Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Stuart G

(38,363 posts)
Mon Mar 2, 2020, 11:18 PM Mar 2020

Police find a fully grown alligator living in the basement of an Ohio home

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/02/us/ohio-alligator-found-basement-trnd/index.html

(No, I did not make this up.)

(CNN) — Some people have spiders lurking in their basement. Others, maybe rats. This Ohio woman tops them all.

Police received an unusual tip last week in Madison Township directing them to her basement.

Once there, they discovered a fully grown, 5-foot-long American alligator.

"I've never seen anything like that in my 17 years in the department," Madison Township Police Commander Darrell Breneman told CNN.

The homeowner said her son bought the gator at a reptile flea market 25 years ago and had kept it in the basement ever since, police said.

The voluntarily surrendered the gator and the Ohio Department of Agriculture removed it from the home, police said.

The gator from Groveport was in good condition.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Groveport Ohio is a suburb of Columbus Ohio....This is NOT, I repeat ,,This is NOT a FLORIDA STORY...(even if it sounds like one)..Also, they police are sending the Gater, in good condition to an animal sanctuary in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina..
2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Police find a fully grown alligator living in the basement of an Ohio home (Original Post) Stuart G Mar 2020 OP
Of course it is not a Florida story csziggy Mar 2020 #1
If it's 5 ft, it's not nearly "fully" grown. TygrBright Mar 2020 #2

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
1. Of course it is not a Florida story
Mon Mar 2, 2020, 11:27 PM
Mar 2020

Most Florida homes do not have basements!

Though in thinking about it, your story probably started in Florida.

TygrBright

(20,733 posts)
2. If it's 5 ft, it's not nearly "fully" grown.
Tue Mar 3, 2020, 12:23 AM
Mar 2020

Alligators never stop growing entirely. At some point they slow down considerably- generally after six or seven decades. If factors such as disease, other predators, accidents, etc. do not intervene to kill them, they eventually reach a point where their own metabolism fails as they can no longer maintain themselves. Males can reach 12-13 feet by that time, females 9-10 feet, longer specimens are not unknown.

Unless the gator in question was an exotic (there are smaller species than the native American gator) it was unlikely to be full grown, probably 7-8 years old or so.

interestedly,
Bright

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Weird News»Police find a fully grown...