Alligators reared for 8 weeks on purified diets at 32 °C averaged greater feed intake and body weight gain, but poorer feed efficiency ratios, than those grown at 28 °C. Environmental temperature had no effect on apparent digestibility of protein (95.4%), fat (96.1%), or energy (93.5%). Both isolated soybean protein (40% of dietary protein) and corn dextrin (16% of gross energy) were efficiently digested. High-solubility corn dextrin was slightly, but significantly, more digestible than low-solubility corn dextrin. Protein digestibility was greater when high-solubility corn dextrin was fed. Added taurine (0.1% of diet) improved body weight gain and resulted in greater fat digestibility. In a second experiment, digestibility of dietary protein and fat from purified diets were high (97.3 and 92.8%, respectively) and found to be influenced by dietary fat. Digestibility coefficients for protein, but not fat, were influenced (greater) when feces were allowed to remain in water for up to 6 h prior to collection for digestibility determinations. Digestibility of individual fatty acids varied with fat source. Stearic acid was the least digestible (77%), whereas the apparent digestibility of lauric, eicosenoic and docosapentaenoic acids was the greatest (100%). Fecal collection condition (wet vs dry) influenced the digestibility coefficients of some, but not all, fatty acids.