when i left haines city, the look on ben's face just tore me apart. so patty and i made the decision that i would go ahead and get out the navy. we would come down and go to work for her mom and dad. >> did it end up being what you thought it would be? >> no, it was totally different, out of our comfort zone. >> we were trying to get our feet wet and figure out exactly where our part was gonna be within the family structure, the business structure. >> and as allen discovers, wrangling these 600-pound, 10-foot carnivores is not without its hazards. what happened to your finger? >> crocodile bit it off. >> a crocodile bit it off? is that just a day at the office? >> that day, it was. [ both laugh ] >> working with patty's dad, allen learns the ins and outs of the gator business -- and to keep his fingers away from their mouths. >> we spend all of our time trying to make sure our alligators are happy, they're fed well, they have healthy skins. >> and remember dave's first incubator, a wooden crate in the living room? by 1994, son-in-law allen has helped