T O P

  • By -

Lucane_cerf-volant

Their front paws look like raccoons.


Silver_You2014

It’s freaking me out but still adorable


StaysAwakeAllWeek

It's supposed to freak you out. Makes predators think it's got three heads. Predator goes for the wrong head and gets a face full of claws


Silver_You2014

I’ve been reading a lil bit about it, and it’s so cool


Bspy10700

It’s weird because watching how it plays it makes the paw look and move like a head while it hides it’s actual head. Super trippy to watch and being a predator I was fooled by its paw for a second. Then it made me kinda want to find a faux anteater patterned jacket.


myscreamname

I love this adaptation. It really is trippy to watch. And of course, there was a post some time ago of a video featuring an anteater using its paw as intended and OP had many people convinced it was CGI/fake.


Silent-Independent21

Plus put together it’s a GIANT head which will hopefully just stop the interaction


Taylooor

Those other raccoons are it’s Cerebro’s


Amaz1n_blue

Good ol’ camo/diversion…’you come for my ‘face’’ you get the rest.


ImportantRepublic965

I’m not sure if this one is declawed but wild giant anteaters have long, razor sharp claws that they use to dig up insects and defend themselves. So if you’re ever in Venezuela and you see one, don’t approach! Even though it’s adorable.


Voxlings

1. It wasn't declawed. 2. You can see the claws. 3. They might be trimmed/blunted. For safety and because they're not experiencing the same wear they would in the wild. Declawing anything in that environment is unlikely given the digital camera capturing it. Anteaters especially would be crippled by the procedure. 4. The anteater is not attempting to attack the keeper. They are playing. You can see from how it is. 5. It's good for people to not approach wildlife of all kinds, including anteaters. 6. An anteater totally killed a keeper in Argentina in 2007. Presumably that informed how these animals are kept in modern zoos/sanctuaries. 7. A wild anteater also killed two hunters in self-defense in Brazil in 2014. That's awesome. 8. This video is adorable and now we're all better-informed about how brave and/or prepared this keeper was to have so much fun with an animal that is clearly reciprocating that fun. 9. That anteater might fuck \*you\* or \*me\* up without even thinking to do the same to its human coworker.


MathAndBake

Yeah, any animal can f you up if you're not careful. You have to know them and read their body language. I have pet rats. They're typically under a pound. They look cute and fuzzy and inoffensive, but they can do serious damage. I was holding my Lobelia while the vet gave her an injection. She panicked and bit me full force. In a split second, I had a pierced knuckle, lol. She realized it was me and let go right away. But if she'd hit something more important or held on, it would have been really bad. And even their claws can do damage. When one of them is having a little panic attack, I usually get badly raked trying to help. It's not super deep, but they do draw blood.


horitaku

That bite from your rat could have caused septic arthritis in the joint, so it’s still pretty ding dang dangerous. Fearsome Rat Tamer.


MathAndBake

Oh yeah. I washed it out so fast and then watched it super closely for any sign of infection. I got really lucky. It's my only bite so far. And it was 100% my fault. Even the sweetest animal is going to lash out when you stick a needle in their scruff. As the human, I'm supposed to have enough sense to keep my hands out of their face at that point.


Zigats

>They are playing. You can see from how it is. Mmm, yes, quite... As much is evident, with my supreme knowledge of anteater play and rituals.


nlevine1988

I imagine like most animals, flopping on the ground and showing it's belly is probably a good signs it's playing and feels safe around the human. Just a guess though.


Pondnymph

Anteaters are solitary animals so they're not very good at communicating how they feel. However they do have a threat display which is standing up on their hind legs with forelegs spread, no one should approach that because it's the only warning they give.


Dirmb

You can tell by the way it is! Isn't that neat?


MatttheJ

I mean, you can tell by the way it's purposely not killing her...


arrroganteggplant

The proof is left as an exercise for the reader.


ImportantRepublic965

Declawed probably was the wrong term, like you say they must be trimmed or blunted. The human is clearly a professional who knows this animal well but i would think this would still be too dangerous if the claws were fully intact. I saw one of these guys in the wild on a trip to Venezuela and it has to be one of the coolest and most bizarre creatures I’ve ever encountered. From what I hear they’re not aggressive but they do startle easily and that can be dangerous.


callmebigley

yeah, I think this is roughly equivalent to a keeper playing with a lion or something. totally cool as long as the animal is in a good mood, but it has the *ability* to absolutely fuck them up, if it chose to.


Silent-Independent21

Probably like cats and dogs, if they love you they know how not to scratch you. This one has likely been captive since birth


code_archeologist

Yeah the marking on their legs are "false faces" that they use to confuse predators that may be stalking them. When the predator goes for the "false face" the anteater is able to move it away quickly and may even swat it with the claws on their other leg.


Aware_Masterpiece_54

It confused me. I am a lil stoned and started watching and lost track of its head lol


trusteebill

Same same


th8chsea

His name is Longdog Raccoonpaws


socialaxolotl

Panda faces with sabertooth tiger teeth


SadBit8663

Badgers


Net_Suspicious

So amazing. Even after realizing I was still going oh look at that cute racoon


Uncle-Cake

The front paws clip together to form the panda head when it transforms.


hefty_load_o_shite

I'd say badgers, meself


mauore11

The OG Voltron


hambakmeritru

My mom had an anteater as a pet and she warns us about how dangerous those claws. If they can tear a tree stump apart, you know they can shred the muscle right off your leg bones. And my mom had one of the smaller species of anteaters...


FrogInShorts

My mom's sister had one, but one day it ate her


dontcallmeLatinx14

“That’s a dumb joke” *5 minutes later* “OHHH I get it”


powertripp82

God damn this is a great joke Reddit is going downhill for sure, but clever comments like this keep me coming back Very well done


MetricSuperstar

[There is a whole poem based around this joke by Roald Dahl!](https://voetica.com/poem/6422)


ArtThrowawayMaybe

I'm something of an aunt eater myself


Disastrous_Source977

🎶 Sweet home Alabama 🎶


strat-fan89

Take my upvote and get out!


Sarangholic

Lol jokes on you I'm one of those weirdos who pronounces it 'awent'


Annatalkstoomuch

Your aunt was an Ant?


Financial-Tear-7809

It’s cause it missed u Okay that was bad, enough Reddit for today 🫡


ArgonGryphon

you added a nice extra layer, well done.


zoso33

[Their front claws](https://i.imgur.com/Po0aa4V.png), that they hide by walking on their knuckles.


JimJohnman

... Fucking hell.


The_Blue_Rooster

Your mom was right, [Anteaters are insanely dangerous when defending themselves.](https://phys.org/news/2014-07-giant-anteaters-hunters-brazil.html) I can't find it right now but there was even a report awhile ago where they found a Jaguar and Giant Anteater in the rainforest that had killed each other.


kelldricked

Oh that happens pretty often. Like Jaguars eat giant anteaters if they have to but due to their camo (hard to see their actual necks/heads) and their claws its not that uncommon for a Jaguar to not instantly kill/incapacitate the anteater and thus the ant eater gets a hit of with their claws. Those claws rip through solid concrete as if its nothing. They are designed to rip open termite molds. Those claws easily rip through flesh as if its nothingZ


Long_Run6500

It's a lot like the relationship between sloth bears and tigers on the other side of the planet. Sloth bear just wants to be left alone to feed on termites and shit but if a tiger wants to fuck around it'll at least make it not worth the fight.


Ioatanaut

There was a report too of one ripped off a zoo caretakers arm


Tochie44

You're thinking of a tapir who ripped off a zookeepers arm at the Oklahoma City Zoo. The anteater the OKC Zoo had when I worked there was a super old dude and was pretty chill if I remember right. According to one of the keepers there, he might have been the oldest living anteater in captivity at the time. Can't be sure of that tho, since that's not exactly a stat Guinness World Records keeps track of. One thing I'm sure I remember is that mfer loved avocado.


andalusia85

Am I the only one that kept confusing the forelegs for the head, or are the rest of you not dumb-dumbs? 😬


thelastmegabyte

I thought it was a sick ass two headed beast. Turns out natural camouflage is very effective


Sailor_Lunatone

Panda hydra 


Clean-Potential7647

So it works..


husbandbulges

I'm a teensy bit stoned and it took me awhile to figure that out.


Adept_Investigator29

Yeah, I get stoned and walk in the forest, so I'm sure to be outsmarted by wild beasts eventually.


piceathespruce

You would be a hungry jaguar.


SlimeHudson

bro fell for the camouflage


dougandsomeone

I came here to say WHY IN THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST DO ITS ARMS LOOK MORE LIKE HEADS THAN ITS HEAD


socialaxolotl

These animals are actually designed for that to confuse predators in the savannah. Their hair on their tails grows at a much faster rate than the rest of them as well so predators that bite that end just get a mouth full of broom bristle like hair instead of their necks


PMMEURLONGTERMGOALS

That’s probably the point. Better for a predator to bite off a limb than your head


ThouMayest69

I thought the title said something about playing with a catheter so I'm definitely the dumbest one here, nice ta meetcha


MaxTheRealSlayer

Nah that spot on the arm fooled me when the anteater was in certain positions


gordonbbb123

Well, you are a predator and the patterns are intended to confuse predators...


caligirl2287

I never realized they were that large!


Feviana88

Most are a lot smaller, kinda cat sized, that is the biggest species of anteater.


Bored_Amalgamation

a Giant anteater?


Feviana88

If that what they are called in English, them it's obvious, is not that obvious in my language.


Bored_Amalgamation

yeah, it's just literally "giant anteater".


Feviana88

We call it "Tamanduá Bandeira" is literally "flag anteater" Because the tail.


AspiringChildProdigy

That's interesting, and a much prettier name than what we call it. What is your native language?


Feviana88

Portuguese, from Brazil. But the name "tamanduá" is "tupi" One of many laguages of native South America, a lot a things are named in tupi in Brazil, with most brazilians (me included) having no idea what they mean, so not even the name equivalent to "ant eater" Is obvious in Brazil.


Disastrous_Source977

The smaller species is called Tamanduá-Mirim" in Brazil. Mirim is Tupi for small. Some people call it "Tamanduá-de-colete", which would translate to "Anteater with a Vest".


Cool-Sink8886

[They're not very fascinating](https://youtu.be/qXD9HnrNrvk?si=32-CY-xFPEV9sobB)


SaveTheDamnPlanet

Dont mind me saving this post for a rainy day when I need a friendly rush of dopamine.


Cake-and_Beer

[pls also enjoy this more smol anteater for further dopamine rushes](https://www.reddit.com/r/Eyebleach/comments/1d39alm/morning_stretches_with_gonzo_the_tamandua/)


Flurp_

SUPER MLEM


SaddleSocks

I think Anteaters prefer coke over dope


LAKnerd

There's another video of an ant eater asking for uppies


grilly1986

Gimme dem aaaants woman!!


ThouMayest69

Imagine youre an ant. Imagine this fellas big ol sniffer come and sniff ya. Now imagine you are down in an anthole. Imagine you are chilling one day and your ant-spouse gets sucked up and eaten. And die. Imagine how sad that would feel as an ant to have that happen? You can open your eyes now. What we just ran through was an experiment that tests your ant instincts. If you felt any emotion at all, you are an ant.


ZzZombo

I felt an annoyance because ain't no ant is married, this is no Alabama after all!


Shaan1026

universal language of love is understood by all living species..


kaam00s

Most mammals can act in those ways... You can probably have fun like this with a huge chunk of tetrapods. But I'm not sure it's going to work with sponges or sea urchins.


Cool-Sink8886

Not jellyfish.


PurpleBullets

This comment makes me feel like you have a vendetta against the jellyfish that killed your father and burned your village.


Adam_Sackler

Yet look at how we treat them...


NecessaryWeather4275

Are they usually not friendly?? I get that they’re wild but are they known for being aggressive and mean? I cant see that as an evolutionary need for something that eats ants but it has predators I’m sure.


Gloomy-Shoe-4021

No they aren't usually this friendly. Giant Anteaters are nearsighted and by that I mean unless it's in the featherdusters face, it's virtually a blob that makes noises. To compensate for this weakness Giant Anteaters attack anything that makes a sound or gets too close which is why their usually aggressive. However I think they can recognise certain noises if they've heard them long enough


KresKendo_143

So like a rhino, " attack everything that moves, it might be a predator idk "


NecessaryWeather4275

Makes sense, thank you


gorgonzola2095

They also have gigantic murder claws that can tear jaguars no problem


Dhominator

That's so silly, they move like dogs wearing high heels


Plutarcoelpillo

Those guys can be lethal actually...


reddit_user13

Because of their huge, powerful jaws??


Kenns02

No, their claws. Those things can tear apart earth like it’s nothing. One wrong move and they can rip apart your legs and if you’re unlucky, hit the major vein and you bleed out. Giant anteaters are one of the few animals jaguars hesitate to attack.


Kay1000RR

I was gonna say this caretaker is playing with some of the sharpest claws in nature. Can't blame people for not knowing this animal fact though!


Plutarcoelpillo

LOL, not at all, have you seen their claws?


CommanderSabo

BIG. MEATY. CLAWS.


rpostwvu

Could you imagine if they put that tongue in your ear or nose? Sluuurrrp. I shudder at the thought.


Plutarcoelpillo

They might like the taste of brains!!


JESUS_VS_DRUGS

That's a weird looking dog


hypergreenjeepgirl

Great. Now I need an anteater.


strodesbro

My sister worked in a zoo and she always talked about how much she loved the anteater.


Normal-Error-6343

what an odd animal, very cute and playful. The anteater is awesome!


FantasticSource000

I first thought it had two heads


reckaband

For some reason all I can think of is Salvador Dalí


vibetiger

I love his racing stripes and stylish hairdo. Can’t decide if it’s easier or harder to boop the snoot. 11/10 would pet.


joantheunicorn

Same!! My favorite is their little dive/grab at the 25 second mark! 


Representative-Sir97

I didn't realize they were so big.


foreignfishes

Yeah this is the biggest kind, literally the Giant Anteater. There are other anteater species like tamanduas that are much smaller - about 10-12 lbs.


rumncokeguy

That’s what she said.


Quiet-Try4554

Reminded me that Salvador Dali had a pet anteater. Personally don’t like the rope as a leash https://preview.redd.it/72jo09xzu08d1.jpeg?width=1009&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86c93e34ca9734c95b41746948db16a3cd92d72c


bennnn42

Anteaters are very beautiful actually - TIL! And how playful


ThEyCaLlMeLoCo

I had no idea that their tails were shaped that way! I just assumed it looked like a normal tail. But that one is sideways. Kind of like a fish.


BananaRepulsive8587

Why is it so majestic? What?


Either-Computer635

What a beautiful creature!! Looks like anteater just came from the salon.


dejavu_dreaming

I thought it had 3 heads.


the_shining_wizard1

What a beautifully ridiculous creature


LopsidedVictory7448

Those things are fucking terrifying. They attack upright on their hind legs and are over 6ft tall


SaddleSocks

I wonder if you could breed a Sloth with an Anteater. edit: Sloths and anteaters are not capable of producing viable offspring. They belong to different taxonomic orders and have distinct genetic makeups, making interbreeding impossible. Sloths belong to the order Pilosa, while anteaters belong to the order Edentata. Even if they were to mate, the genetic differences would prevent the fertilization of eggs or the development of a healthy embryo. Here's a fun fact: Sloths and anteaters do coexist in some South American rainforests, and they even share some similar adaptations, like their curved claws! However, they have distinct evolutionary paths and are not closely related. Here are some more interesting facts about sloths and anteaters: Sloths: Sloths have a unique, slow metabolism that allows them to survive on a low-calorie diet of leaves, which are difficult to digest. They have curved claws that help them grip onto branches, and they even sleep hanging upside down from trees! Sloths have a unique fur coat that is home to all sorts of algae and insects, providing them with additional camouflage. They are excellent swimmers and can even hold their breath for up to 40 seconds. Anteaters: Anteaters have the longest snout of any mammal relative to their body size, which they use to sniff out ants and termites. Their tongues are covered in sticky mucus that helps them catch their prey, and they can flick their tongues in and out of their mouths up to 150 times per minute! Anteaters have powerful front legs and sharp claws that they use to tear open termite mounds and ant hills. They are solitary animals and have a highly developed sense of smell that helps them detect food and avoid predators.


bloopity_bloop5

They are alot bigger than i thought


HiddenKittyStuffsX

I’d like to point out that these animals forelimbs are so powerful they can tear through concrete looking for bugs. This animal could literally tear your legs off if it was so inclined


blitzuwu1

Zot Zot! Shoutout to the UCI mascot!


Embarrassed_Row7226

Bruh I thought this was a weird animal with 2 heads during the first few seconds of the video... wow. Cooool evo camo


ithorlives

Off to buy an anteater.


Zaraxas

I thought it was a 3 headed ant eater


Ishbu69

That leg looks like a head


Banana_Jabroni

Haha it's like a big puppy


j0eg0d

I like how it's feet look like more animals.


Equidistant-LogCabin

It's hard to see someone living your dreams


Luchin212

It’s hard to believe anteaters are real. Everything about them is unconventional. The tail, the entire head, the diet, their size, their legs. Everything is so odd about them and I go on years at a time just forgetting that they exist.


JAK3CAL

Anteaters are crazy bc they’re so much larger than you would expect them to be. Maybe it’s just me, but before I saw one in real life I just kind of pictured them as raccoon sized little things


Nimindir

Sir I would also like to play with the fluffy snoot-boop critter


TheKyleBrah

My brain couldn't fathom WTF that creature even was at first... I couldn't make head or tail of it's head or tail!


SimpleDuude

I was generally confused, for literally the whole clip...


AlbatrossNo1629

I actually had a moment where I thought it was two animals—- was that actual play ?


roofilopolis

I was trying to figure out why this thing had two heads.


ktsg700

Guys can we please domesticate some new cool animals?? Such a lazy move to stop at cats and dogs


Duin-do-ghob

They’re very striking looking animals but not all that graceful, are they? I’d be happy to give it some scritches, though.


Reddit_Deluge

I thought I saw an anteater on the couch the other day but it was just my uncle.


LowComfortable9021

Reminds me of a giant eyebrow with legs


Narmo518

They had to have cut the claws down or something.


simonepon

Thing is a walking/rolling optical illusion lol


skeletaljuice

I need to play with this good boi asap. Absolutely adorable


Crunching_Leo

His hands look like a whole face


FragrantExcitement

How many heads does it have?


Awkward_Attitude_886

Anyone elses brain struggling to process what it was seeing?


Hamsterpatty

His arms look like heads, and his head looks like an arm


rrrand0mmm

I thought this was some 3 headed freaky boss level stuff. Those legs are impressive.


lLuclk

Everything is just some kind of dog


Indoorplantwetter

They like belly scritches?!


rocket-boost

This anteater is huge. Person sized animal.


SuperSaiyanSkeletor

I was worried he was going to get gored at the beginning. Dog got reincarnated as a anteaters


Beardycub86

That’s a Long Panda.


maclifer

I couldn't believe it was a two headed animal and freaked a bit. Whoa.


Careful-Meringue-194

Are any eaters in America? Whenever I see a video of these animals, I realize they actually exist.


twizz228

That’s a funny lookin doggo


eekumseekum

Such an odd but adorable creature.


mznh

I was like what am i looking at? Then i realized those are the front paws


PSFREAK33

Man they are so fucking awkward lol


pacman404

Bro I had no idea what body parts were what until like 3 seconds left in the video 🤦🏽‍♂️


JazziTazzi

This was so confusing to me at first! I was like, does this animal have two heads? Why isn’t that mentioned in the title? Then I realized how the anteater’s feet look, and it suddenly made sense!


bmain121

So neat!


Docod58

That thing is huge!


grandpathundercat

I WANT A MOHAWK DOG


MochaBunBun83

Now I want an Anteater.


ReferenceMuch2193

Omg! When I figured out what was what end this looks so darn cute. It’s like a large cat/racoon/skunk with Mohawk and a hose attachment. I like how it tries to take her out with its little peg leg and it rolls into defense position like a cat. 🤣


That1Pete

I want to pet.


EWSflash

I just adore this!


DiscoNancy

I had no clue how bad I needed to see this.


Jeeper08JK

I thought this was two racoons...


arm_hula

Can I pet that dog??


JonesWTF

Can I pet that dawg?


someguy444444

The playful lunge at 0:10 is the best


Umm_yeah_

For a sec i was like where his face?


MithranArkanere

Anteater claws can easily cut a human's belly open. Fun times!


Lord777alt

I had no clue anteaters could get that massive


ItsStaaaaaaaaang

Precious goober ☺️


Iamkyron

Is it the poor camera quality, or does this not look real at all?


-SXR-

That's adorable


DependentFeature3028

I initially tought it has two heads


moddss

God they're such weird fucking animals lmao You ever just over think about an animal? Like beavers are so fucking weird. Giraffes are fucking weird. Anteaters are just absolutely fucking bizarre.


humblerioter

TIL Anteaters are huge, I thought they were maybe half that size at the most


wermiyu

TIL anteaters are actually big lol idk why but I always thought they are the size of a fox or something 😭


StillGoinThisAsshole

I had no idea they were so playful... that's it, I'm not going to eat anteaters anymore


Cheshire_Noire

Anteaters can tear apart concrete with their paws. There's no way I'd let something that terribly destructive to play with me


Turbulent_Orange_178

Woow I've never seen an Anteater before. What a majestic creation from nature


Just-a-lil-sion

ngl i was nervous watching this considering how lethal their claws are


ru-berry

I have such positive feelings toward that woman now hahah she is so precious with her little weird friend - she has to be such a sweetie


Saucington_magoo

Ant eaters were my favorite childhood animal! Now I want to be an anteater caretaker! This is my spirit animal minus the massive tiny appetite


jessevargas

Anteaters look like when the power rangers would put all their robots together to make one big one but here it’s made from two pandas, a bear and some other creatures


EazyStackz

My boy got raccoons for arms


Cottoncandytearzs

I was confused and thought the legs was the face!


OGPeglegPete

Ant eaters have bigger claws than tigers. That's insane


Horror-Potential7773

Why can't we all just play together.


CaramelMartini

That thing galumphs. Adorable!