This is a little unpleasant but…
We’ve all seen footage of birds or lizards or fish eating smaller animals without chewing them, i.e. swallowing them whole. How and when does something swallowed whole die? Does it asphyxiate? Is it burned to death by gastric juices (ick!)?
On second thought, maybe I don’t want to know…
Good question. I’m not sure, but I would guess either asphyxiation or crushing. The smooth muscle surrounding stomachs is pretty strong and could probably crush something like a mouse pretty well.
Eschew Obfuscation
Asphyxiation by crushing. (Ever heard of a boa constrictor?) How does crushing kill? By preventing breathing.
I was refering to animals that are still alive when eaten. Boas kill their prey first then eat it. Actually, asphyxiation by squeezing is more correct. Constricting snakes don’t break bones.
Depends. Rodents eaten by non-venomous snakes die from asphyxiation, probably helped along by shock.
Krill eaten by whales no doubt die from gastric juices, as would live goldfish eaten by fraternity pledges.
O le mea a tamaali’i fa’asala, a o le mea a tufanua fa’alumaina.
What about drowning? If an animal is small enough to be swallowed whole, then the animal eating it would have enough gastric juices to drown the victim…
Yeah, if a gnat gets in the wrong place, I don’t usually throw 'im a life ring. Luckily there aren’t gnats in many places around coastal CA.US. I don’t relish them.
Ray (gnaturally)
“Hail Ants” , huh?
My theory that all insects belong to a sinsiter, fascist-bent Gnatzi party is gaining momentum. :eek: 
With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D, and you still have the frog you started with.
If I were swallowed whole, I imagine that I’d die of fear.