4th Snake Bite in 30+ years

[dakski]

I got my 4th snake bite in 30+ years of keeping, and it wasn't even one of my snakes. That's the good news, along with the fact that it wasn't a very large animal. The bad news is it was a food bite.

I was at my buddies reptile store getting some supplies. I was asking him about Stimson and Children's pythons. He said he had gotten an adult male on trade and that he was very "food driven" but, "fine when out." I said, "oh, like my boas?" His employee didn't seem so sure, but he took out this 3+ foot stimson's python and it seemed pretty chill. He held it for a couple of minutes and it seemed happy, tongue flicking slow and exploratory, etc. He handed him to me and was crawling around my arm and seemingly relaxed.

Next thing I know he nudges my finger by my wedding ring and stops tongue flicking. I look at him and am about to say "don't you dare," but it was too late. He had grabbed my finger and was starting to wrap.

I stayed calm (honestly not that painful in the scheme of things), kept him from wrapping too much, and my buddy came over, got some hand sanitizer near the snake's head, and helped get him off gently. It bled a lot on the top of my finger, but the biggest marks and swelling is on the bottom of my finger. Again, not really too painful, but startling and swollen now.

I write this for a number of reasons.

1. Snake bites aren't that bad - at least the ones I have had. This was the biggest snake to bite me and the worst bite as he didn't want to let go, etc. Still not bad.

2. If you work with and know your animals and your species it can be very rare - 4th bite in 30+ years of keeping.

3. Snake bites aren't that bad. I repeat because so many people are afraid of bites and, well, they aren't that bad in many cases. I know people who have had bad bites from a) big snakes b) certain types of snakes (tree boas for example). I also know many people who have had bites from young snakes and small snakes who can be more fearful that are basically anti-climactic.

Basically, no one should live in fear of a bite from most snakes that an individual can handle alone.

I may have a different pain meter given that I've had multiple surgeries and illnesses related to my kidney transplant, but I've gotten more startled from the bites I've had then felt any real pain.

I will say that I didn't like the "I am totally cool........nah, let me try to eat you!" attitude of this particular snake and have never experienced that with any snakes I've owned.

Anyway, pictures or it didn't happen right?