Alligator Diets

There are only two living species in the family Alligatoridae. The American alligator is considered a threatened species, native only to freshwater wetlands of the southeastern United States. The smaller, critically endangered Chinese alligator, is found only in the Yangtze River. Both are apex predators within their ecosystems.

  1. American Alligator Diet

    • In the wild, fish make up the largest part of the American alligator's diet. Baby 'gators eat small fish, insects, crustaceans, worms, small rodents, frogs and lizards. Larger 'gators eat larger fish, rodents, snakes, turtles, frogs and waterfowl. Full-grown alligators have been known to take down very large prey such as deer, razorbacks, panthers, bears and even smaller alligators.

      Alligators generally swallow their food whole, but when dealing with larger prey, an alligator may shake its head or spin its body in order to tear off small enough pieces to swallow. Occasionally, American alligators have been known to feed on carrion.

    Chinese Alligator Diet

    • These nocturnal feeders eat mainly fish, crustaceans, mussels and occasionally rodents or waterfowl. During the cold winter months, they burrow in caves or underground and tend to cease their hunting activities. They brumate--similar to the way a mammal hibernates--in their burrows from October through March.

    Alligator Diet in Captivity

    • In a zoo or farm setting, an alligator will do fine on a diet of frozen fish combined with frozen mice, rats, rabbits or raw chicken. Make sure frozen foods are well-thawed before feeding, as alligators tend to regurgitate food that is too cold. Adding a vitamin mixture such as Vionate to frozen food may be helpful, but it is not necessary. Live food is not recommended for alligators in human care, as they will learn to associate movement with feeding opportunity and may chomp down on a caretaker's hand or leg. Also, live foods may manage to elude or escape the alligator.

      There are also commercial "alligator chows" sold to breeders, farms and laboratories. These are best used as a supplement rather than a complete diet.