Snake Strike

I am fairly new to keeping snakes in general and have for about a year now. For some reason every time I feed my snakes, their strike scares the crap out of me! Well more like a startle... I know it's coming so why do I jump and flinch every time they strike? I have no idea... I have been bitten by an adult Ball before but i've been doing it ever since before that. I also jump when my Tarantulas strike at their feeders while still on the tongs. My heart starts racing and then I just get upset with myself. It's really frustrating... Any of you react the same way?

I am like that but only with my boa. He flies out so quick. I think it's a normal reaction, adrenaline is a funny thing and effects people differently :)

Nope, but don't get upset with yourself! :( Perhaps you're just a jumpy person in general!

Sometimes you have no idea when they're going to strike, and even though you know it's going to be coming, you don't know exactly WHEN. Then, because of the suspension, you jump when he finally strikes because perhaps you have a tiny bit of adrenaline pumping through you?

Don't be frustrated!

I even flinch when the rats turn at me! For me it's not about being scared because neither of their bites really hurt and far from life threatening. It's just a natural reaction!
Most people I know will flinch but one of my buddies is very laid back and never flinches for anything.

I should also add that it is only animals. People, a car crash, or anything else I could care less.

i react the same way.
i know its comin' & i'm waiting for it & then the flash of movement when my girl strikes...yeah i jump.
but see, i'm already tense by anticipating a bad strike and i'm ready to quickly intervene if necessary so that sudden action startles me and then i switch focus to where the rats mouth is and whether or not its biting my snake. once i see that all is well i relax and sit back and just take my notes.
the note taking may seem super neurotic & strange but i'd rather have that info for reference if i need to look back on it later for whatever reason.

Okay, you guys made me feel much better, lol! I tong feed thawed rats so I feel the strength of the strike. Also, I feed in a box so when he strikes, I can hear the lound bang when he hits the rat. It makes sense about it being a natural body response, when I became a mom is when I also became a nervous wreck. Wory worry worry about any small thing so that means i'm always on edge. :)

Yes, you know it's coming but don't know exactly when. I think that is it! :D

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Okay, you guys made me feel much better, lol! I tong feed thawed rats so I feel the strength of the strike. Also, I feed in a box so when he strikes, I can hear the lound bang when he hits the rat. It makes sense about it being a natural body response, when I became a mom is when I also became a nervous wreck. Wory worry worry about any small thing so that means i'm always on edge. :)

Yes, you know it's coming but don't know exactly when. I think that is it! :D

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Loud bang...I should video my small columbian red tail. She likes to sit in the hide on the a shelf in her cage and when I place a rat on the bottom she stalks it from above and strikes. When she does her whole body and the rats lands about a foot away!

I still get startled sometimes when I'm not paying particular attention. It is just a natural reaction. I usually get a nice adrenaline rush when I'm feeding my amazon tree boas from tongs. They are kinda sketchy to feed off of 10" tongs. Shouldn't scare me, but I've only been bit by them a couple dozen times. Maybe I need a few more whacks to until I'm not afriad. :D

The worst part I've found with bites is waiting to be bitten. After the fact it isn't usually a big deal. Heck, the other day I was feeding our hatchling corns for the first time. One of the babies struck at me while I was lifting up the paper towel he was hiding under and I am sure I jumped a good 3 feet back. Sad, but don't worry, even people who have kept reptiles for years can be caught off guard sometimes.

A nice adrenaline rush can be good for ya, though. Get the blood flowin'!

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Originally Posted by rperry03

I even flinch when the rats turn at me! For me it's not about being scared because neither of their bites really hurt and far from life threatening.

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Life threatening, probably not, but I almost lost a finger to a rate bite and spent quite a while in the hospital because of it... I have far more respect for rat bites than a bite from any of the snakes we keep. Rats can and will light you up good!

Been doing it for 10 years and I still jump every time they strike And I get a rush everytime that are approaching to the rats

I do it too. :D I think it's because you're trying so hard to predict when they're gonna strike that when they actually do they take you by surprise. :P