Well That Didn't Take Long!
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118435)
Gainesville, Florida
June 8, 2020 7:09pm CST
With all the rain we've had here in Florida over the weekend, the meadow behind my house quickly turned into a lake (translation: everything's flooded). I was joking that it wouldn't be long before the alligators appeared and started roaming the neighborhood. Of course, when I said that, I suspected that it would be a few days to a week before the alligators appeared.
Well, I was wrong about that. The first one appeared today. Thankfully, just a little guy. But where there's little ones, there's big ones, so I'll have to keep an eye out when I'm walking around outside. And if a few neighborhood pets go missing soon, I will know why.
I was also thinking today that in Australia, @JudyEvans is always posting about kangaroos hanging around on her property. For many myLotters in the US, such as Eva (@wolfgirl569), it would be equivalent to all the deer you see around your properties. But for us here in Florida, it's alligators. So Judy posts about kangaroos, and I post about alligators. I wonder which one is more dangerous in a fight?
34 people like this
32 responses
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
9 Jun 20
The deer in NC are fun and we enjoy having them visit. When in FL, I'm not looking for the alligators, but know they are there!
6 people like this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
9 Jun 20
@moffittjc Yes, we know there are PLENTY of deer in Florida, but not where we stay. At another location owned by a family member, there are hunting camps where people go to hunt deer.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
Well, thankfully, we have deer here too, so you can look for them next time you're in Florida. Just keep an eye out for gators while you're watch the deer! Alligators love venison as much as people do! lol
5 people like this
@JimBo452020 (42629)
• United Kingdom
9 Jun 20
Alligators!!!!
Wow.
Round here its agressive Seagulls and bunny rabbits
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I can relate to the aggressive seagulls, as we have those here too (well at least along the beaches). But killer bunny rabbits? You may want to slow down on the drinking there Jimbo! haha
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@JimBo452020 The seagulls eat your vegetables? Maybe that should serve as a lesson to children everywhere! Haha
4 people like this
@JimBo452020 (42629)
• United Kingdom
9 Jun 20
@moffittjc
They munch through everything.
Carnage, we had no veg left last year.
But I quite like them.
I though feeding them might stop them attacking the Carrots.
Nah, they ate the lot, and simply invaded the veg patch.
They also for some reason like Beetroot.
So this year its Potatoes, they dont eat them
4 people like this
@dodo19 (47050)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
9 Jun 20
@moffittjc Lol. Probably the polar bears. Maybe the wolves too. We're well protected.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@dodo19 Thank God the igloos you live in are sturdy and well-built. That will protect you from the wolves! LOL
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
No kangaroos or alligators up your way? I guess all the polar bears scared them away! Haha
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
We're starting to have problems with wild boar here too. Actually, not our native wild boar, but the feral pigs that have gotten loose from farms and have adapted in the wild. Most people don't know (and don't care) about the difference between the two. They just tear up the landscape with all their rooting activity, and it's doing lots of damage to the local ecosystems.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
@LadyDuck I've seen the fangs on those wild boar before! It's definitely not something to mess with! And I agree with you, they destroy everything!
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
10 Jun 20
@moffittjc The boars killed a hunter last winter here, he was alone in the woods (that is always dangerous), the boar attacked him and with the fangs he cut the femoral artery... he lost too much blood before they could reach him.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40515)
• United States
9 Jun 20
Round here it's snakes and black bears. Out of the snakes, bears, gators, and roos, I'd rather face all of them than the fire ants in our yard. Well, maybe. Be careful where you walk. Has the storm been bad there?
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I agree with your assessment of the dangers of fire ants. I would gladly fight deer, bear, alligators, kangaroos and whatever else if it meant not ever having to deal with fire ants. And guess where fire ants go when it floods? They seek higher ground. And higher ground usually means peoples houses and yards!
Other than dumping 16 inches of rain in two short days, the storm was not bad here at all.
3 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
9 Jun 20
It must be difficult and risky to step out.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Jun 20
@amitkokiladitya You would get used to them after a while.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
No, it’s not too bad. The alligators like to stay close to water.
3 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
12 Jun 20
@moffittjc I would definitely be afraid..no matter what
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95136)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Jun 20
I would rather have the kangaroos around than your pets.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95136)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Jun 20
@moffittjc True but I dont like all those teeth
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@wolfgirl569 What's wrong with kangaroo teeth? Do they scare you? LOL
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
Hey Judy, are alligators more dangerous than kangaroos?
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@JudyEv Alligators won’t gnaw your leg off either! They’ll tear it off in one swift bite! Haha
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (94514)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 Jun 20
When it floods in Louisiana it is usually alligators, snakes and frogs that are on the street.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
The frogs were out of control last night. They came out by the millions it seemed. I had trouble sleeping due to the noise all of them were making!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@Deepizzaguy I seem to be having more of a frog problem right now. I think a million frogs came to life after this last bout of storms!
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (94514)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 Jun 20
@moffittjc I can relate to your problem since there are what appears to be duck noises coming from the outside of my bedroom.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (156056)
• United States
9 Jun 20
Alligators would definitely win that fight. Be careful! I would be out there looking for them too.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I'm definitely keeping an eye out for those gators. If I see a big enough one, I might just catch him and cook me up some gator tail nuggets! lol
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
@LindaOHio How'd you like it? I love it, I almost always get gator tail as an appetizer when I go out to eat.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156056)
• United States
10 Jun 20
@moffittjc I've had gator in Everglades City!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
He may be the friendly one. I may be the harmful one! haha
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
@vilma143 Haha. Don't worry, I am friendly with everyone, including alligators!
2 people like this
@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
9 Jun 20
I'd say alligators for they'll bite, kill and eat for they're very carnivorous!!! Kangaroos mainly if you let them alone they leave you alone and they're vegetarian. Stay safe!3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I wouldn’t want to be kicked by a kangaroo though!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
@oahuwriter That rule should apply to all wildlife, not just the dangerous ones! We should leave animals alone and let them live out their lives freely in the wild without our interference or meddling.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
10 Jun 20
@moffittjc
So true. Both are wild, and, best left alone plus to keep far away from too.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
@CarolDM Glad I could do my part to make you smile today!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
Kind of like me! I look innocent too, but everyone knows differently! hahahahaha
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
They're not giant mutated killer earthworms, are they?
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Jun 20
@Nevena83 Then you should be fine. Did you know that earthworms make really great bait for fishing?
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23677)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
10 Jun 20
Oh that's where Alan went--I was looking for him! Sheesh!! Just because we didn't have rain for 2 days he didn't have to go North!
Jeff, tell him to get back here before a kangaroo knocks him out!
3 people like this
@GreatMartin (23677)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
11 Jun 20
@moffittjc Thanks--I worry about him!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
I will have a talk with Alan just as soon as I see him this morning!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
9 Jun 20
He's cute, but dangerous. Don't see many deer around here, but we do have them in NC.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I think the alligator in the photo is too small right now to be dangerous.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
No, I’m not afraid of them, but I do have a very healthy respect for them.
3 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
9 Jun 20
As CCR says "Who'll Stop The Rain." In Florida, when it rains it rains cats and dogs and alligators too... 
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
I heard that song on the radio this morning! Lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 20
The abundance of free-roaming pets is probably why we see so much wildlife in urban areas. They're not dumb, they are going to go where there are easy food sources. We hear on the news all the time here stories about alligators eating cats, dogs and other small pets.
1 person likes this
@cperry2 (5608)
• Newport, Oregon
10 Jun 20
@moffittjc Its a shame really, So easy to prevent the loss of a pet, and people will get up in arms about their 'baby' disappearing.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 Jun 20
It feels great losing an arm! 
3 people like this
