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A Naples, Florida father is facing felony charges after officers found a baby alligator in his 13-year-old son's bedroom.

"I didn't think it was a big deal because there's millions of them and they said they took them off the endangered species list," Kevin Gill tells

[ NBC ]

2.

Collier County deputies were serving a warrant at the home when they spotted the 8-inch alligator in a small aquarium under a heat lamp.

"I figured it wasn't no different than a lizard or a snake. He's a reptile," said Gill.

According to the family, Gill found a bird attacking the baby gator, so he saved it, and has been nursing it back to health. He claims he didn't know it was illegal in the state of Florida to keep the gator. Deputies arrested Gill, who now faces felony charges.

"Every person I talk to is amazed that I was arrested for something like that."

[ NBC2 ]

reports that anyone who wants to own an alligator has to go through at least 1,000 hours of training first and then apply for a license.

Watch the video report

[ HERE ]

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[ NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral ]