This Will Happen If an Anaconda Swallows You
The good news is, you are not very appealing to an anaconda, so the scenario of being eaten alive by a giant anaconda is highly unlikely. Considering your size, an anaconda would have to go through hell and back just to make you a meal. I guess that’s one thing to be thankful for right? Time and time again, Hollywood movies are fascinated by rogue anacondas running wild and swallowing every human in its path. We can’t help but wonder, what will happen if an anaconda swallows a human being in one gulp?
The Anaconda Squeeze
First, the anaconda is known for its ability to constrict, so this means it can literally squeeze the life out of you. Once it gets a good hold on you, it’s nearly impossible to escape. The tight squeeze will cut off your blood circulation, and by the time you know it, you’d be out cold due to the lack of oxygen to your brain. You may be wondering what if I wiggle my way out of the hold? You see, the anaconda is blessed with a nice set of chompers. Though its chompers are not meant for grinding and chewing, it is incredibly powerful at locking down its prey. Ok, let’s say you got lucky and passed out without passing away. The next little bit will be agonizing for you.
The Anaconda Crawl and the Saliva
Now that you are motionless, the anaconda deemed it’s safe to swallow you. Unfortunately for you, the anaconda’s jaw is made up of 4 different detached pieces. This gives it the advantage to expand its jaw up to three times the size of its head. With you securely locked in, the crawling motion begins. The anaconda will slowly slide its mouth over your body and crushing your shoulder bones as you pass through the esophagus. At the same time, nasty and slimy saliva will be secreted to help you go down its digestive tract. At this point, you will drown from the excessive saliva and scream in pain as your shoulder bone breaks. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to survive this part.
The Anaconda’s Digestion
So God has been good to you after all! So far, it’s a miracle that you are still alive and conscious throughout this ordeal. I’m sorry to say, it only gets worse. You are now trapped inside the anaconda’s stomach full of enzymes, gastric juice, and saliva. What comes next is a slow digestive period. On average, it takes about 4 days for a snake to digest a small rat. So for you, it could take weeks before you completely dissolve.
Once again, this anaconda-eating-a-human scenario is extremely rare. However, there are documented cases of such instances. In 2018, the 54-year-old Wa Tiba from Indonesia went missing. Her body was later recovered when local villagers sliced open a bloated anaconda found near Wa Tiba’s belongings. This event sent shock waves around the world. So you see? Everything is possible. Therefore, if you see an anaconda, don’t take a chance. Make a run for it before it gets you.