First experince with a big snake

[piranhaking]

I was hanging around here at school yesterday waiting on some of my baby corns to eat. I went out in the hall because I had noticed earlier that the people that feed the schools snakes and clean their cages and stuff were working. I like to stop in when they're there because I enjoy seeing some of the snakes that aren't out as often. One of they guys had a red tail boa out that was about 6-7 feet long and id say around 30 or so pounds (there were several people right there with him just incase though, they dont let anyone have any of the large snakes out with out a few people there)while it's cage was being cleaned. Since he has seen me working with some of the snakes he let me hold it for a while so he could take a break. Until that the largest snake i had held was 40 somethin inch ~1100gram ball. I deffinatly see now why people encourage two people for larger snakes. It's amazing the power you can feel when a snake that large is just moving around. A year ago I would have never seen myself being comfortable with a snake like that, but now i look forward to eventually being able to have some of the larger species. It will be a few years though. I plan on trying to work more with some of the larger snakes we have here for the experience, so I'll be more prepared when the time comes to get mine.

[mmchoppers]

Thats cool. My highschool didn't ever have snakes . Thats good that you and everyone handling the big snakes know to have more than themselves present. I have heard too many horror stories because of improper hanlding. I also heard that if a snake is biting and gripping, you can use alcohol or warm water and it will release. I've never tried it but I heard it works!!

[jessie_k_pythons]

I have heard the same thing and ended up trying it yesterday... it worked. I was over helping a new family that moved in next door with setting up there retics cage and the screw ball bit me and and wouldnt let go. Nothing to show really but all the fingers on my right hand have bad-aids on them lol. The guy used vadka and poured it at the cornor of the snakes mouth, once it let go he washed the snake really well and washed out it's mouth but I wasnt there for that lol.

the snake was only 6 feet long but man it packed a punch!

[piranhaking]

I've also heard of using alcohol, but I hope i never have to resort to that. That being said, if i had big snakes of my own, there would be some alcohol handy for emergencies. I'm in college, not highschool by the way. Still cool to have all the snakes around though . Probably over a hundred all together. Sand boas, red tails, rainbows, retics, balls, burms, corns, kings, copperheads, rattlers, cotton mouths, rats, milks, water snakes......

bullfrogs, box turtles, snapping turtles, leopard geckos, various newts, a euromastic, poison dart frogs, whites tree frogs, pacman toad (nothing like a frog that eats a few mice a sitting), pinktoe tarantula, emperor scorpion.......

Im sure im missing some along the way, but theres an idea. Oops.... mice, rats, crickets, mealworms, super worms..... (gotta love feeders)

[mmchoppers]

I'm in college, not highschool by the way. (gotta love feeders)

oh my bad! What college??

[joepythons]

I have heard the same thing and ended up trying it yesterday... it worked. I was over helping a new family that moved in next door with setting up there retics cage and the screw ball bit me and and wouldnt let go. Nothing to show really but all the fingers on my right hand have bad-aids on them lol. The guy used vadka and poured it at the cornor of the snakes mouth, once it let go he washed the snake really well and washed out it's mouth but I wasnt there for that lol.

the snake was only 6 feet long but man it packed a punch!

Jessie,you are now in the top class ranks of being bitten by a real snake .I share this status with you proudly .When it comes to being bitten by a retic size does not matter as it still HURTS!!

[Binx]

I remeber my first encounter with a big snake. She was an albino burm, about 9 feet. My uncle used to raise ALL kinds of snakes (he died last year) but my favoraite was this burm. Her name was Banana Split. I used to touch her while she was in the tank. I was about 9 or 10 when he first let me pick her up. This girl could have probably swallowed me. I sat on the floor with the burm in my lap. She looked at me. Then got my right in the boob! Thank god I was just getting into the whole padded bra thing.

[kurgan]

I remeber my first encounter with a big snake. She was an albino burm, about 9 feet. My uncle used to raise ALL kinds of snakes (he died last year) but my favoraite was this burm. Her name was Banana Split. I used to touch her while she was in the tank. I was about 9 or 10 when he first let me pick her up. This girl could have probably swallowed me. I sat on the floor with the burm in my lap. She looked at me. Then got my right in the boob! Thank god I was just getting into the whole padded bra thing.

You got tagged in the boob?
Ouch.

[piranhaking]

Still havent gotten around to cleanin that cage yet. The other guy had a HUGE test comming up at the end of the week, and he was busy studing for that. We plan to get it taken care of around wednesday or thursday (when classes start back after fall break). I'll be sure to post how it goes.

[cassandra]

Ooh, I finally got to hold a "big" snake...we were visiting Amazon Reptile in Montclair CA (where we get the scale kids rodent munchies) and my buddy Trevor was working. I always make Trevor get out something cool when we're there, so I asked him this time to pull out Lourdes, the resident 9.5' male albino burm, who is Alice Cooper's snake. I guess Mr. Cooper takes Lourdes to shows twice a year or something, but otherwise, Mr. Lourdes hangs out at Amazon. (I know, boy snake with a girl name...kinda like his owner, I guess)

Anywho, it was very cool and great to get an idea of what Carmen will be like when she gets bigger.

Needless to say, I loved it! =D