-03-27T01:50:52Z")
Here’s the OP’s only previous thread: [Good idea or bad idea - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684617) He’s demonstrated extremely poor judgement and a resistance to advice there as well related to gators. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/12 "2013-03-27T01:55:35Z")
Forget the alligator. What you need is a saltwater crocodile. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/13 "2013-03-27T01:55:53Z")
My dad and uncle tried to keep baby alligators back in the day. An alligator the size of a small lizard already has much bigger teeth and they BITE. No fun. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/14 "2013-03-27T02:06:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Here’s the OP’s only previous thread: [Good idea or bad idea - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684617) > > He’s demonstrated extremely poor judgement and a resistance to advice there as well related to gators. Dude sure seems gator-drawn. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/15 "2013-03-27T03:14:53Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Forget the alligator. What you need is a saltwater crocodile. I was thinking that. They can be taught to jump for food. Also keep stray cats out of the back yard. Here’s one little one for sale from last year. > **[Don't let this one off the lead! Saltwater crocodile called 'Jugular' goes on...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147163/Saltwater-crocodile-called-Jugular-goes-sale-family-pet--hes-sure-away-burglars.html)** > > The Australian croc is being sold for 1,400 Australian dollars (£870) by owner Tracey Sandstorm, from Geelong, Australia - who is throwing in a free box of plasters. Another from a few years back, but the photo looks like a fresh water croc not a salty. [http://www.news.com.au/national-news/johnie-the-crocodile-is-surburban-familys-pet/story-e6frfkvr-1225786458024](http://www.news.com.au/national-news/johnie-the-crocodile-is-surburban-familys-pet/story-e6frfkvr-1225786458024) If you really want to keep one as a pet, some guidance here (again, for crocs not alligators) [http://www.mypets.net.au/pet-articles/keeping-an-australian-crocodile-as-a-pet/193/1](http://www.mypets.net.au/pet-articles/keeping-an-australian-crocodile-as-a-pet/193/1) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/16 "2013-03-27T03:18:51Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Please do this and win a Darwin Award, [moderator note] This kind of comment is inappropriate for General Questions. Wishing harm upon other Dopers is against the rules. No warning issued. [/moderator note] ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/17 "2013-03-27T03:26:11Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > I was thinking that. They can be taught to jump for food. Also keep stray cats out of the back yard. > > Here’s one little one for sale from last year. > > [Saltwater crocodile called 'Jugular' goes on sale as family pet.. and he's sure to keep away burglars | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147163/Saltwater-crocodile-called-Jugular-goes-sale-family-pet--hes-sure-away-burglars.html) > > Another from a few years back, but the photo looks like a fresh water croc not a salty. > > [http://www.news.com.au/national-news/johnie-the-crocodile-is-surburban-familys-pet/story-e6frfkvr-1225786458024](http://www.news.com.au/national-news/johnie-the-crocodile-is-surburban-familys-pet/story-e6frfkvr-1225786458024) > > If you really want to keep one as a pet, some guidance here (again, for crocs not alligators) > > [http://www.mypets.net.au/pet-articles/keeping-an-australian-crocodile-as-a-pet/193/1](http://www.mypets.net.au/pet-articles/keeping-an-australian-crocodile-as-a-pet/193/1) Here’s a nice article from the NT News with an amazing pic of a massive saltie coming out of the water for a snack. Don’t dangle your hands in the water boys and girls. [http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/07/12/246611\_ntnews.html](http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/07/12/246611_ntnews.html) ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/18 "2013-03-27T03:37:39Z")
Of course the OP can always just shoot the thing once its gets to a certain size and sell the hide. Or isn’t that legal? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/19 "2013-03-27T03:43:36Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Eh. . . I might be going out on a limb here, but it almost seems as though everything after the first three words contradicts the first three. 😛 That made me laugh out loud. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057/20 "2013-03-27T03:45:37Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Of course the OP can always just shoot the thing once its gets to a certain size and sell the hide. > > Or isn’t that legal? That depends on whether you have the appropriate permits and/or licenses. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-alligators-smart/654057.md?page=2)