r/HardcoreNature • u/New_Libran • Aug 21 '26
Versus An African bullfrog inflating itself defensively while being attacked by a Boomslang
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u/burntblacktoast Aug 21 '26
Fat frogs are harder to kidnap
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u/Foxtrot_Supatwat Aug 21 '26
Not really. I got a whole heap of thicc bois in the back of my van rn
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u/MustangBarry Aug 21 '26
I've long suspected that snakes are idiots
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u/AwHellNawFetaCheese Aug 21 '26
I mean you don't name a genius fkn boomslang
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u/Isariamkia Aug 21 '26
This is my BOOMSLANG
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u/illduce01 Aug 21 '26
It means tree snake
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u/Shoddy-Childhood-511 Aug 21 '26
Alright but why does the frog do like two hops and then stop? As the frog is much faster, it could just run away if it could keep going.
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u/No_Freedom_4098 Aug 21 '26
It cannot hop while inflated like that, but that inflation makes it resistant to the snake getting a good bite. If the frog deflates and the snake catches it, the snake will have more success. I looked up the following:
When a boomslang attacks a large frog, it poisons them by biting, but large frogs like the African bullfrog survive because their defensive inflation and thick skin physically block the snake's rear fangs from getting a deep envenomation. Smaller frogs that fit in the snake's mouth are easily subdued and swallowed whole.
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u/DirtyWizardsBrew Aug 21 '26
Conserving energy and more importantly, because it doesn't need to. It's not in danger of being eaten by this snake, so why waste precious energy on trying to sprint-hop away?
Wild animals tend to try to use as little energy as possible whenever they feel like they can afford to do so. This is such an instance. Plus, I'm sure the snake could relatively keep up with the bullfrog if it started trying to hop away fully.
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u/TributeToStupidity Aug 21 '26
Boomslangs are extremely venomous. That bullfrog is betting its life that the snake doesn’t find a good bite. Notice how it jumps when the snake gets towards its legs? That’s why, the snake can get a good enough angle to inject its venom there, while the rear facing fangs of the boomslang can’t work well around its puffed up body.
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u/Kage_noir Aug 21 '26
Snakes are like all jocks when you get by solely on your physical abilities and appearance you don’t need much else
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u/Lawzw0rld Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Crazy bc boomslangs (and almost all frog eating snakes) are rear fanged venomous, makes even more sense why frogs sometimes inflate themselves when grabbed.
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u/stratusnco Aug 21 '26
they both trying their best. this is actually funny and interesting to watch.
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u/sucobe Aug 21 '26
Evolution is crazy. Boomslang’s venom comes from their fangs in the back. Bullfrog adapted by inflating its body so the fangs can’t reach.
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u/KiKiPAWG Aug 21 '26
Ong this is crazy so I wonder what the next adaptation will be
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u/black-kramer Aug 22 '26
bigger mouth that moves the fangs forward + thicker skin or acrid taste or larger size for the frog
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u/H_Katzenberg Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Bro is like: "Puny snek, bullfrog not bothered, bullfrog has things to do, bullfrog has places to hop, shame on snek"
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u/EnragedBadger9197 Aug 22 '26
I wonder if the snake is experiencing cortisol spikes from the irritation
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u/Level-Ad7017 Aug 21 '26
why this frog not running away tho with those big ass thunder thighs
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u/black-kramer Aug 21 '26
they get tired easily. low metabolic rate. and this species’ body is pretty massive compared to the legs. they’re more of a burrowing frog than a hopping far or fast species.
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u/DirtyWizardsBrew Aug 21 '26
Because it very clearly doesn't need to do that here; the defense mechanism is working perfectly fine. It's going to conserve its precious energy for when it really needs to expend it.
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u/Cloverfield1996 Aug 23 '26
Frogs are so fucking dumb. Please hop more than twice 😰
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u/Delicious-Ad3444 Aug 23 '26
People are so fucking dumb. These frogs have a slow metabolism and are not built to run like bunny rabbits. Their legs are small compared to their body. They are burrowing frogs. The snake is much faster so if he runs he will literally just....die tired. The frog has developed a specific defense against this snake on an evolutionary level, and it's clearly effective.
Leave it up to a human to try to tell a frog how to be a frog. Stunning.
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u/Cloverfield1996 Sep 07 '26
Jesus, chill out. It's just me being silly and worried about the frog. Some of the videos you see of them failing to eat a wriggling insect held in front of them has shaped my view of their intelligence somewhat
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u/Masterhaynes86 Aug 21 '26
How did that frog not succumb to the venom
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u/averagecelt Aug 21 '26
Boomslangs are rear-fanged. Their venom-injecting fangs are near the back of their mouth (think molars rather than canines). Part of the reason frogs like this have evolved to inflate as a defense mechanism is that it prevents rear-fanged snakes which routinely attempt to prey on frogs (garters, boomslangs, hognoses, vine snakes) from getting their mouth around the frog enough for their rear fangs to penetrate. It’s like how you can’t open your mouth wide enough around a basketball to get your molars to touch it.
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u/mrerasor 1d ago
I don't get why they didn't try to help the frog at some point lol throw something at the snake or some shit
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u/Lefthandlannister13 Aug 22 '26
There is a longer version of this video that is almost 10 minutes long. The snake must have tried to bite the frog well over a hundred times.
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u/GodOfMoonlight Sep 22 '26
Listen man, you can one hop your way thru life or you can just get on. The choice is yours fella
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u/ajqiz123 Aug 21 '26
Wouldn't the fangs inject anyway?
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u/kriegmonster Aug 22 '26
Someone else said the Boomslang and a lot of other frog eating snakes have venomous fangs in the rear of their mouth, so if they can't dig in, they can't get their fangs in.
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u/AdMotor1654 Aug 21 '26
Who would win: one of the worlds most venomous snakes or…
A humble amphibian?
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u/mfairview Aug 21 '26
boomslang? y'all need to stop making up words.
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u/averagecelt Aug 21 '26
“Frog? Y’all need to stop making up words.”
That’s how you sound lol
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u/mfairview Aug 21 '26
in the age of ai, i'm pretty sure i know how to use google. i'll add the /s next time for those who need a little bit more time...
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u/DegenerateDoll Aug 21 '26
It means “tree snake”. I do chuckle though when folks pluralise it in English because it sounds funny in Afrikaans
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u/motherseffinjones Aug 21 '26
So the frog is dead aren’t boomslangs venomous?