which president had a pet alligator

The president most often associated with having a pet alligator is John Quincy Adams , the 6th president of the United States.

Quick Scoop: Did a president really have a pet alligator?

Historians say the famous story is more legend than proven fact, but it’s a great piece of presidential lore.

The legend

• The tale says John Quincy Adams received a live alligator as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette.

• The alligator supposedly lived for a time in a White House bathroom near the unfinished East Room.

• One popular version claims Adams liked to send unsuspecting visitors to that bathroom to watch them panic at the sight of the reptile.

What historians actually think

• Adams kept meticulous diaries, letters, and records, but none mention an alligator at the White House.

• Institutions like the White House Historical Association and other historians consider it a “satisfying but dubious legend,” not a documented fact.

• The story persists because it’s quirky, harmless, and makes a very serious, reserved president feel more human and eccentric.

So, who “had” the pet alligator?

If you’re answering trivia or a quick quiz:

• The expected answer is: John Quincy Adams.

If you want the nuanced, historically careful version:

• According to legend, John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator in the White House, but there’s no solid evidence it really happened.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.