Coming anywhere near alligators is a danger that even children are well-aware of, yet this has not prevented some people from taking up these over-grown reptiles as pets.

Today, one finds that many Kuwaiti youth have taken to keeping the most vicious of reptiles as pet, and one such person is Sami Al-Khulaifi, who has kept several alligators as pets at a specially-adapted farm.

Al-Khulaifi said that taking care of alligators was a hobby that he took up at the early age of six, saying that as he grew older, he found that the only way to sustain his growing love for these animals was to buy a farm where they could live in a more suitable habitat.

From there, he said that the matter progressed from being a hobby to being a source of revenue, adding that he saw no danger in taking care of alligators and had never regretted taking up this hobby.

He confessed that this hobby was one that needed patience and dedication, and that the alligators were in need of constant monitoring. Asked how this hobby came to bring in revenue, Al-Khulaifi said that he posted offers online, and that depending on the length of the alligator, they were being sold for KD 50 onwards.

Alligators feed on small animals, namely fish and birds, and one filling meal is enough to sustain the reptile for several weeks, he explained. He said that one of the problems he faced was the lack of specialized veterinary clinics for the treatment of reptiles.

However, he said that he included necessary vitamins in his diet for his dear alligators and was keen on making sure that the climate was just right so as to avoid any ailments from occurring. Alligators can live through harsh conditions, and during the summer they grow faster than in the winter, he explained.

He added that dealing with baby alligators was an enjoyable activity, but that once they started growing older and started to bite, one needed to handle them with care, but without displaying any tension as this could drive the alligator towards attack.

Kuwaittimes