new big snake bit me!

[jeff91]

hey guys, I just got two beautiful pastel red tails (male and female). They are about 5years old, 6-7feet. These are my first big snakes. I've had them for about a week now and I've handled them alot but 10minutes ago I took the male out and he was fine... its always a bit of hassle to get them back in their enclosure but never anything serious. So everything was going fine and I decided to put him back in his tank. I put him in and he wasn't really giving me hard time but when his head passed beside my arm he striked and bit me! it didn't really hurt but I dont feel like getting bit again abviously! this has kind of made me a little doubtful about these new big snakes. I hope that its just because of something I did wrong (didnt hold him the right way or scared him).

I was wondering if there was any of you guys who have got bit once out of nowhere like this by your big snakes but never got bitten again?? I was told that he is very docile snake and isn't at all aggresive. I had a good feeling about the person who sold him to me but now Im starting to doubt it!

[frankykeno]

It wasn't clear in your post, Jeff, but are they housing together or seperately?

The thing is here that these are snakes. I know that seems a funny thing to say but it's a fact - snakes bite. Dogs bite, cats bite, heck little kids bite LOL. You can't keep snakes and think they won't bite. They might not, but they can and that's just a part of owning them that you have to accept.

You can do certain things to minimize the chance of a bite, or the severity of it but the risk is always there. It's not about the snake being "mean" or anything, it's just a reaction to something that triggered the snake. Often once you figure out the triggers or learn to know that specific snake enough to read it's signals, you can avoid this occurring (but never think it can't happen).

Since you mentioned that you've only had these snakes a week and handled them a lot, maybe this snake is trying to tell you that it isn't settled in well yet and is stressed a bit. That bite may be it's attempt to get the message to you to let it be a bit more, get some meals in it and then worry more about handling time. Also look at your husbandry, feeding routines, etc. Often the answer to strikes is in those details.

[JimiSnakes]

I was wondering if there was any of you guys who have got bit once out of nowhere like this by your big snakes but never got bitten again??

At least once a day I get bit, lol. That said, most of the time my big ones don't bite or maybe bite once and never again. As Jo said, they are wild animals and wild animals bite. I don't care how "domesticated" people think their snakes are, they will all bite. I've heard of people having a snake for 10+ years without it ever biting...then when it does bite, they wonder why.

[gasser]

Yes, I expect to get bit eventually but I am very carefull with mine. Everything I have read said they are hard to put back up and I have noticed this with mine as well. Also mine does not like me to get him out. No hissing or striking but tries to get away etc... I use a snake hook to remove and replace mine out of principal. I can easily lift him up and out and when putting him back its much easier to get him in with out fuss. Once he is out he is a teddy bear... I feel like if I ever get bit, it would be durring extraction from the cage most likely and rarely after putting him back.

FWIW

[ChicaPiton519]

I was wondering if there was any of you guys who have got bit once out of nowhere like this by your big snakes but never got bitten again??

lol
my BRB bit me a while back, but hasnt again...

[Patrick Long]

Ive been tagged once by one of my big males, and he left two teeth in my hand, needless to say, he hasnt struck since.

[frankykeno]

Yep Mike got nailed last month by a fully adult breeder female BP. She got him good with a full set of teeth bite which bleed like nuts. We did the usual cleaning up deal but the next day the bite was bugging him and when he gave it a bit of a squeeze - out popped a tooth! Next time we'll check even better LOL.

[jeff91]

It wasn't clear in your post, Jeff, but are they housing together or seperately?

The thing is here that these are snakes. I know that seems a funny thing to say but it's a fact - snakes bite. Dogs bite, cats bite, heck little kids bite LOL. You can't keep snakes and think they won't bite. They might not, but they can and that's just a part of owning them that you have to accept.

You can do certain things to minimize the chance of a bite, or the severity of it but the risk is always there. It's not about the snake being "mean" or anything, it's just a reaction to something that triggered the snake. Often once you figure out the triggers or learn to know that specific snake enough to read it's signals, you can avoid this occurring (but never think it can't happen).

Since you mentioned that you've only had these snakes a week and handled them a lot, maybe this snake is trying to tell you that it isn't settled in well yet and is stressed a bit. That bite may be it's attempt to get the message to you to let it be a bit more, get some meals in it and then worry more about handling time. Also look at your husbandry, feeding routines, etc. Often the answer to strikes is in those details.

I think I over reacted a bit.... its just usually I can do anything with this snake and he'll have no reaction. I guess I was just supprised cause they always get you when you're not expecting it... oh and they are in different tanks... I'm planning to breed them . I think I took him off me the wrong way and it pissed him off!

[ajeff]

Welcome to the bite club! Bites happen and for the most part, the shock of getting tagged is worse then the actual tag.

You mentioned you have had them about a week and handle them often? Personaly, I don't handle my animals often, just when I need to. Handling new animals often results in stress, the bite that was delivered to you may have been basicly a "leave me a lone" bite. Snakes are not really "lap pets"

Then there is the fact you may have had a scent on you the animal did not like, smoke, soap, cat, rat, dog etc...

When I do pick up one of my animals, I usualy let them know I am there first and I almost always use a baffle (usualy a lid from a sterilite tub) then pick the animal up, transfer and do what I need to do.

Just stick with it, yeah, getting bit sucks, and by a big animal it kinda makes you want to wet your self a bit. That reminds me, a couple years ago on the NERD web site, Kevin had posted a pic of a retic bite he had gotten trying to take eggs from a female...think he needed some stitches. I don't think the pic is up on NERDs site any more.

You going to show us some pics of the lovely pair