Learn How to Handle an Alligator at the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in Mosca, Colorado

Would you like to do something a little different on your next vacation? Would you like to meet a movie star? Would you like to learn how to safely hold an alligator, or how to wrestle one? If that sounds a little too bold for you, it's also possible to learn the proper way to handle snakes, lizards, and turtles. You can also see any number of birds, including the American Avocet, the yellow-headed Blackbird, the Mountain Bluebird, the White Pelican, the Mountain Chickadee, the American Coot, the Great Horned Owl, and many others in the Bird Paradise. You can tour a working fish farm. You can see all these things, along with one of the most unusual rodeos you will ever see-all at the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in Mosca, Colorado, 17 miles north of Alamosa. You might even have the chance to be in a future rodeo-if you dare!

You won't see Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan, or Sandra Bullock at the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in Mosca, Colorado, but you will see Morris, the alligator who appeared in a variety of movies for 25 years. The owners of the park don't know how old Morris is, but estimate his age at 50. He appeared in such movies as "Happy Gilmore," "Interview with a Vampire," "Alligator 1," "Alligator 2," "Doctor Doolittle 2," and numerous television shows, including "Night, Court," "Coach," and "The Tonight Show with Steve Irwin."

Maybe you're the adventurous type, and you would like to learn how to hold an alligator, but you're not sure you want to wrestle one. Maybe you wonder why anyone would want to learn how to even hold an alligator. Regardless what your feelings are, you actually can learn both at the Colorado Gators Reptile Park, which has biggest alligators in the West.

The Alligator Handling Class begins in mid-March and is the only class in the world which gives people hands-on experience with a nine-foot alligator! The cost is $100, which is an addition to the general admission price for the park of $15. You will learn where to hold the alligator and where to keep your limbs out of harm's way. You will start with the smallest alligators and work your way up to a nine-foot creature. You will start with the two and three year old alligators and work up to the six to eight-year-olds.

After you graduate, you can, if you would like, participate in the annual Gatorfest. In the rodeo, whoever captures the biggest alligator in the shortest time will be famous, at least at the rodeo, and win cash.

Once you tire of looking at the alligators, you can look at the many dozens of varieties of birds at the farm. You can see all types of birds you may have never heard of. You will also see plenty of varieties you have, such as the Bald Eagle, and American Robin.

You will also be able to see some of the many rescued, unwanted, sometimes abused exotic pets. These pets include snakes, turtles, tortoises, and lizards. Many of the pets would have been euthanized when their owners realized they could not care for them. The farm educates the public about having such creatures as pets.

The farm started out as a place to keep Tilapia. There are still plenty of the Rocky Mountain White Tilapia at the Colorado Gators Reptile Park.

Many people who have visited the farm have positive comments about their experience.

"A group of us drove down to Alamosa from Denver to visit the Colorado Gator Farm," pfatalbert said on tripadvisor.com. "Three guys in our group had signed up for the gator wrestling class. Everyone who came down had an unbelievable, unforgettable time!

"You can get close (almost too close) to all of the gators with the regular price admission price."

A visit to the Colorado Gators Reptile Park may provide a vacation you won't soon forget.

Citations:

Colorado Gators Reptile Park, no author listed, en.wikipedia.org

Colorado Gators Reptile Park, no author listed, gatorfarm.com

Colorado Gators Reptile Park Mosca Colorado, no author listed, youtube.com

Gatorfest XV Rodeo, no author listed, gatorfarm.com

Colorado Alligator Farm: Traveler Reviews, no author listed, tripadvisor.com