Man says emotional support alligator helps his depression - Sensationalist Headlines

https://apnews.com/6cf8234a7a5a492eabfa4b0e319f2ec3 Look at that happy fucker https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/113069/3056a46f-b1b9-461b-8adf-7486020aedd7/image.png

...I'm sorry? Emotional support alligator? That's a new one. But if it helps the guy, I guess I can overlook it.

Are we sure his depression is not in fact just crocodile tears?

I'm surprised he managed to domesticate it/find a domesticated one. I figured crocodiles were a long way off compared to dogs and cats.

They are. Alligators are not social animals. I am not convinced an alligator can be affectionate with a human the same way a dog or a cat is. This goes for a good deal of non-social animals. I don't think an alligator would make a good pet, and it could be he's misinterpreting signals from the alligator as well in terms of what it enjoys and what makes it uncomfortable, since they are such different creatures than what we're used to. Some animals close their eyes when they're uncomfortable, this is something many humans would interpret as enjoying affection because of what cats or dogs do. I don't think anyone who is not a herpetologist should own a "pet" alligator. They're so alien to us. The idea of an alligator wanting to "snuggle or give hugs" sounds suspect to me, unless they're just doing it for warmth.

AFAIK, reptiles tend to be less social and less intelligent than birds and mammals, so are hard to tame. In other words, I agree.

Alligators are pretty chill in general, not that you should ever take them around as a emotional support animal as they can get bitey when scared. but here in Florida they mostly just chill in body's of water sleeping with there mouths open waiting for a fish to swim in.

Reptiles is a bit of a weird term though. Crocodilians are closer to birds than they are to lizards. Crocodilians are far smarter than they are given credit for. The Cuban Crocodile can hunt in small packs, working together to close all escape routes for it's prey. They can also be individually named, and they will listen to it. Some species have been observed collecting twigs or small sticks and balancing them on their snout. It's bait, for a heron looking to make a nest. Saltwater crocodiles have also been observed killing fish and using it as bait for birds. They're generally a bad pet because most species will grow to be quite big, and they are powerful enough to be a significant danger. They can be trained to understand commands, but this requires a qualified trainer. They can bond with people, but it will take a long time and you'll have to start while it's still very young. If it's a small species, it's been raised as a pet all it's life and it's trained well, I don't think it's any more dangerous than large dogs.

All fun and games until he forgets to feed him and he bites off his legs and arms

Next Month: Mans emotional support alligator refused entry onto aircraft

This is accurate. Both birds and crocodilians are archosaurs, while snakes and lizards are lepidosaurs. In fact, the twig collecting is often classified as animal tool usage because studies have shown they actively choose which stick shapes to balance. Crocodilians are also fairly social and perform parental care in several lineages. Nile crocodiles are usually seen as savage, but they also live in social hierarchies where dominant members are allowed to eat first, like in many mammal lines.

Fucking Confucius man, even his teachings spread to fucking crocs

Unusual and personal, not normally tamable animals are actually fairly common (if that makes any sense whatsoever). But yeah, there are strict regulations about taking them in public and it usually happens anyway when kids runs into his yard to gawp at the cool pet.

(soon-to-be) Herpetologist here, this is complete nonsense. Reptiles, and especially crocodilians, have deep emotions, but they just don't show them in a way that is easily understood by humans who focus on facial expressions and large movements. They're cold blooded reptiles, no duh they don't move much. The real question is if they can form deep bonds with humans specifically. They already care for their young, but there is no real consensus about whether they can transfer that sort of affection over to inter-species relationships like animals such as wolves can (don't even mention dogs, they're obviously nothing close to an animal that was bred for the sole purpose of companionship. If you bring up dogs when talking about animal companionship you're basically bringing up the Sun when talking about light bulbs). After many years of working with American alligators specifically, they definitely do seem to develop preferences for different people and can distinguish between people pretty well, and they are pretty docile when raised in captivity, though I'm more certain that has to do with their naturally relaxed demeanor than them developing meaningful feelings for humans - though I could be wrong. As one last nitpick: alligators fucking love physical attention/affection, so 'snuggles' probably count in that too. This is really noticeable in baby alligators, which are usually timid, will suddenly become the most relaxed things on earth when you scratch their head.

I think that without a doubt, they absolutely can. A man named Chito once found an adult American Crocodile (keep in mind these are massive and crocodiles are far more aggressive than alligators) that was left for dead with a gunshot wound through the left eye. He named the crocodile Pocho and brought it home by boat to try to nurse it back to health since it was close to death (being so emaciated from it's injuries that it was less than a sixth of the weight they normally are). It took 6 months for Pocho to recover from the bullet to the head, but at that point, Chito released him back to the wild as he was healthy. Thinking that was the end of their relationship, he woke up the next day to find that the crocodile had followed him home to sleep on his porch. The two ended up in a close bond over the next several decades and Pocho proved to be very affectionate to Chito, as well as responding to his name. Eventually, Pocho the crocodile died of natural causes, but there is quite a bit of footage of their interaction. Keep in mind that this crocodile could have left at any time, but purposely chose to live near Chito so that they could still remain together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv3O-dxplPs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQlHGxmQj1I

Fellow biologist who had a stint as a zookeeper. Took care of a few alligators. They are surprisingly personable, much more so than some other species of crocodilians. Comfortable to handle with one arm until they're around 15lbs. Other species I would be hesitant to work with with any kind of regularity. Clear ability to recognize people. Gator on top below was very calm with handling for extended periods of time. Didn't stir unless light overhead changed rapidly. I suspect any enjoyment of "cuddling" she enjoyed would be due to my body heat. Fascinating animals but not suited for care in a non-professional environment. His is rather large and could inflict serious damage if startled - those tails pack quite a punch. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/109878/e34416e1-1362-4b44-8edd-169a75600f42/MVIMG_20181001_161524 - Copy (2).jpg

I have learned a lot in this thread about crocodilian intelligence.

Seems more like it could be useful as an anti-mugging support alligator. Oh, you gonna rob me bitch how about my FUCKING ALLIGATOR.

Confucious say "name go in- OH MY GODS MY LEGS!"

gators are good lads

I didn't know crocs could gallop. That's kinda fucking alarming.

They can also jump surprisingly high if you ever wondered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEaT2Bl40No Outside of water not so much though

I mean that makes sense, that tail's built for the water. And while i know they can skedaddle pretty well on dry land I just had no idea they were that capable.

It's surprisingly mammalian when they do, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwThAki0j7U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co7bJlJliEs