# I hate to ask, but New Orleans - and alligators? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703 "2005-09-02T04:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/41 "2005-09-04T02:11:43Z")
An editorial cartoon in today’s paper suggested that the Alligators would avoid the area, out of fear of Looters. But if they’re taking care of the corpse problem, maybe the looters should let the Gators be. Circle of life, is all I’m saying. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/42 "2005-09-04T08:56:49Z")
There was recently some news about a study that showed that alligator blood is resistant to almost all disease and they were finding it killed the HIV virus immediately. They think it could be a first step in a cure/vaccine for HIV infection. So long live the alligator! Still…having had my share of fun with water moccasins in rivers, and the thought of those swimming around with godknowswhatelse…we had better get those people out of NO as fast as possible. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/43 "2005-09-05T04:22:08Z")
Re - the Salmonella, I was just reading our newest book on Pond Slider Turtles (2003). The author commented on the Salmonella issue, saying that contamination was very often the result of overcrowded and badly filtered holding tanks. It’s also very likely in the feed. Many turtles and other reptiles are meat eaters, of course. Chicken, being cheap and readilly available, is often used as feed; raw, naturally. Did you know Salmonella can also be presant on lettuce and other fruit and vegetables? It’s not just reptiles and chickens either. Hedgehogs, for one, are also sometimes carriers. As far as the toxic water goes, KarlGrenz is right - it might mess up their reproduction. I’d assume permable reptile eggs wouldn’t stand much of a chance anyway. Even overspaying with plain water can drown a reptile embryo. The whole next generation is probably gone. By the way, there’s an ad out there in magazines for some life insurance company. I forget which one. Anyway, it’s a guy on his phone saying “I’ve been thinking about getting insurance.” Coming up behind him is a 'gator with her mouth wide open. That’s our Sheba! 😃 (Yep - photoshop! 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/44 "2005-09-06T15:14:47Z")
My understanding is that southern Louisiana is one of those parts of the country in which one finds gators in sufficiently wet neighborhood areas even under normal circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/45 "2005-09-06T20:11:25Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > I guess people surviving a bite from a gator have to worry about possible bacterial infections, but that is true for all animal bites. I’ve heard that Moose bites can be quite nasty. That water is daily becoming more hazardous to us feeble humans. Now there’s a statement that there’s a bunch of e-coli seasoning the gumbo from backed up sewers, etc. There’s got to be all kinds of evil germs floating around. In a confrontation with a gator I can’t decide which I’d rather deal with: being horribly killed and eaten by a large predator, or scratching my leg on a nail or splinter of wood and dying unassisted from gangrene. What a pleasant little place! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/46 "2005-09-06T20:33:29Z")
I’d worry about **people** , regardless of where I lived. Seem we are our own worst enemy. From directly killing eachother, indirectly killing ourselves and through complete misuse of land and resources leading to disasters. I’d say I’d be alot safer if N.O. was run by a series of gators over the years that could have come up with an actual plan of what to do with people who showed up at shelters. I’ll bet gators would have thought about food and water for a few days, being that they have to find food and water daily. Even where people live next to, or on top of gators, it’s people that are the issue. Someone should nominate a gator for mayor of N’ahlins. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/47 "2005-09-06T20:34:47Z")
> [@furt](#): > > the gators will be an issue, but the Water Moccasins and Cottonmouths will be worse. Water Moccasins and Cottonmouths are the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/48 "2005-09-07T00:23:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Could an alligator live in a lake of sewage and toxic waste? If gators can live in some of the golf course ponds I have seen, then that New Orleans water should be no problem. Those ponds seem like they are composed of mostly incesticides, herbicides and fertilizer. Usually some gasoline from the golf carts and mowers. ---
**Author:** ![wonder9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@wonder9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonder9)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/49 "2005-09-07T00:36:21Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > Water Moccasins and Cottonmouths are the same thing. Thank you. I was going to say it but refrained. My understanding is that, although very dangerous, they are also not aggressive and will speedily decamp if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/50 "2005-09-07T01:07:24Z")
> [@wonder9](#): > > Thank you. I was going to say it but refrained. My understanding is that, although very dangerous, they are also not aggressive and will speedily decamp if possible. A little to the contrary. Water Moccasins are the only aggressive poisonous snake in the U.S. They will sometimes approach intruders rather than flee and will stand their ground. I have seen them attack the side of a fishing boat and have been chased by them while swimming. They are nasty little buggers. [http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm](http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm) ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/51 "2005-09-07T04:16:25Z")
I wonder about coral snakes too. I believe they’re South-Eastern, aren’t they? Another thing I wondered. How much of the water is from the Gulf and how much is lakewater? Are small sharks and other tropical nasties a possibility? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/52 "2005-09-07T10:38:47Z")
Zoogirl, I don’t think the water would be salty enough. Like someone linked above, if it were too salty, gators wouldn’t be there because they lack some glands to deal with the salinity. Although, really, if I were a shark I would stay away from that nasty water and go to another place… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/53 "2005-09-07T17:13:55Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Guin, my memory was that it referred to the pet turtles and pet lizards, but LSU is doing some studies in that regard and hasn’t been able to come up with a source of the salmonella. Not in their egg shells, not in them when they are born. > > There’s also the possibility that it might be what they eat and how is their environment in the ranches where they live pre-selling them. > > I don’t think I’ve read of alligators specifically as carriers of salmonella. And again… there are other bacteria you have to worry about if you get (and survive) a gator bite. > > Note: Salmonella could well be already in the environment, but seeing the state of the water in New Orleans, I don’t think that is the gators’ fault. 😉 Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/54 "2005-09-07T17:51:14Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Although, really, if I were a shark I would stay away from that nasty water and go to another place… I dunno, Great Whites have a weakness for Cajun food. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/55 "2005-09-07T20:06:29Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > I’ve heard that Moose bites can be quite nasty. A moose bit my sister once. ---
**Author:** ![wonder9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@wonder9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonder9)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/56 "2005-09-07T23:10:28Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > A little to the contrary. Water Moccasins are the only aggressive poisonous snake in the U.S. They will sometimes approach intruders rather than flee and will stand their ground. I have seen them attack the side of a fishing boat and have been chased by them while swimming. They are nasty little buggers. > > [http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm](http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm) I do believe we have a case of dueling cites… [http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps\_of\_NC/snakes/Agk\_pis.html](http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/Agk_pis.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/57 "2005-09-07T23:43:25Z")
> [@wonder9](#): > > I do believe we have a case of dueling cites… > [http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps\_of\_NC/snakes/Agk\_pis.html](http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/Agk_pis.html) That cite didn’t directly contradict what I stated about water moccasins being aggressive. If you google, “water moccasin” “aggressive”, there are tons of cites about their aggressive capability including many encyclopedia entries and field guides. Anyway, my main cite is personal experience. All four major poisionous groups of snakes indigenous to the U.S. (rattlesnakes, coral snakes, copperheads, and water moccasins) are found in Louisiana. Of these, the water moccasin is the only one that can be described as aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![wonder9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@wonder9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonder9)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703/58 "2005-09-08T00:36:38Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > That cite didn’t directly contradict what I stated about water moccasins being aggressive. If you google, “water moccasin” “aggressive”, there are tons of cites about their aggressive capability including many encyclopedia entries and field guides. Anyway, my main cite is personal experience. > > All four major poisionous groups of snakes indigenous to the U.S. (rattlesnakes, coral snakes, copperheads, and water moccasins) are found in Louisiana. Of these, the water moccasin is the only one that can be described as aggressive. (My apologies in advance; this doesn’t have anything to do with the OP.) We have all four of those groups in NC as well. As, I believe, does most of the southeast. There seems to be some disagreement about the aggressiveness of cottonmouths. The cottonmouths I’ve seen were content to stay where they were, even when closely approached by canoe. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t want to fetch up next to one that had been deeply disturbed by mother nature. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-to-ask-but-new-orleans-and-alligators/319703.md?page=2)