JunglePete is a responsible scientist and a serious conservationist. You may have gotten a false impression that he’s an irresponsible person who keeps exotic pets because I keep joking about having to share a bathroom with reptiles while staying at his house. Nothing could be farther from the truth. When I met Pete almost 30 years ago (really? 30?) he was being raised by monkeys, but it was on a sanctuary. Pete knows firsthand not to keep beasties in the house that don’t belong there and he knows the bad things that can happen to critters when people try to keep them as pets.
Mind you, this is the guy who keeps posting facebook updates that he’s in a hotel room with an alligator, so it’s not entirely my fault if you think he’s a lunatic. I just want to set the record straight: JunglePete doesn’t randomly take gators to hotel rooms. He always does the honorable thing and marries them first.
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I’m adding a postscript to this post. I checked my email and there was a message from Pete with this link in it, “What’s in the box? MeanLouise edition”. I just don’t know what to say!
She’s feisty, shows her teeth and hisses but is gentle – for now. She may look cute but some day she’ll be able to do some damage.
I think that part’s about the gator, not me, but I can’t be sure…
The story telling may get out of hand on my part – but rest assured the alligator is in good hands and after being abandoned by an irresponsible owner is now going to a better place – essentially an alligator spa where Mean Louise (the gator) can eat all the mice she wants and doesn’t have to worry about the toothy adult alligators that would eat her in the wild.
All you can eat mice? That’s my kinda place!
(oops, did I say that out loud?)
Mean Louise the Gator is now living at Sunset Isle on the Miccosukee Indian Reservation in the Everglades. Life is Good