Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Quick question - I tried searching the forum but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. . .
How do people tape their alligator's mouth's shut? I have seen it done numerous times, but I never understood the process. I have even seen tape with a rope around it for much larger gators. I just wanted to know exactly how you guys did it!
Thanks,
Monica

For anything other than a small gator, it's a two person process. One to straddle the animal angling the head up to remove the mechanical advantage the animal has with it's incredibly strong neck, while at the same time holding the jaws closed with both hands. The other person wraps the tape around the snout. While it's true that the jaws can be held closed, even with a large gator, the side to side strength would break your grip if you didn't gain leverage.

Caution has to be used to not cover the nostrils or allow the tape to be loose enough that it could slip and cover them. With the mouth closed, the animal would suffocate were this to happen.

Bill

Electrical tape is probably the best product to use, as duct tape tends to slip if it is not put on expertly, which sometimes even experts don't do...

Of course, with larger specimens, you would use more wraps of the tape. Be sure to pull the tape taut to stretch it as you wrap it. The tape is not meant to stick to the gator's snout, but rather to stick to itself.

If you're a really robust and experienced handler, you can do this alone with a specimen up to about 8 feet long or so. This involves everything Bill mentioned, in addition to holding the head properly after 'setting' it, and then carefully and quickly wrapping the tape - this method takes practice and a knowlege of the gator's ability to laterally swipe its head.

For a more aggressive gator being wrapped solo, you would have to pull its head back and under your chin, minimizing the power of the neck muscles, and wrap the tape as you keep the head back. I do NOT recommend this to a beginner (!!), but if you are working toward being an expert, it is something to consider reaching for, with practice and someone to spot you. One should not really be dealing with that size crocodilian without a 'back-up' person present,anyway, in case of an emergency.
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Israel Dupont
Winter Haven, FL