Florida man offers alligators to swim at parties

MADEIRA BEACH, Florida (AP) - Forget about ponies, bounce houses and clowns.

For US$175 (S$214), a Florida businessman is spicing up kids' parties by bringing tiny alligators and letting them swim in clients' pools. Mr Bob Barrett says the gator pool parties are totally safe - the reptiles' mouths are clamped shut with veterinary-grade tape.

He says he gives the kids a safety lesson and a science talk about gators. Mr Barrett runs a beachside alligator attraction where people can get their photos taken with the young reptiles; he started renting the gators to parties last summer when business was slow.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says Mr Barrett has a license to exhibit the gators and adds that people should always use caution when they come into contact with wild animals.