Man kept gator because 'chicks dig it'

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FORD HEIGHTS, Ill., May 7 (UPI) -- An Illinois man says he kept a 4-foot alligator in his home because "chicks dig it."

Dewayne Yarbrough, 42, of Ford Heights, said he kept the animal in a small tank and fed it just once a month to keep its size down, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

"He stated that he kept the alligator as a pet because it attracted women," the Cook County sheriff's office said.

Yarbrough was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of a dangerous animal. He said he purchased the alligator about five years ago and he feeds it 10 live mice once a month to keep it svelte. Healthy alligators can grow to 14 feet in length.

Police arrested Yarbrough Thursday after the Cook County Sheriff's animal crimes unit received a tip he was keeping the alligator in his home.

Yarbrough reportedly told the arresting officers he kept the alligator because the "chicks dig it."

The alligator was taken to the Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare League, and the Chicago Herpetological Society will take the animal at a later date.

Yarbrough was released after posting a $100 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Markham Court in July.