Video: Trapped Snake “Thanks” Rescuers with Regurgitated Frog
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.27.15
Usually, helping wildlife in need is its own reward, but sometimes nature can surprise you. When two young men cut this entangled snake free in the video below, the creature showed its gratitude by vomiting up a smelly, half-digested frog. Not exactly a reward most people would enjoy, but there’s more to this story than it would seem.
Video contains very strong language. In fact, you might want to mute it.
https://youtu.be/fJ7dhAN0UrA
Of course, the snake is not actually “thanking” its rescuers, it more than likely thinks that the humans are just another threat. Snakes will often regurgitate food if they are subjected to stress. This is done to get rid of extra bulk and direct energy from digestion to escaping from predators. Snakes will also vomit if their prey is too big for them, but this will usually happen before the snake consumes the entire animal.
Also, despite what the colorful commentary in this video tells you, the snake’s jaw is likely fine. With the help of what is called a quadrate bone, snakes can open their jaws much wider than mammals can. The two lower jaws are also capable of moving independently of each other, much like mandibles.
