First time being bitten. Pictures (bloody)

This was not a defensive strike. I'v seen my other snakes give defensive strikes to some rats. Those are a quick love tap. This was a you look tasty and I am going to eat you. After it coiled around my arm. It took it a little while be for it stopped biting me. The only reason I got it un-coiled is because I was able to work my arm loose and my wife was able to get the tail moved.

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Originally Posted by Driver

This was not a defensive strike. I'v seen my other snakes give defensive strikes to some rats. Those are a quick love tap. This was a you look tasty and I am going to eat you. After it coiled around my arm. It took it a little while be for it stopped biting me. The only reason I got it un-coiled is because I was able to work my arm loose and my wife was able to get the tail moved.

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Well then maybe you just looked like a big yummy treat :)

Is the snake used to being fed in its enclosure or do you feed it elsewhere

Ouch--nice bite! At least now you know what the worst of the worst ball python bites feel like, and you have nothing left to fear!
I've been bitten many times, only ever as feeding accidents (my tongs disappear every few weeks so I have to feed by hand). Snake goes to strike, aims a little too high and nicks my finger. I barely even feel it most of the time--it's better than when I give my dog a treat and she bruises my finger with her teeth. :( I'd rather the sharp python teeth any day. :)
Anyway, that's probably the worst type of bite you'll ever get with ball pythons, so no fear, you've survived a vicious python attack! Alert the media, I'm sure they'll be amazed :salute:

OOOOH. Nice one, I can tell by the blood! I don't think you should shy away from taking it in to get sexed though. Just pay attention to body language when handling. That is key when handling any reptile!

i almost got a feeding strike recently but thankfully i'm really ansy & jumpy during feeding sessions so my reflexes kicked in at the right moment & i was able to see the flash of movement & get my hand away just as my girl's mouth reached the spot where my hand was, lol. not her fault, she could smell the rat but saw my hand & she didnt seem to realize the rat was there until it moved away & once she got target lock on the rat, she slammed it & it was golden from there. i take notes during feedings but after that i was shaking so hard i couldnt write!
i'm grateful for that nervousness cuz it apparently saved me that day.
& normally i'm very watchful of the snake's behavior but that day i took my eye off her & was watching the rat at the snake's cage entrance since that door was wide open.
lesson learned! :hmm:

i almost had 2 feeding bites yesterday. first was from my 230 g male, i dropped the mouse in but he was a little slow at moving around so i went to give him a nudge and since eddie could smell him he saw my hand and hit in between my middle and ring finger but didnt get any teeth in. i think thats cause im also kinda nervous when feeding, mostly because i havent actually got a bite yet. the second time was from my 800g male. i had dropped the rat off the tongs rite before he was going to strike and i went to pick it back up, well that put my hand rite where the rat had been a half second before. luckily i was still a little jumpy from eddies attempt that he completely missed me.

As Reakt20 said--body language is key! :)