If you’re one of our followers on Twitter (www.twitter.com/corbinmaxey) then you might have already heard the news that we are in the process of rescuing a baby alligator. In preparation for his arrival on October 13th I’ve decided to show some never-before-seen pictures of my history raising these amazing creatures.
***Pictured above is me at age 13 with my very first alligator named “Manny.”
Manny was rescued from a local pet store that was ILLEGALLY selling alligators to young children. She had such a wonderful personality and educated thousands of people. Housing Manny for nearly three years allowed to see and experience firsthand what it was like to work with these intelligent crocodilians.
I can’t believe I dug this old photo up! This is me at 14-years-old with Soni our American Alligator as a baby. He was so cute! I sure do miss those days when he was handable. That summer Soni and I performed in “Reptile Rampage.” A show I wrote, produced, and performed in at a local zoo.
Here is a picture of Soni NOW! He is almost 6 feet long and unfortunately isn’t too keen on being handled. Soni was rescued after he was living in someone’s bedroom for nearly two years! He has shared his story across the nation on shows like “The Tonight Show” and “The Martha Stewart Show.”
Here is another picture of Soni and me during an appearance in 2008. That was the last year we used him in our educational programs. Now he currently lives at the reserve in a custom-built exhibit featuring a heated pool, basking areas, and palm trees.
As preparation is underway for our little “baby” I promise to keep everyone posted on up-to-date info concerning our most recent rescue...Stay tuned!!!