Snakes are terrifying.
That might not be the most professional or journalistic way to start this story, but it’s all I could think about as I watched this footage. I’ve seen plenty of “snake eats something alive” videos, and somehow this one is worse than all the others.
Considering that there are videos out there of pythons swallowing alligators and deer whole, you might think I’m exaggerating when I say the clip below is worse than those. There’s just something about seeing a little toad fighting for its life that sticks with you. Before I go any farther, let me just say this 10-minute video isn’t for the faint of heart. It is, however, the perfect video for those select people (I like to call them maniacs) that are fans of snakes, and maybe have considered bringing them into their homes as pets.
The video was filmed by a man who walked outside of his home and just so happened to stumble upon the scary, nightmare-fuel-battle to the death. Michael Gallant, the man who posted the footage onto his YouTube account, even apologized for his poor camera work, saying he wasn’t prepared for the “National Geographic nature scene on my driveway.”
And that it was, because this clip could have easily been set to dramatic music and narrated by some knowledgeable British accent. Instead, viewers get to hear commentary from the man himself, who says this as he tries to stop nature from taking its course.
“He’s too big for you. Leave him alone. What the ****? You can’t swallow him, you’re a garter snake.”
The garter snake must have heard that and considered it a challenge, because following that commentary, it only sped up its digestion of the amphibian. It first just had a hold of the toad’s back leg, but it soon started contorting its mouth to reach all the way around the toad’s back.
After about 10 minutes, the snake was finally able to swallow the toad whole…and while it was still alive. I don’t think I’ll ever forget some of the haunting images of the toad fighting for its life, and on that note, I’ll guide you to press the play button below (if you dare):
