That Scary Nasty First Bite...

[Poisoned1]

Has not yet happened to me yet...

Am I scared of it...?

I don't really know, I know it won't hurt I just know it but I still just don't want it to happen.

When my king snake goes into feeding mode he gets fairly aggressive and I know he wants a part of me so I just leave him alone but if I need to pick him up I use forceps.

Now I know alot of you have been bitten and it's not that bad, cat and dog can be alot worse(Rabbit scratches and bites suck) but why am I worried about that first initial bite...

It's been close before but I've just been a little faster in moving my hand out the way.


How was your first bite?

P.s. I hold my snake alot except after or during feeding mode.

 

[PastorAaron]

My first bite was from a western fox snake or something of the like. I don't really count that one. My first real bite was from a burm. Now that was interesting...didn't hurt much but their teeth are designed to go straight to the bone so it just bled and bled and bled. It was awesome.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Hehe!
Did you read about my first bite? It was one of my corns, so probably fairly similar experience to your king, should he ever nail you.

Salvador's about a 1.5 yrs old and a bit over 3 ft.
His body language was totally weird and I'd fed Mira before feeding him. I wasn't actually sure he bit me. That's how much it hurt. I really thought I anticipated being bit and imagined a brief flash of minor pain. It sorta felt like pushing on a splinter for .02 seconds. What scared me was the speed, not the bite. And now, like Aaron says, I don't count it. I'm still waiting for my cute little boa to tag me.
I never want to get bit by a burm. Ever. Ouch.
Aaron, you are amazing. ow. ow. ow. (did it do that weird pulsing thing?)

 

[PastorAaron]

I don't remember pulsing, but it was a long time ago. And thanks.
The worst bite I ever got was...from the same burm, no joke. It was the day after I gave a college presentation on snakes and explained that she was "just a little sweetheart". I put her back into her cage and reached over her to change out the water dish...apparently she went into feed mode. The bite left two full horseshoe shaped rings around my left arm...they were visible for about a week so I had to explain that the harmless snake I had in class the day before had just nailed me. Let me tell ya, picking teeth out of your arm is no fun at all, neither were the laughs .
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[Gail]

My first bite that resulted in actual bleeding was from a 36" Green Tree Python. I knew they could be nasty but when I took him from the shipping bag I wasn't prepared to be bit with NO warning. It hurt but not as much as I thought it would, bled like mad though and I still have a tiny scar (happened about 2 months ago).
My corns always let me know when they are upset and thinking about biting. The biggest corn to nail me was a yearling around 2.5 feet, barely hurt and didn't bleed at all.

 

[King-Godzilla]

Well, I got my first bite yesterday. I was feeding my corn snake, and he struck at the mouse but missed and got my index finger (I was dangling the mouse in front of him; it was f/t). It didn't hurt but it did draw a little bit of blood. Apophis then spend the next minute drinking water; I think he didn't like the taste of my hand (if snakes have taste buds, that is).

 

[Taryn7]

My first bite was from a baby burm (about 5 months old).. It bled for ages.. lol
Then I got bitten by a tiny baby corn that missed her pinky (that I hardly felt)
I also got bitten by my ball when he was also alot younger.. I had just fed the mice then took Ajay (b.p) out his viv.. I was holding him and saw a piece of retained shed and started rubbing it right in front of his face (yes, I am just clever like that :roll: ). Combination of the smell of mice and the movement in front of his face was just too much too resist.. Lol

 

[shadi11]

My first bite was a ball python. Cosmo to be exact.. He got my finger good. Hurt a bit. took a little while before I would touch him again.
I have since been bit quite a few times. Guess that happens when theres 50 snakes in the house. I have a boa whos got the most bites in. Shes got some vision issues and will get quite defensive. Probably got thirty or so bites at least from her because she will just keep comming. Shes small now so I am trying to work with her so I dont have problems when shes an adult.
Its more like a pin prick for the most part with the younger ones. Nothing big for pain.

 

[Eventide]

My first bite was from a baby ball python. Both times she bit me were my fault, though, as I'd neglected to wash my hands between mice. Anyway, it didn't really hurt, and it looked like I'd gotten into a fight with a straight pin. :lol: I've since learned to read her body language and now know when she's in "hunting mode." When she used to do that when I wanted to get her out to play with her, I'd spritz her in the face with water. She hates water with a fiery ball python passion. Hee hee hee. She learned fairly quickly, and now she doesn't even act like she wants to bite when I take her out.

The other two snakes only bit me after they'd arrived, and instead of letting them recover from the journey, I wanted to play with them. They were less than pleased.

 

[lacy_black]

Eventide your balls don't like water? :shock: My 2 balls love water it's my chocolate king who has a cow if her body touches water.

 

[Eventide]

Eventide your balls don't like water? :shock: My 2 balls love water it's my chocolate king who has a cow if her body touches water.

Yeah, well, it seems like all of my pets pick up some strange, goofy habit after living with me for a while. My adult female ball python hates all water except the stuff she drinks. She panics like mad when I try to give her a pre-shed soak, usually racing back to me like, "Mommy!!! HELP! Don't leave me in the scary wet stuff!!!" And then when I "rescue" her, she clings to me for a while. Silly girl.

I don't know if the baby lesser is scared of water yet or not. Haven't had a chance to test it yet.

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

While we are on the bite subject- do you ever get over being startled by the speed?

I feel like that's what really tripped me out. I was bitten and he was back down so quickly, I genuinely didn't think I'd gotten tagged (if a cornsnake bite warrants that title).

 

[Eventide]

Yeah, I think that's what freaks me out the most. If I blink, I wouldn't notice they'd moved at all! It's just like WHAM and then they're back to doing whatever they were doing.

 

[NegativeCreep]

Wow, I REALLY shouldn't have read this thread...
My fiance and I (well, he, mostly) have a young boa that we rescued last year, and although I am ok with him, I'm not real comfortable with him. Everyone I know will hold him and hang out with him, but I'm still a bit of a chicken.

I've also begun doing a lot of volunteer work with a rescue that has a lot of snakes, big and small, so it has become my goal to break my fear of snakes. I can reach in for maintenance, feed them, touch them, and partially hold them.. but those faces of theirs just freak me out too badly.. I just know I'm going to get bitten soon. But, as it seems, just about every single tag that one receives is a direct fault of the handler.. *Sigh* I can get through this

 

[015reddog]

I don't remember pulsing, but it was a long time ago. And thanks.
The worst bite I ever got was...from the same burm, no joke. It was the day after I gave a college presentation on snakes and explained that she was "just a little sweetheart". I put her back into her cage and reached over her to change out the water dish...apparently she went into feed mode. The bite left two full horseshoe shaped rings around my left arm...they were visible for about a week so I had to explain that the harmless snake I had in class the day before had just nailed me. Let me tell ya, picking teeth out of your arm is no fun at all, neither were the laughs .
God Bless,
Aaron

So, when you get bitten by a larger snake and they really dig in, they lose teeth on you? Does that have any negative effects on the snake? Just curious. I have only been bitten by a juvenile ball python and it was so quick that I didn't really feel it. Actually she didn't really even get a hold of me. There was just a little pin prick of blood on my knuckle. I started using gloves to handle her because every time I went to grab her she struck at me. We have since come to terms and she hasn't shown any aggression as of late. I don't think I will count that one. I'll wait until I really get tagged to count it.

Best,
Dog