Carry out

[kenley]

I was cleaning the filters in the coy pond and this little guy came by and showed me his "carry out" dinner that he was taking home for supper. The toad didn't seem overly pleased to be invited.

 

[CanadianTrout]

Wow great pic? Is that just a regular Garter snake?

 

[sniffer]

I think the snakes eyes are bit big for that meal. LOL

 

[mamabear]

kinda gruesome, but what an amazing thing to see.

 

[kenley]

I think it's a garter snake C.T. However I had never seen one swimming and or catching an amphibian.

 

[lookindown]

I have a small 6x4 pond and have seen two different garter snakes in it. They were about 3 feet long and when I got close they dove under. I knew all snakes could swim, but I thought only water snakes would dive under. They were after frogs too.

 

[rginn]

Western Ribbon snake, very common in Oklahoma. And they do like to eat frogs. Nice pic!

 

[Tank69]

Wow great pic? Is that just a regular Garter snake?

No......thats a hungry one lol

 

[kenley]

I think it's a Toad, and not a frog. I wasn't aware of anything that eats a toxic toad. I have seen dogs bite one and spit it out as fast as they can. What we call garter snakes around here have the pattern, but are brown/black white.
Anyhoo, I was glad to have the camera handy. Gotta get a good .35mm quality digital. Just can't spring for the big bucks.

 

[TerryC]

Nice pic! I have pics of the rare (CA) giant garter snake downing a lizard. The snake allowed me to snap several stages of downing lunch. I'll dig them up. Also saw a lizard scoot across the road with a snake in "hot persuit".... and keeping up! TTC

 

[rginn]

Western ribbon snake (thamnophis proximus) and common garter snake (thamnophis sirtalis), practically the same thing. I associate the dot on the head more with the ribbon snake but some garters have that, I think. The ribbon snake's scales may be more heavily keeled, and garter snakes will achieve a longer length. This species is immune to toad secretions. I wouldn't advise it, but there is a lot of pet trade in both kinds of snakes, with garter snakes making the better pet. Glad you didn't panic and blow it out of the water, cause both types of snakes are harmless. (My son does herpetology research and is better at that than me; I try to stick to western Oklahoma plants)

 

[kenley]

RGINN: I don't harm snakes with the exception of true cottonmouths and copper heads. I have a large black and grey snake that has lived in or around my garage for years. I call it a rat snake? I don't know if it is male or female, but I call her Ssssslippery Sssue. She crawles across my feet when I am at my loading bench. About 3-4 feet long. It doesn't hurry off, but won't stick around either.
I thought toads were toxic to everything. Appreciate the info.

 

[allen]

he had a family to feed to.

 

[packerbacker]

I wonder if he actually was able to get that thing down his throat. Looks like a frog to me but maybe just because it's wet.
Wish I had a camera the other day. I went salmon fishing and saw a gray squirrel get into the water, voluntarily, and swim across a creek that was about 30 yards wide. Never saw that before. Nature is just full of surprises.