This just seems dumb...spa offers snake massage

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/1...st-metabolism/

The caption below the pic in the article states that it is a 48 foot retic........

Customers at a spa in Bali, Indonesia, can now opt for a new, slithery type of treatment: a “python massage.”
Offered at the Bali Heritage and Reflexology Spa, the procedure requires customers to lie on their stomach as a python slithers along their back, Medical Daily reported. The spa maintains there’s no reason to fear being eaten mid-massage, as customers are accompanied by two staff members throughout the process and all pythons are fed 30 minutes before the treatment begins.
The spa says that the treatment offers patients’ a more intense massage – in addition to triggering adrenaline, which they say could help boost metabolism.
While massages are known to be associated with many health benefits, the benefits of a python massage are unclear. However, previous research has indicated that a surge in adrenaline may help trigger certain metabolic processes, Medical Daily reported.
Another potential benefit? The feeling of relief once the massage is over.

I don't know about this man.. that is just sketchy :sly: I guess that somewhat makes sense but it be more of exotic experience than actual "massage"

"Snakes don't bite. Just humans."

Snakes are fed 30 minutes before the massage...


...so they're in feeding mode?

Heard about this. Also heard a rumor that they tape the snakes' mouths shut. Not ok.


Sent from my cool hide

Does the refrain-from-handling-after-feeding rule apply to all snakes, or just BPs? I can't imagine that having a huge rat or a bunny barfed onto your back would be all that rejuvenating.
I would no longer require that metabolism boost to help lose weight. At a minimum I'd at least lose the weight of my last meal.

'fox news'

Gald it makes everyone elses brain hurt too

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Can a retic even get to 48ft? I highly doubt it.

48 foot retic is a common rumor that was never confirmed. longest confirmed is a 24 foot retic, unless something longer has came along since I last heard.

As for the news article... I just shake my head at and continue my day.

My first thought when I saw the article title a couple days ago was that this sounded great. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I have a bad habit of dozing off when I have one of my ball pythons out and and about and crawling on me while I lay in my bed. It's just so darn relaxing.
But this.

http://fearless-selling.ca/wp-conten...g_it_wrong.jpg

This is having a wild caught, recently fed retic or some other python either in feeding mode biting/constricting you or freaking out and thrashing while vomiting and musking. That's not relaxing. That stresses you out (hence the adrenaline) and stresses the poor animal out. If you want adrenaline, go drive off a ramp or something.

They are a little inaccurate.

Yes there is a spa, several in fact, that offer python massages. No, they don't use any giant pythons, and the benefits have nothing to do with fear. I've seen numerous pictures and articles on Facebook related to these spas. I have seen ball pythons, RTB, and a few small Burmese used, usually a massage involves two snakes and two therapists, and the animals are well kept and fed on schedule, not just before a massage. Personally, I've said for a long time if I could train mine to massage on command I'd make a fortune with them. They are excellent therapy for my tension headaches and the pinched nerve in my neck.

Of course, given that we are talking about mainstream media here, expect them to take a nugget of truth and twist it into a mountain of fantasy to boost their ratings.

Gale

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Originally Posted by BrandiR

Does the refrain-from-handling-after-feeding rule apply to all snakes, or just BPs? I can't imagine that having a huge rat or a bunny barfed onto your back would be all that rejuvenating.
I would no longer require that metabolism boost to help lose weight. At a minimum I'd at least lose the weight of my last meal.

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it sure does with retics. lol except i dont worry about them regurging so much as being in feed mode. my retic still looks like he's ready to strangle something else even when he's got a HUGE lump in him. and he stays in feed mode for usually 24-48 hours. i walk in my room and he's got his neck cocked following me back and forth. lol

I'm sure the point about them feeding the snakes 30 minutes before the message is a lie to make customers feel more comfortable. If that was the case they would either have a ton of snakes or severely over fed snakes assuming they are operating every day. I image they learned quickly that stressing out a snake right after it has eaten is a bad idea and now just lie about when they last ate.

I can't see this working if they tape the mouth shut. My snakes would freak out if something was holding their mouth shut and I don't see it being a relaxing or even remotely enjoyable message at that point.

I've tried to let many people get a retic massauge . . . they are all hesitant for some reason . . . :taz:

Ridiculous,first of all my snake has add when I hold him..he's all over the place and can't stay still..this also is a joke.

When I first looked at the title, I really thought is was going to be about someone who massages snakes.

The snakes mouths ARE taped shut, they use Bloods, balls and Burms from what I've seen

Links with some pics

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/28/chill-...ssage-4164613/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...y.html#photo=3

Am I the only one who'd be more worried about getting pooped on?

When I was doing a volunteer thing with a reptile group, I was holding a 5ish foot Burm... we were joking it was a trade-off, we kept him warm via our body heat, he gave us back massages!

I couldn't imagine using it as an actual massage though. But hey, whatever floats their boat? :/ I'm not thrilled about the mouths being taped shut though.

one of them looks like a green tree python to me, anyway its something arboreal.

crawling on the back of some tourist and having the mouth taped shut must be especially terrible for an arboreal species.

really not nice.

but then, a while back i heared about some "venomous snake show" in thailand that leaves tourists horrified because several snakes die during each show, being killed in mongoose vs snake or human vs snake "fights".

then i remember this video where a bear and a monkey are forced to ride bikes and do a bike race, and the monkey and the bear get into a bike crash and the bear kills the monkey.

in some nations, animal rights are not advanced and they just treat them like we would treat dead things. so the problem is much bigger than just this spa. taping the mouths and forced handling is not nice, but at least they are not killing them.

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Originally Posted by spygirl

Am I the only one who'd be more worried about getting pooped on?

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I'd take a million bites a day before I get crapped on by one of those things. A 2 and a half foot ball python unloading it's excretement on me is bad enough as it is.

let's see if this works - Bamp for Thread Super Merge!

A New York Woman Is Giving Snake Massages With Live Boa Constrictors

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Originally Posted by Skyrivers

https://www.allure.com/story/snake-massage-therapy

Thought this was cool but also could be stressful for the animals if not done properly.

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

They've been around awhile.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I think this is the same one I saw a different article about quite a while back.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Speaking from my experience (getting a massage), I think the actual "massage" would be underwhelming, since snakes aren't there for the human, just doing
their thing. This is really all about the "novelty"...:rolleyes: and hopefully no one panics & startles a snake into biting during their session. Not likely but could happen-
I wonder if they have insurance, or have patrons sign waivers?

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Originally Posted by MasonC2K

I dunno. Ball Pythons make for great neck messages.

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Originally Posted by Treeman

I would bet they would have patrons sign waivers acknowledging the small amount of risk involved, knowing these snakes are living beings with minds of their own, and the ability to feel threatened and scared by people.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

48 foot retic is a common rumor that was never confirmed. longest confirmed is a 24 foot retic, unless something longer has came along since I last heard.

As for the news article... I just shake my head at and continue my day.

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http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/...ver-(captivity) Is the accepted record in most cases.