Watch confused alligator try to navigate steps from the second floor of SC beach home
One of South Carolina’s rascally alligators rattled tourists when it showed up on the second-story deck of a vacation home in Folly Beach.
Videos posted Oct. 27 on Facebook show the alligator was discovered after it reached the top of the stairs.
“Having a house (at) Folly Beach SC for 11 years we have never seen or heard of alligators on the island because there are no ponds,” Greg Bayer wrote.
“That all changed today when the guests at my neighbor’s house pointed out that they had a visitor on the second floor porch. He climbed 16 steps to get there.”
The alligator looks confused in the videos, having realized too late that the stairs led to a wall and railings rather than an exit.
It appeared to be considering a jump from the second floor, until Bayer decided to help. His assistance involved herding the alligator back toward the stairs.
Video shows it teetered precariously at the top for awhile, then appeared to half walk, half slide down the steps. That unexpected move elicited screams from those watching.
“He hissed at me a few times,” Bayer wrote.
The 6-foot alligator eventually exited a gate and went to a marsh near the home, which is on East Erie Avenue, Bayer told WCBD. Folly Beach is about 10 miles south of Charleston.
The videos have been views thousands of times and gotten hundreds of reactions, including a lot of trick-or-treat jokes. Some wondered what the gator expected to find at the top of the stairs, while others say it got lucky to encounter sympathetic tourists.
“One can only imagine the ruckus an inebriated, and disoriented tourist would’ve caused,” John Tucker wrote on Facebook.
“I’ll hand him a beer and some wings,” William Leon said.
“Don’t leave your keys under a planter. They probably know how to unlock a door!” Vicki Owens Sutphin wrote on Facebook.
This story was originally published November 3, 2023 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Watch confused alligator try to navigate steps from the second floor of SC beach home."