Photographer Captures Black Mamba Biting Him on Camera

THIS IS CRAZY.

Also CHECK OUT the photographers site.

He is very lucky to be alive!

The way the snake bit him it looks like it went around his left leg, behind him, then came up in between his legs and bit him. Was he not paying attention, like big time, while doing this? also who was handling the snake for him? I like the pics and think theyre cool but that guy has a perfect combination of brilliance and no regard for his own safety lol.

His photography is really gorgeous and that's an incredible story. Lucky man, hopefully he's extra careful in the future to make sure it doesn't happen again.

That is nuts. Who was handling that snake? He is crazy lucky!

I agree his photographs are amazing. And he is very fortunate to be alive.

Does anyone know, are the colors on those snakes real ? I didn't know cobras could be red or orange, and what about the one that's green and pink ?

Gale

Something looks weird in that picture. Why is the hook all the way up against his leg? Bite staged with a venemoid for the picture? Eh? Just playing conspiracy theorist over here lol.

That is crazy! He's lucky to be alive, wow!

I would think the hook was being used to get the snake off him? Or a last second effort by the handler.

Would make sense but it said on the article he didn't even notice until he looked at the pictures the next day... Pretty sure that you would be watching that thing closer then that and if there was a handler there then he must not care much for his clients hahaha

I wonder if he did not notice he got the pic? You think you would notice getting bit, unless he is a very sick diabetic who cannot feel his legs!

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Originally Posted by AndrewGeibel

Something looks weird in that picture. Why is the hook all the way up against his leg? Bite staged with a venemoid for the picture? Eh? Just playing conspiracy theorist over here lol.

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I was thinking the same thing :rolleyes: for someone who didn't notice and wasn't aware of all of this going on with a venomous snake,.. somethings not right.

He is a great photographer. Whoever his assistants are need to refine their handling ability.

I imagine that both he and the handler thought that the snake had simply bumped into him while thrashing around. It probably happened extremely quickly.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I imagine that both he and the handler thought that the snake had simply bumped into him while thrashing around. It probably happened extremely quickly.

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That's what I was thinking and he just had the button pressed on the camera following the snake around and it was constantly snapping photos.

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Originally Posted by angllady2

I agree his photographs are amazing. And he is very fortunate to be alive.

Does anyone know, are the colors on those snakes real ? I didn't know cobras could be red or orange, and what about the one that's green and pink ?

Gale

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The colors are definitely real, I don't know which green and pink one you're referring to, but the red and orange I would assume is the second picture, and those are Emerald Tree Boas. :D (EDIT: Unless you were looking at the site link pictures, I can't confirm those, but with a REALLY nice camera I'm sure lots of colors you wouldn't think of would get picked up.)

Malaysian Blue Coral's are SOOOO beautiful, and that's a gorgeous shot he got. He was lucky he wasn't bitten by that one, as of right now (if I remember correctly) there is no effective A/V for them.

How did he NOT notice it? :O It HURTS like no tommorow when i was bit by a boa.I could not even guess how those fangs would feel

:weirdface No excuse,.. he should have never been that close. If the handler was having issues then back away until they get situated. Cameras have zoom lenses for a reason. This could have easily been flipped and turned into something negative if he did end up in the hospital. Or worse actually died at home or some where and the pic found later.

Yes, I was looking at his website. The King cobra photograph shows a yellow, orange and almost red snake with a dark tail. I thought they were just black.

I've heard it said that with some venomous animals, the bites are nearly painless.

Gale

This comment from the article:

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ARE WE REALLY supposed to believe that this competent snake handler had a snake hook in one hand, and a camera in the other while one of the deadliest and most aggressive biters in the world
was cruising around his leg???? I smell s**t ,and Photoshop. (”And, by the way folks, my latest
book is coming out….”.) Come on, people.

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While I don't think it was Photoshop (or not fully) HOW could he not notice a black mamba biting him. I assume someone else had the hook in their hand, wouldn't they have noticed it biting him? And if it WAS him handling the snake while simultaneously photographing, I forsee him as a future Darwin Award Recipient.

I wonder what makes a venomous snake decide to bite, but not inject venom.

Are they just sort of exploring and trying to get a better feel for what catches their interest?

I've heard of sharks doing something like that, a test bite of some kind.

This is crazy. Lucky to be alive.

What a cruddy snake handler!!!

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Originally Posted by bubblz

:weirdface No excuse,.. he should have never been that close. If the handler was having issues then back away until they get situated. Cameras have zoom lenses for a reason. This could have easily been flipped and turned into something negative if he did end up in the hospital. Or worse actually died at home or some where and the pic found later.

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Just seeing how touchy mambas can be and how quick they are, I'm guessing it wouldn't take much time to have gotten into that predicament. A zoom lens is not quite always possible to get the type of detail I'm sure he's looking for. I'll give you that he needs better assistants and somebody more familiar with handling hots working with him.. but he might have been in a safe place, and the snake handler was doing a poor job, resulting in a potentially disastrous situation.

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Originally Posted by Scubaf250

Would make sense but it said on the article he didn't even notice until he looked at the pictures the next day... Pretty sure that you would be watching that thing closer then that and if there was a handler there then he must not care much for his clients hahaha

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A lot of real-time things can be missed when looking through a lens or screen. Yeah.. I'd wan to be making extra sure to pay attention and be careful, but to get the kinds of shots he's aiming for, you've gotta pay attention snake via camera and hope to God the person positioning the snake doesn't let it do something like, oh.. bite your shin. Lol.

And well.. if he's handling the snakes himself, perhaps that's his first mistake.

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Originally Posted by alkibp

I wonder what makes a venomous snake decide to bite, but not inject venom.

Are they just sort of exploring and trying to get a better feel for what catches their interest?

I've heard of sharks doing something like that, a test bite of some kind.

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Even spiders can bite and "shut off" their venom so to speak, or opt not to use it. My guess would be that the snake had no reason to inject venom... maybe he was more annoyed than frightened, maybe it was a warning, maybe it's better to conserve the venom in case it's actually needed later? :confuzd:

that is a very lucky man right there, i bet he's never appreciated life so much as he does right now

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

Just seeing how touchy mambas can be and how quick they are, I'm guessing it wouldn't take much time to have gotten into that predicament. A zoom lens is not quite always possible to get the type of detail I'm sure he's looking for. I'll give you that he needs better assistants and somebody more familiar with handling hots working with him.. but he might have been in a safe place, and the snake handler was doing a poor job, resulting in a potentially disastrous situation.

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:weirdface Not buying it,.. with or with out a zoom lens, he's still standing on the black backdrop so he couldn't have been too far (far enough) away from it.
These days you have cameras that hook up to TV and Computer screens with remote controls. So yeah,.. keep in mind how quick and touchy they are or may be.

It doesn't take long or much to realize and see that the handler is having issues with the snake and or the snake is out of view on cam.

Regardless of HOW he received the bite (improper handling of the snake, etc), he's lucky to be alive. The pictures on his site are AWESOME!

But...I have a hard time supporting someone who puts themselves in this sort've danger. It's like encouraging bad behavior.

I love all the misinformation from National Geographic in the article....you'd think someone from National Geographic would at least use the word venomous...sad

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Originally Posted by Luke Martin

I love all the misinformation from National Geographic in the article....you'd think someone from National Geographic would at least use the word venomous...sad

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i thought i was the only one who gets peeved about the terminology..

i used to correct people, but i feel like i sound pompous :oops::rolleyes:

This was a great stunt to get publicity, and it worked. I bet snake forums across the net are discussing this right now, all of them with links to his website.

I have a hard time believing this happened accidentally with a venomous animal. My best guess would be a venomoid that they weren't paying close attention to. And not noticing it until the next day? I find that hard to believe. My ball python bites itch a little bit after the fact. Not feeling anything or noticing anything shortly after the fact?

I'm skeptical.

I've read many time that a mamba's bite is so fast that most people don't feel it.

BJ Shea on the radio out here this morning was talking about a news story with a guy who shot himself in the head with a nail gun... he felt close to no pain, thought it had just grazed his head after ricocheting off of the shed he was building, and didn't know it was there until the next day when he felt sick, went to the doctor and they told him that he in fact, had a 3.5 inch nail lodged in his brain, millimeters away from motor function failure. Even his wife/girlfriend cleaned up the wound after it had happened... it jsut slid right in there.

I know you once it's in the brain you can't really feel it... but I feel like if you can't feel a nail going through your head, it's very possible not to have felt a dry mamba bite.

Google "man shoots himself in head with nail gun". Can't really look up the video as I'm at work atm.

Are anybody was thinking about possibility that this was actually captive black mamba defanged .. with removed venom glands.. and that is just Great great commercial for him ???:rolleyes:
Just sayin .....
If not this guy should buy lotto ticket.....:cool:

How could the handler not have called 911 immediately? If I was a handler and a hot bit someone I would get the snake secure and call 911 ASAP! I mean the hook was right there, the handler HAD to see it happen.

ahahah I would have cried if this happened to me.

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Originally Posted by AndrewGeibel

Something looks weird in that picture. Why is the hook all the way up against his leg? Bite staged with a venemoid for the picture? Eh? Just playing conspiracy theorist over here lol.

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It is weird, who would let a black mamba stroll around in a room with them :confused:

:O Crazy story or not, I NEED those photos up on the walls in my future herp room!!