Raising Gators for Table Fare

[Anatopism]

I wouldn't see the point to raise balls for food (snakes, not rocky mountain oysters). They grow too slowly and even full grown wouldn't provide much meat. Gators at farms, on the other hand, will grow up to 4' in their first year. I wouldn't tell someone that they shouldn't eat anything but some things to me wouldn't make sense.

+1

Just watched a silly video on why we don't ride zebras... talked about the 7 characteristics an animal must meet to be considered 'domesticated' or 'domesticatable' (might have made that word up, doesn't look right in text)... there are lots of things that probably taste great, or would be worth eating if you were out in the wild and needed a meal, but don't make sense to farm or raise as a regular food source. People will pay a lot more for a living breathing breedable ball python, than one on a plate

EDIT: BTW.. the answer to why we don't ride zebras, is that apparently, as they get older, they also get really mean. I wish we could ride elk around. Tell me that wouldn't be awesome.

I don't have a problem if the animals are kept humanely, but the government might. If you are raising animals for slaughter and are in the US, you might need to get special commercial permits or agricultural licenses. Be sure to check this out first, or else you could get a nasty fine.

^^^^ This.

I wonder if people would be so open-minded if the OP were asking about raising ball pythons instead of gators?

I would have no problem with somebody raising any type of snake for meat, including ball pythons, if done so humanely/legally

Now I've started wondering... what have I eaten?

- Horse
- Lamb/Sheep
- Goat
- Mealworms
- Crickets
- Chicken (meat, egg)
- Rabbit
- Snake
- Gator
- Cow/Veal
- Venison/Deer
- Elk
- Turkey
- Pig
- Duck (meat, eggs on the way)
- Bison/American Buffalo
- Assorted seafoods/crustaceans/snails, cooked and raw (mmmmmmm sushi)

Most seem pretty tame imo.. but there are lots on my list I'd like to try, just for the experience, and because I've yet to eat a meat I don't like at least the flavor of. Only texture issue I've had were with some seafoods.. but still delicious. Doesn't matter what animal or if it is seen as a pet by one culture and not the other... If it's meat raised ethically/responsibly/humanely, it's on my list. I avoid certain types of fish, or brands I know don't raise or harvest or fish responsibly. I don't want to contribute to a declining population if I can help it, but if the species is doing well, and collected/harvested/raised/slaughtered to my standards, why not? (As Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods would say, "If it looks good, eat it!")