Cuddling for Warmth
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118418)
Gainesville, Florida
November 11, 2019 4:18pm CST
Today was a perfect day to be outside, and given that it was a holiday here in the US, there was absolutely no reason for me not to be. So, after attending a Veteran's Day ceremony this morning at a local cemetery, I decided to spend some time in the great outdoors.
The cool and mild weather we are experiencing as a result of a recent cold front has brought many of our local reptiles out from hiding in search of the warmth of the sun. As I was making my way along a trail in a local wetlands preserve, I happened upon an alligator, whom I promptly named Big Al. Anyway, Al was not that unusual to see, as there are hundreds of alligators lining the trails and shorelines seeking the warmth of the sun. No, what made Big Al stand out from all the rest was who he was with this morning. or in this case, who was with him.
Lo and behold, I was able to spot and capture (with my camera of course) a juvenile cottonmouth snake scurrying up to Big Al to get a little body heat as well as soak up some sunshine.
I thought this was an amazingly cool photo opportunity. This is the first time I have ever seen a snake do that. I've seen turtles riding on the backs of alligators before, but I've never seen a snake cuddle with an alligator before!
Isn't it amazing what you can experience in nature? Have you ever seen some interesting animal behaviors in nature?
Kind of makes you want to cuddle with someone, doesn't it?
26 people like this
26 responses
@LindaOHio (155918)
• United States
11 Nov 19
What a cool photo! I love to look for alligators when I'm in Florida. And we always make a trip to the Everglades. We are always on the lookout for wildlife wherever we travel.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
Next time you're down in the Everglades, forget about looking at the alligators. Instead, try to train your eyes to spot the ever elusive pythons! Now that would be a sight to see!
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
@LindaOHio I want to see you in the headlines next time you are down here...."Visitor to Florida captures 18-foot long python with her bare hands!"
4 people like this
@LindaOHio (155918)
• United States
11 Nov 19
@moffittjc I know that they are prolific and get quite large! They are such a problem because they are eating the wildlife!!!
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
Thankfully, I live too far north in Florida for Burmese pythons to be in these parts. Still gets a little too cold here for their liking. But I bet someday in the not too distant future they'll start slowly adapting and migrating north. And plus, if it were a python, it would have tried to eat Big Al.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
@NJChicaa They are literally devouring every living animal in the Everglades, including the alligators. It's crazy how voracious their appetite is!
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (115959)
• United States
11 Nov 19
@moffittjc Yes I know. Those things are insane.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (169834)
• United States
11 Nov 19
That is a one in a million photo..cool.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
Well, two in a million, actually. I got a second photo from another angle. haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
Thanks. I really wanted to get up closer for an even better photo, but I rather enjoy not being eaten by alligators! And besides, the ground was too muddy once you stepped off the trail.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
You used to cuddle with alligators in New Orleans?3 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
@CarolDM And that's why we're friends Carol! We're two of a kind!
3 people like this
@samysotelo18 (7744)
• Mexico
11 Nov 19
You took that photo? an Alligator and a snake together? I'd have walked away as fast as possible lol
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
Yes, I took it this morning. I have lived around alligators my entire life, so they don't bother me when they are around. If you keep your distance, they won't bother you. This was a small alligator, perhaps only about 4-5 feet long (1.2-1.5 meters). And the snake was a baby snake, so I wasn't too worried.
1 person likes this
@samysotelo18 (7744)
• Mexico
11 Nov 19
@moffittjc Oh no no
ahaha I get that you're used to them, that's cool
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
@samysotelo18 Do you not like nature? haha
When you come visit, I am going to take you for a walk to see some alligators. But we'll stay on the boardwalks and trails so you can safely observe the wildlife!
1 person likes this
@kareng (54553)
• United States
12 Nov 19
Wow! Great shot! I missed the snake at first and had to go back and look again! Waking up to 34 degrees with a mixture of rain/sleet/snow makes me want to cuddle up. I think it will be a day inside except for taking care of the critters outside.
1 person likes this
@kareng (54553)
• United States
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc Yep not looking forward to colder tonight. 34 with wind chill of 26 was bad enough last night.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
@kareng As I sit here at Starbucks drinking my latte, I am watching the dark storm clouds from the cold front roll through as we speak. Very ominous clouds!
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
it’s still warm here, but that cold front should be getting to us around 3pm this afternoon. After the rain clears, the temperature will drop considerably.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48373)
• Canada
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc We're getting a winter storm today, its pretty unusual for mid November.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
@Juliaacv It will be hitting today as well, sometime this afternoon. Out temperatures will drop considerably tonight, but not quite down to freezing. I hope you stay safe and warm!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
This seems pretty unusual. I've never seen this happen before.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457822)
• Switzerland
13 Nov 19
@moffittjc This is surely true and reptiles need the heat of the sun on their skin.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Nov 19
@LadyDuck Just like many of us humans do right now with cold winter conditions setting in!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
Alligators are cold blooded, but their skin (and the bumps on top of their bodies) absorb heat from the sun, so I’m sure the snake can sense or feel that heat on the alligator.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
When an alligator is hungry, it will eat whatever it can catch. But when they're not hungry, they live peacefully among the other animals. An interesting fact many people aren't aware of: when the body temperature of an alligator gets to a certain level of coldness, it's metabolism slows down considerably, if not altogether. Alligators can go the entire winter without eating if it's cold outside.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Nov 19
The questions should be, is the water always that high? The size of our wetlands have been increasing in recent decades! That's supposed to be dry land along the hiking trail, not wetlands!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Nov 19
@sallypup I wish we had mountain trails though. That’s one thing Florida is missing.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (57809)
• Centralia, Washington
19 Nov 19
@moffittjc I envy you having such sweet hiking trails.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
I was really curious as to where momma cottonmouth was. All I saw was this juvenile snake, I didn't see momma or any other juveniles around.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Nov 19
@HazySue That's what I was afraid of! Trust me, I didn't stick around too much longer after I took the photo!
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc You can be sure mama is close by, hiddn, and carefully watching.
1 person likes this
@amandajay (23264)
• New Zealand
12 Nov 19
aww that scared me... haha
after long time I'm here. how are you?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
I’m doing well! I was wondering what happened to you! Glad to see you back!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
@amandajay Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope everything is okay.
1 person likes this
@amandajay (23264)
• New Zealand
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc I was going through a hard time. everything will be ok soon I guess
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
I'm sure it could try to bite the alligator, but it might be more difficult than it looks. Alligators have very thick skin.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
@Nevena83 I doubt if the alligator will eat the snake. I mean it’s possible, but not very likely.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65282)
• Serbia
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc Oh, I understand. And will the alligator eat the snake?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Nov 19
My son tells me that we always seem to happen upon the coolest things when we go on nature hikes. I think he is correct!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95015)
• Marion, Ohio
12 Nov 19
I would have went back home after seeing either one.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
It made me want to explore more! Lol
There’s been reports that a family of bobcats have taken up residence in the preserve, I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of one soon. As long as they don’t try to eat the wild horses and bison, I think it will be great having them around!
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73326)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Nov 19
Big Al looks like a handsome fellow but not anyone I would want to cuddle with. Luckily here in my part of Florida, it only gets really cold at night and during the day the sun warms things up.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
Yes, you have those gentle warm ocean breezes that keep things from getting too cold where you live.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Nov 19
The photo is deceiving. It was actually a pretty small alligator, maybe 4 or 5 feet in length (1.2-1.5 meters).
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
@JudyEv See, I’d be wary around the kangaroos! I guess it just depends on what we are comfortable around!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325584)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc Okay. It looks much bigger than that to me. I'm not used to them so I'd be very wary around them. But an old man kangaroo - nah, not scared at all!!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Nov 19
@thelme55 We didn't have to do anything. Once we got up, the alligator scurried back into the water. Alligators don't like to be around people.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
A couple of years ago, my son and I went camping, and we set up our campsite on the shores of a lake. It was quite cold out that weekend, and one morning I popped my head out of the tent in the morning and there was an alligator sitting next to the fire!
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (76476)
• Germany
13 Nov 19
@moffittjc OMG! That is scary. What did you do next?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Nov 19
@Janet357 We have great fishing spots all around us, as well as beautiful natural areas. We don’t have to go far.
@moffittjc (118418)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 19
I am in the city also, but we are surrounded by swamps, forests, prairies and more, so it’s really easy to escape the city life and get out and enjoy nature!
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75656)
•
12 Nov 19
@moffittjc you are fortunate Jeff. here swamps are many hours drive away.
i told my husband that we go fishing. my father told me about a nice place where we could do that. that is 3 hrs drive away from us.
1 person likes this
