Why are people so scared of a ball python bite?

My husband was nervous about being bitten, but not really bad. Then his big girl got him.

It was really weird, she didn't strike, she just opened her mouth slowly and then closed it over his wrist. You couldn't even see the mark by the next day.

But sine then, he is terrified of even a hatchling strike. It's so sad. Little bitty thing can't even open it's mouth wide enough to bite you, but if it snaps a little, he freaks out and won't come near it. Worse than that, he's afraid I'm going to get bitten.

Me ? I got tagged once. You needed a magnifying glass to see the blood, and I quit being scared. One of our hatchlings got me, made me bleed a bit. I just started laughing and couldn't stop. This sweet little thing, scared out of his mind, and going to show big, bad me who was boss. It just cracked me up. I'm not in the least bit scared of being bitten by a ball, they just don't do that much damage. I've had a pet BIRD do worse! And don't get me started on kittens.

Gale

I have been bitten a few times. I don't fear getting bitten, but the strike itself makes me jump. Sometimes I still jump during feeding when one of my snakes has a really nice feeding response and hits the rat really hard. I don't want to get bitten so I avoid doing things that would get me bitten but sometimes they take me by surprise and I barely have time to move.

For instance, last night I was checking on all the snakes to change water and I fed a few. Well dumb me, I smelled like rats and mice and when I opened my female normal's tub she literally flew at me. Her tub is at the same height as my face so she was basically striking at my face! Scary stuff when you see a snake's open mouth heading for your nose. Thankfully I moved back enough that she didn't get me, but she was darn close.

I think most people that get bitten lost that fear of getting bitten. Those that have not been bitten before, usually fear it more because they are not sure what its going to feel like. But like I said, I'm not afraid to get bitten again. I know how it feels. I know how much I bleed from it and I know what to expect. But when they strike, it still makes me jump a little. Just a little startling I guess. :rolleyes:

This thread is a bit distressing.. Lets try to be a little more responsible for the HSUS-PETA narcs which may be lurking, shall we?

"Why are people so scared of a ball python bite?"

Because they have not been bitten yet. Not that anyone really wants to be bitten but its true. Facts: The strike will freak you out. The bite will make you point at the BP and laugh. If there is any blood there wont be in about 10 seconds or so.. Anything that moves that fast is too much for our senses. Its natural to jump and fear it.

Some people have never expierenced a ball python bite, it can be scary if you dont know its coming..

-Payson!

I still haven't been full out bitten yet. My lil het albino girl, who was sold to me on the terms that she was a bit of a moody one, was always SO sweet since she'd been here so I was really shocked the other day when I opened her tub to check temps and she struck at me!!

She got me with one tooth and left a little tiny pin prick hole. I have to admit I jumped (I'm very easily frightened...dont sneak up behind me haha!) but then I laughed. It definitely eased my nerves a bit. I'm still not looking forward to getting full out bit but now I'm not as nervous as I was before.

Well, kind of a silly question.

We dont like ANYTHING biting us. Dogs, cats, mice, snakes.. other people.. etc..

Biting is just something we as humans OVERALL are afraid of.

I attribute that to the fact we dont have any natural predators so its turned our species into a bunch of softies.

Bottom line is its not just snake bites.. No one enjoys being bitten by anything.. Makes sense to me :D

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Originally Posted by EvesFriend

I have been bitten several times and it is really more of an itch than anything else. I'm not going to go stick my hand in the cage and try and get bit or anything but it really isn't sometime to be deathly afraid of. The fast movement of the snake is startling but the bite itself really doesn't hurt all that much; yet I know people who act like if they get bit they are going to die. What is the deal?

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I don't know if you have aver been hit good by a large ball python, but they can definitely give a bite that causes more than an itch. I have been caught by a 4500g female and I was still picking teeth out of my hand two weeks later.

Yeah, I agree that it's the strike that's the startling part. Then it's like, "you bit me? really?". My first bite was pretty normal, except that I was extremely undereducated about BP's (thanks Big Box PetStore). I ended up getting a tetanus shot that night, and because it was after 8, it turned into an ER visit. I called Nurse Direct to see what I should do to clean the bite and the nurse told me to go the ER right away if I hadn't had an updated tetanus shot. You live and learn I guess.

I wouldn't say people are scared of being bitten so much as we dislike it.

Getting tagged by a baby is nothing, but when it's an adult...well, the level of dislike raises considerably, they can hurt.