Discover Why Alligators Hold Their Mouth Open and Stare into the Abyss 

Alligators live only in the Southeastern United States and in parts of Eastern China. There are two different species: The American alligator and the Chinese alligator. These large reptiles are commonly confused with crocodiles, which live in tropical settings in Africa, Asia, North America, South America, and Australia. There are several ways to tell the difference between the two species:

• Crocodiles are much larger. They can grow up to 17 feet long and weigh up to 2,200 pounds. Alligators grow up to 15 feet long but are just 500 pounds at most.
• Alligators have a wide, round snout, while crocodiles have a sharper, pointed snout.
• Crocodiles’ teeth protrude from their mouths, giving the appearance of a grin. Alligators’ teeth are fully hidden by their mouths.

Because they are in the same taxonomic order as crocodiles, some people use the term crocodile to refer to both alligators and crocodiles.

Why Do Alligators Hold Their Mouths Open?

Alligators are reptiles, meaning they are cold-blooded. They cannot regulate their temperature internally and take on the temperature of their environment. So, to help regulate their temperature when it is too hot, they open their mouths to release excess heat. Humans release excess heat through sweating, and dogs do it through panting. Alligators (and crocodiles too!) use this behavior to beat the heat.

When they are too cold, they will find a sunny spot or a warm rock to elevate their body temperature.

Another reason alligators keep their mouths open is so that small birds and fish can clean their teeth!

Why Do Alligators Stay So Still?

To some, an alligator appears to be staring into the abyss. However, they stay still in order to conserve energy and to digest their meals. An alligator may only eat 15-20 times per year and can actually live for two to three years without eating anything. Larger alligators can swallow pretty large animals whole, and that takes time to digest and break down, which also takes a lot of energy.

Can An Alligator Hold Its Breath?

An alligator can stay underwater for up to two hours. However, typical dives are more like 10-20 minutes. When they go underwater, several physiological changes take place. First, their heart slows to just three beats per minute. The alligator’s body only sends oxygen to its heart during the dive. Once the oxygen is nearly depleted, the alligator will return to the surface. Studies suggest that the alligator is able to actually stop blood flow to its muscles to conserve oxygen.

Can You Stop an Alligator from Opening Its Mouth?

Alligators have extremely weak muscles for opening their mouths and extremely strong ones for biting down. It would be pretty easy to keep their mouth shut with one hand or even with a strong rubber band. However, alligators thrash and turn their bodies to escape, meaning it would be hard to keep your grip on their snout. So, theoretically, you could hold an alligator’s mouth shut, but in the real world, it would be pretty challenging.