In my younger days many years ago, I caught and handled baby alligators in the wild several times as part of a wildlife survey as they began to come back from near extinction. Baby alligators are remarkable in their coloration and perfect, almost jewel-like form. It is easy to see why people would want them as pets when they are small. Adult alligators in the wild are usually scarred up, with algae growing on them and an air of menace in that they are instinctively eyeing you as a potential meal.