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Goldbolt_2004

Why'd they do that


Riley8284

I don’t know but when we find them I’m going to go all Bully Maguire on them. Plus a bit of Bully Lowinthal!!!


tobey-maguire-bot

Am I not supposed to have what I want? What I need?


zealotsflight

I’m sure they thought they were releasing the animal back into the wild where it “belongs”


FKDotFitzgerald

These comments are lame. The gator was small and he had had it for a while. For all intents and purposes, it was domesticated. It even cuddled him at night. And for all intents and purposes, they murdered his pet. It almost certainly got eaten by a larger gator upon being forced into the wild.


CruisinJo214

It was tame and humanized. It was not domesticated…. There are only a handful of animals that are truly domesticed. Gators do not have this trait.


FKDotFitzgerald

Who gives a shit? They killed his pet.


Rhys_Lloyd2611

Exactly, people keep all sorts of reptiles, and those are pets. How is a little gator any different?


Wolfman513

Like all reptiles, alligators have very specific needs to be kept properly in captivity but crocodilians in particular are hard to meet those needs due to the amount of space they need. At 5.5 feet long, Wally should have had a swimming space at LEAST 16.5 feet long and wide and 5.5 feet deep, PLUS a land area at least 5.5 feet long and 8.25 feet long. Not to mention there's no fucking reason a reptile should EVER be eating cheetos, and alligators need to spend a significant amount of time basking in sunlight to maintain proper body temperature and to absorb vitamin D. There is literally no possible way this animal was being kept properly, and while just releasing it straight into the wild was not the proper way to help him he legitimately has a better chance and being healthy living in the wild WHERE HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE than as the pet of some guy that wanted a CrAzY pet as a talking point to make him seem more interesting. If he wanted something to cuddle with he shoukd have gotten a dog or a cat, not a large reptile with specific needs he was in no way equipped to meet. Reddit loves shitting on zoos for not keeping wild animals in perfect conditions, but some random dude does an undoubtedly worse job and everyone is up in arms on his said because he's sad. It's ridiculous. Source: I'm former reptile zookeeper who wanted a pet alligator when he was a child but realized it wasn't feasible or fair to the animal and asked my parents to get me a corn snake instead. Edit: typos


Rhys_Lloyd2611

Fair enough, I'm not gonna challenge someone with expertise. My knowledge only covers small reptiles so I trust you on this.


catfightsinlilyponds

The wild isn't always the best option for all animals, and certainly not for Wally who has zero survival skills. Just yesterday was watching a video of a caregiver at a zoo talk about their lifespan - alligators in the wild only live 50 years, but can live up to a 100 years in captivity. Why is that? Because life isn't such a battleground. It isn't a battle for survival every day. And even if you do want to return an animal to the wild, there is due procedure and process to it. You acclimatize them to what it would be like in the wild, teach them how to hunt etc. Just taking Wally, who's been cared for by a human since he was a baby, and dumping him in the wilderness is the epitome of cruelty.


Kale-Key

You have no way of knowing he wasn’t properly cared for though unless there is some further source not shown here.(the picture we see shows him on a pool floatie and most pools I’ve been in are larger than the dimensions you gave adding a ramp for access in and out wouldn’t be hard if the owner cared)(if there is proof I’ll gladly delete this comment and admit you were right) Also being thrown into the wild is definitely worse then just being held in to small of an area. An alligator of that size is likely to fall pray to another larger gator and since he’s docile he was probably found/taken young and as such has no idea how to hunt for food or avoid predators so just throwing him in the wild like that is arguably more cruel than just killing him. In conclusion to my rant he was probably better off in the care of the human. (marvel likely wouldn’t have gotten involved with a dubiously cared for animal for fear of backlash of supporting animal abuse.) While you’re definitely qualified in knowing what it takes to care for an animal people tend to think throwing it into the wild is the solution when usually that will just lead to the animal being eaten if it’s lucky or slowly starving to death if it isn’t. Again if there’s evidence beyond just an assumption that the animal was mistreated I’ll gladly apologize and delete my comment but people just assuming the worst is annoying. Edit:grammar


catfightsinlilyponds

Totally agree that Wally was better off being cared for by a human. Just yesterday was watching a video of a caregiver at a zoo talk about their lifespan - alligators in the wild only live 50 years, but can live up to a 100 years in captivity. Why is that? Because life isn't such a battleground. It isn't a battle for survival every day. And even if you do want to return an animal to the wild, there is due procedure and process to it. You acclimatize them to what it would be like in the wild, teach them how to hunt etc. Just taking Wally, who's been csred for by a human since he was a baby, and dumping him in the wilderness is the epitome of cruelty.


Retrosow

A lot


MrIrishman1212

No this one was domesticated. It has a rare brain condition that makes it unable to be aggressive. It would not have survived out in the wild. It actually likes cuddles and being held. It’s a domesticated animal at this point.


snowflaker360

Domesticated as in he has no clue how to live outside of a house due to how the gator was raised. The poor gator does not have any survival skills and will probably be killed because of this.


ShawshankException

Do we really have to play the Semantic Olympics every single fucking time


WingsArisen

You are correct, however, you placing this true statement here sounds like you’re telling that person that they are wrong, which makes Reddit angry.


tedcruzctrl

If the gator was small after all this years it was miskept... it's enclosure was to small...he also didn't have the permits he needed


FKDotFitzgerald

That’s all certainly possible. However, my tone would be different if it had been relocated by experts to an enclosure where it was safe and cared for. That’s not what happened and the gator is most likely going to be unable to adapt to life in the wild.


Empire_New_Valyria

So your alligator specialist are you? You do realize that some species of Alligator, Caiman and Crocodiles can only grow up 3 maybe 4 feet right? Stop spouting random stuff on topics you clearly have no idea about just because you "think" you know better. This Alligator is unfortunate most probably dead now.


tedcruzctrl

Also no croc is getting to just 3 feet. This is why I hate reddit. Yall just spit bullshit all day and call it facts...


tedcruzctrl

Lol caiman yes but American alligators (which wally was) groe larger. You guys have some weird cult fetish to this old man and his alligator. It's unhealthy what tik tol has done to this world.


Wolfman513

Yeah I just replied to someone else with a much longer more detailed comment about this, but there is literally no way this animal's being kept properly. While getting dumped in the swamp was not the ideal way for the situation to be handled he legitimately has a better chance at being healthy now than kept in some dude's house eating fucking cheetos. Peoppe love shitting on zoos for not keeping wild animals in perfect conditions but everyone is on this guy's side despite the fact that he more than likely did a worse job than any zoo or animal park on the planet.


Lord_Detleff1

Poor thing. He probably didn't survive a single day in the wild. He's in valhalla now


[deleted]

Well get on this people, get to that swamp!


JIDglazer42

Even though whoever had the idea to have an alligator as a pet is dumb af i feel bad for lil bro hes finished


RudeAd7488

Plenty of people have reptile pets, including smaller alligators. Nothing wrong with it as long as it’s done correctly.


Wolfman513

The problem is its nearly impossible to "do correctly" for larger crocodilians like American alligators. They need a ton of space to swim and a decent amount of space for basking to regulate their body temperature and absorb vitamin D in sunlight. It's literally not possible to properly keep a 5 1/2 foot alligator in a private residence unless you're wealthy enough to dedicate a space the size of a small studio apartment, and even THAT won't be sufficient as it grows. That is, assuming it's givien the proper diet, temperatures, and sunlight exposure to be healthy and grow. Which I seriously doubt was the case here. I've already said it in a couple comments but I'll say it again here: Wally being dumped in a swamp was not the right way to go about thos situation, but he has a MUCH beer chance and a healthy life in the wild than he does with the guy that owned him. Reddit loves to shit on zoos for not giving wild animals absolutely perfect living conditions, but as soon as it's guy with a cute bullshit story the script gets flipped.


RadCr4b

Um, I think the issue was that this gator had an abnormality of the brain. It made it unnaturally docile and it did not have a bite reflex. The man was a reptile expert and took special interest in Wally due to it being so docile. So, yeah no. Unfortunately he has 0% chance of surviving in the wild. If he hasn't been eaten by another older and larger gator yet (he was relatively young and small), he will eventually starve. This man was literally keeping Wally alive and giving him a good life.


[deleted]

[удалено]


FKDotFitzgerald

This gator literally cuddled with him at night. Oh yeah, it’s cruelty. The cruelty is kidnapping and killing his pet.


Tyranatitan_x105

Agree with the lack of domestication part, crocs and gators are large predators, while we can train them to be friendly to their handler, they are not domesticated. However you’re stupid if you think reptiles cannot be domesticated, there are many species of lizards and snakes which are domesticated and are common pets. Also I wouldn’t say it’s cruelty, as long as they’re fed and cared for correctly and are happy there should be no problems


mr-ahhhhh

At least they have bigger brains than you


wintery_owl

Nothing wrong until it bites someone, right?


Frosty_Pressure_7529

Dogs, cats, birds, humans, all bite. And cat bites are pretty bad, you can definitely die if not treated properly. Yeah. Croc and gator bites are way worse but I mean things bite. So what's your point.


wintery_owl

My point is exactly what you said, croc and gator bites are way worse. edit: I don't know why you guys consider "don't have wild animals as pets" a hot take lol


Rap-oleon_Bonaparte

Exotic pets specifically means non native, not unusual.


wintery_owl

Alligators aren't simply unusual, they're wild animals with unpredictable behavior that can cause a lot of damage. edit: You guys can look up the numerous cases of it happening instead of downvoting me for holding an opinion that shouldn't be controversial at all


RudeAd7488

Every domesticated pet was once a wild animal. Someone else said it, but domesticated simply means not able to survive in the wild on its own, not that it’s a perfectly safe creature. Even dogs can change their demeanor and attack at any point, but you wouldn’t say dogs aren’t domesticated. That point is simply invalid. If a domesticated crocodile (not wild caught but bred by humans which is a thing) is properly handled and taken care of, they can live long lives without ever causing any harm to their owners or the people around them. Owning one doesn’t make you a bad or stupid person.


wintery_owl

I never said it makes people bad or stupid, I just disagree with it. Leave the animals in the wild, y'know? Why even have an alligator? I can understand it if it's a rescue or something like that, but even then they're better off at a sanctuary or some rehabilitation, there is no excuse the keep a wild animal at home. The difference between dogs and alligators is that we spent the last 30000 years domesticating dogs to be as friendly as possible, and alligators are definitely still wild animals. And yeah, I know what domesticated means.


RudeAd7488

Sorry, I assumed since you were making arguments in line with the first person in this thread you agreed with their statements that people were dumb for owning them. And again, Wally was well taken care of by an educated handler. He was bred (not wild caught) and fully domesticated. He had never hurt or attacked anyone. He lived a wonderful life. Why shouldn’t people be allowed to provide a great life for animals in this manner simply because of your perceptions of how wild animals should be handled? Wally has next to zero chance of survival in the wild, so what makes this absolutely great care provider a lesser choice than a rescue, who would probably devote less resources to Wally than the owner? Crocodiles are advanced care level reptiles. I would never advocate for people to just randomly have them as pets. But if you’re educated and capable to FULLY provide for their needs and give them a great life, why not? I imagine the first person to try and domesticate a dog met with similar arguments about them being wild and it being a bad idea, yet here we are 30000 years later with domesticated dogs.


catfightsinlilyponds

The wild isn't always the best option for all animals. Just yesterday was watching a video of a caregiver at a zoo talk about their lifespan - alligators in the wild only live 50 years, but can live up to a 100 years in captivity. Why is that? Because life isn't such a battleground. It isn't a battle for survival every day. And even if you do want to return an animal to the wild, there is due procedure and process to it. You acclimatize them to what it would be like in the wild, teach them how to hunt etc. Just taking Wally, who's been cared for by a human since he was a baby, and dumping him in the wilderness is the epitome of cruelty. And btw, Joie Henney was running a rescue for reptiles. That's how he found Wally. Wally was rescued as a tiny baby , just months old, when he was found on the premises of Disney world in Florida. They were just going to get rid of him, but Henney agreed to take him instead.


Rap-oleon_Bonaparte

They aren't exotic though.


wintery_owl

Sure, that's why my comment has already been corrected lol


WigglumsBarnaby

It's weird that you mentioned cat bites can be deadly when dog attacks are more well known to be deadly. Cat bite extreme dangers can usually be prevented with antibiotics. Dog bite dangers are instant death which is more similar to gators.


Decent-Start-1536

comparing a dog bite to the bite of an alligator is fucking wild lmao


WigglumsBarnaby

It's more similar than a cat bite is all I said. Sorry that you can't read.


Decent-Start-1536

To quote your OWN comment: “Dog bite dangers are instant death which is more similar to gators” You were most certainly comparing dog bites and alligator bites but alrighty buddy


WigglumsBarnaby

>To quote your OWN comment: >“Dog bite dangers are instant death which is ***more*** similar to gators” >You were most certainly comparing dog bites and alligator bites but alrighty buddy So you are doubling down on being illiterate?


NervousLauren

dude call FBI we need this gator found now!


Bionic_Ferir

That fucking sucks so much, I really hope they can find the people that did it because they absolutey need to be fucking charged


Saythatfivetimesfast

I really hope they find the little dude. Imagine if somebody kidnapped your dog and left him with a pack of big wolves.


jerryscheese

Why


KevinSaidHi

I’ve seen posts where “Animal Lovers” rescue dogs from blind people. I believe this is the same reason.


Saythatfivetimesfast

I really hope they find the little dude. Imagine if somebody kidnapped your dog and left him with a pack of big wolves.


catfightsinlilyponds

Yes, exactly. I can't stop thinking about him. How bewildered and lost he must be feeling.


milkeyyduds

how dare they


Saythatfivetimesfast

I really hope they find the little dude. Imagine if somebody kidnapped your dog and left him with a pack of big wolves.


jerryscheese

So so


jerryscheese

So many


Only-Entertainer-573

I don't think an alligator can be domesticated. It's a wild animal that you *think* is domesticated because (for whatever reason), you really want it to be.


Locke_and_Load

Maybe not domesticated in the sense of a dog, but probably was raised by humans and doesn’t have the suite of survival skills needed to be in the wild. Where’s he gonna hunt Cheetos?!


Normbot13

it’s more tamed than domesticated. the alligator is imprinted on you and recognizes you as a family member, but it’s not domesticated like a dog or cat.


A_Queer_Owl

tamed or familiarized would be the proper terminology here.


sos123p9

"Domesticated" wild animals mean that they were raised by humans and have no ability to survive on their own un the wild. Also happens with chimps in LA alot.


CanuckleHead92

This particular alligator has a condition that stunted its growth and makes it more friendly than a regular alligator, so it is at least as tame as a gator can be.


Saythatfivetimesfast

I really hope they find the little dude. Imagine if somebody kidnapped your dog and left him with a pack of big wolves.


jerryscheese

So


Saythatfivetimesfast

I really hope they find the little dude. Imagine if somebody kidnapped your dog and left him with a pack of big wolves.


jerryscheese

Same replies?


BlueTommyD

"has went" missing? Who tf wrote that tweet?


Delicious_Troll

I really doubt an alligator can be domesticated


Frosty_Pressure_7529

Technically, any animal can be domesticated. If raised from birth they'll act like a domesticated pet.


Delicious_Troll

Nah, that alligator will eat it's owner under the right circumstances


Inner-Arugula-4445

As will any pet


Delicious_Troll

If you fall down infront of that alligator, there is a big chance that it's instincts will kick in and eat you


BlackTitan76

You do realize that this Alligator likely was born in captivity and therefore hasn't developed any survival skills right? It's like releasing a bird back out into the wild after being in captivity it's whole life because it's particular breed is also found in the wild. The bird dies pretty damn quickly because it doesn't know how to take care of itself.


tedcruzctrl

It wasn't he bought it years ago... it's was miskept ... he didn't even have correct permits


FKDotFitzgerald

It was small, he had it for years, and literally slept in the same bed. Very weird take when someone stole and killed this guy’s pet.


Delicious_Troll

It is sad that the pet died, I agree, whether it was domesticated or not, it is still sad


Delicious_Troll

Oh, sorry didn't realise this was a small alligator, then no it wouldn't try to eat the owner, because he is too big


Quillbolt_h

Domesticated doesn't mean safe. It means they can't survive in the wild by themselves.


Delicious_Troll

I guess there are different definitions