Wayward alligator named after late Steve Irwin lands in local shelter

The world may be mourning the loss of famed Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, but Steve the 3-foot, 4-inch alligator - or Irwin, as his new family calls him - is settling into his new home.

The young alligator was found last week roaming the streets of Grants Pass. The Josephine County Animal Shelter picked it up and kept it in quarantine until county officials could find the owner or a reptile rescue facility.

That's where Lucaina Camarillo, owner of Coos Bay-based Fuzzy Farms Rescue, came in. Fuzzy Farms is the only state-approved reptile rescue facility in Oregon.

Camarillo picked Irwin up on Thursday.

“He's a little cold,” Camarillo commented as she held him in her lap, petting Irwin's black-and-tan leathery skin. He also was a little bit dehydrated, but Camarillo plans to fix that.

Irwin has plenty of water and his legs, webbed feet and snout are no longer duct-taped. He will get raw, boneless chicken dinners, calcium and other vitamin supplements and a UV light to help his body metabolize the calcium so he won't have brittle bones and can grow up into a strong, healthy, 12-or-so-foot-long alligator.

Camarillo's husband, Josh, held Irwin upside down, stroking his whitish-colored belly as he brought the gator out to show visitors. That's how you calm an alligator, Josh explained. Rubbing its belly nearly puts it to sleep.

It seemed obvious that if alligators could purr, Irwin would have been buzzing like a bee. He was still, his legs relaxed. Even after Josh turned him right-side up, Irwin didn't move much.

The alligator's behavior is a far growl from Steve Irwin's Agro - the Crocodile Hunter's most aggressive crocodile housed at the Australia Zoo that has mangled lawn mowers, a pump and various landscaping tools while protecting his territory.

That's not to say that the young alligator is domesticated. Not at all. Lucaina constantly is aware Irwin's miniature teeth could easily take off a finger.

Cold-blooded reptiles, such as Irwin, need heat to stay warm, but the wayward alligator from Grants Pass still was a little chilly from the ride to Coos Bay. Josh, careful to keep their two young girls away from the gator, returned Irwin to his glass cage that had heat lamps, heat rocks and warm water. It wasn't long before Irwin settled into the water to warm up.

Some people just don't realize that many exotic animals can't survive here in the wild, Lucaina said. American alligators are native to the south, where the climate is much warmer. In the wet wilds of Oregon, the cold weather could slow an alligator's metabolism and stress the animal.

As a matter of fact, if a reptile has to be euthanized, lowering its body temperature - essentially, freezing - is the best way to do it, Camarillo said. Using an anesthetic is actually painful for the animal - the needle piercing a reptile's skin is not the same as piercing the softer skin of a mammal.

Lucaina and Josh are the only Fuzzy Farms employees qualified to handle Irwin. Lucaina said she's had to rescue three other alligators. When she got the call from Josephine County, “I just laughed,” she said, then told volunteer Patricia Norris, “This is No. 4.”

Fuzzy Farms has more than 100 exotic animals such as chinchillas, sugar gliders, degus, boas and more. The Camarillos also work with local pet stores to find homes for them.

Josh takes one boa out of its cage to show visitors. It had been abused and now has scars where its belly had been split open and cigarette butts had been put out on its back.

He handles it with the care and sensitivity other people reserve for kittens and puppies. The snake stretches out its neck and flicks its tongue, sensing its environment. It's simply curious, Josh said.

“These are the most emotional pets,” he said, wondering how anyone can say snakes lack emotions.

This boa in particular is an escape artist, Lucaina said, placing several heat rocks on the lid of its cage.

All the animals and their individual environments require a lot of care.

The cages take time to clean, the food runs more than $500 a month and the electric bill to run the heat lamps is more than $200 a month, said Camarillo.

“The biggest expense is the cages,” Josh said, noting that a cage to hold a big boa or Irwin can cost as much as $1,000.

The Camarillos rely on three volunteers who also enjoy the animals: Norris, James Marron and Matthew Pichette. They're also looking for a bigger facility.

Lucaina Camarillo also is going through the process of being approved by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to rescue larger animals and also venomous snakes. Once that happens, Fuzzy Farms will be looking for a larger tract of land, about 100 acres, on which to care for animals such as elk. The Camarillos also are planning to start a nonprofit organization so they can accept donations and rescue more animals.

Until then, the Camarillos are content with Irwin, whom they must keep for at least 30 days. He's their little celebrity, named after the celebrity their daughters watched on television and who Lucaina talked to on occasion, when she had questions about reptiles.

“He's been such an inspiration,” Lucaina said of the Crocodile Hunter. “My kids just love him. I have to give (Steve and Terri Irwin) a lot of the credit.”