alligator in a swimming pool
Jade Small
Jade Small
May 10, 2021 ·  3 min read

This Alligator Was Found Lounging On Family’s Alligator Pool Float At Airbnb

We have all seen some very strange, peculiar things in our lifetime. But nothing could ever come close to what I am about to tell you about! Ever seen an animal, on a pool lounger? But, the pool lounger happened to be a blown-up version of said animal? Probably not. And even less likely, an alligator on an alligator pool float! Yup, you heard that right! Can you imagine finding one of these scaly reptiles in your pool? let alone on top of an alligator floater? You might not be able to picture it, but, hey, the strangest things do seem to happen in Florida!

Alligator on vacation?

While in Florida, spotting an alligator in a place such as a stormwater drain or at a golf course might be normal. It certainly is not normal to find one in your swimming pool; at least, not in this way. Well, Dave Jacobs and his family from Georgia got quite the surprise when in Miami for a wedding back in 2019. When they arrived at their Airbnb, the gator had been on the other side of the fence by the lake. It even taunted their little dog. The pool deck was actually screened in completely, and their terrier spent the day barking at the pesky reptile. “We thought that was pretty cute. Then, the next day, it just showed up in the pool, Dave said about his dog.[1]

After making some calls to get the reptile removed, the family realized it was actually alligator mating season!

We have gators in Georgia, but they’re just in areas that are not as populated, like some swamp where no one lives. But in Florida, they’re just in your neighborhoods.”

Dave Jacobs

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Alligator Lounging on Alligator Pool Float in Miami, Florida
Dave Jacobs

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Gaters are not pets

Alligators are not strangers in Florida, and they’ve been seen in some pretty strange places! Many of them end up in these odd places because humans think they will make cool pets…that is until they grow up![2]

The most common story is that people think it’s pretty cool to get an alligator when they’re small, and then as they grow it becomes very clear at some point that they can’t handle having this pet. Because either they’re embarrassed or they don’t know where to go, they just release them into the wild.

Dr. Ellen Boyd associate veterinarian at Animal House of Chicago

Strange places alligators have been spotted

Here are a few bizarre places gators have been found:

1. A Grocery Store. In 2014, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a gator made an appearance in the produce aisle of a grocery store! It turns out it was someone’s pet. The owner reckoned her three-year-old child might have hidden their beloved pet in her bag, and that’s how it ended up there.[3]

2. A bathtub. A 2012 raid left cops in Runcorn, Cheshire, rather puzzled! Their bust into a criminal’s home resulted in them discovering a huge 8-foot alligator in the bathtub. There were also other reptiles, namely four cobras and a rattlesnake.[3]

3. A Jacuzzi. In Florida, yet again, an alligator was found. This time in a Jacuzzi! Ironically, the gator was also found due to a police warranted search. The owner of the house says the alligator was already living in the back yard and hot tub when he moved in, but he also spent that whole year feeding raw chicken to the reptile![3]

Keep Reading: Stunningly Rare Albino Turtles Look Like Fiery Little Creatures

Sources

  1. Vacationers Find Alligator Lounging on Alligator Pool Float at Their Miami Airbnb.Miami News Florida. Jessica Lipscomb. May 20, 2019
  2. Here’s a Map of All the Surprising Places Alligators Have Appeared Over the Past Year.” People. Kelli Bender July 23, 2019
  3. 15 of the Most Unusual Places Alligators Have Been Found.” Mental Floss