I got constricted!

I was going to remove Ginger from her tub in the rack so I could clean a major urate she created; I and picked her up without approaching her head; as she's in my hands for about ten seconds before the deed. Then, all of a sudden, she grabs my thumb and starts constricting it!! She was REALLY latched onto me; I didn't panic, although it was (and still is) VERY painful. Mark ran over, peeled her jaws off of me, and as he did this they were sticking into his hand; there was nothing else we could do in a pinch as my thumb was already, seriously, beginning to turn purple (I am NOT dramatizing here.) Her constricting, was making her teeth dig into me.
I am not blaming her; yet, it is hard to blame myself here. I was just holding here, and didn't see any signs of a strike or an indication that she thought I was food. She was completely out of the tub and in both of my hands; this was NO defensive strike; it was a whole-body wrap-around constriction.
If nothing else, I hope that this post makes people a little more aware of their BPs; they are definately docile and laid-back as far as snakes go, but they are still capable of inflicting pain.. they are not toys, fashion accessories, or statues.
I plan on taking precautions to help in case this ever does happen again; any advice? is it O to spray them with rubbing alcohol or something similar to make them release? I know it sucked that we had to peel her off like that, but I don't plan on losing my thumb anytime soon.
One thing for the record; this IS a painful injury. The base of my thumb is extremely sore, and I can't unscrew a soda pop bottle lid! Also, she was full-up; ate a medium rat two nights ago.

little brat! :eek: i sending healing hugs to your thumb... not the kind of hugs she gave you... much much gentler!

i've heard you can spray something in their mouths... but have no idea what. i would think plain water would do the trick?

Someone suggested vinegar.. maybe the alcohol would be harmful? I wound never want to harm them..

i think i remember hearing vinegar as well. i wonder if just plain water would work though... isn't the idea to shock them into retreating?

I know with hatchlings, we've been bit and constricted many times. Spray bottle of water or head under running water has worked for us.

Congrats on your first constrict... even the baby snakes can inflict some pretty wounds when constricting during a bite. I really have no idea what methods of removal are safe, other than very careful manually, though, sorry.

For bigger snakes, most owners keep a bottle of alcohol close by. They also say warm water will make them release, like snakeysnakesnake said..

Is it rubbing alcohol you are supposed to use? I thought it was supposed to be like vodka or rum? haha

I was watching animal planet and this snake keeper at a zoo did a demonstration by tricking a burm into constricting his own leg and he sprayed warm water on it and it quickly released its coils. The same show also showed a guy using vodka I believe to get a snake to let go of his hand.

Sorry ya got bit :(

I have heard many times it is drinking type alcohol not rubbing. And try and avoid getting it in the heatpits and nostrils. It's nothing Ive ever had to use maybe others would know better than I.

Vinegar is prefered but in a pinch vodka or whiskey can work I've heard.

Jen. any pics., your bf was there and he could not grab the camera? :P

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

i think i remember hearing vinegar as well. i wonder if just plain water would work though... isn't the idea to shock them into retreating?

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For big snakes, a bottle of vodka or any high alcohol liquid will do. Also, bending their tail makes them let go as well from what I've heard.

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Originally Posted by snakedude56

I was watching animal planet and this snake keeper at a zoo did a demonstration by tricking a burm into constricting his own leg and he sprayed warm water on it and it quickly released its coils. The same show also showed a guy using vodka I believe to get a snake to let go of his hand.

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So if you are out in the wild and are randomly constricted, peeing your pants might actually work!

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Originally Posted by Vomitore

For big snakes, a bottle of vodka or any high alcohol liquid will do. Also, bending their tail makes them let go as well from what I've heard.

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Also, if you listen closely, you can hear them cry "Uncle"!

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Originally Posted by Vomitore

Also, bending their tail makes them let go as well from what I've heard.

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I prefer bamboo shoots under their fingernails.

-adam

lol; no pics. It doesn't look like much right now; tried for 5 minuts to photograph my right hand with my left; our camera takes really slow shots without the flash, so I got a thumb shaped blur, lol.
Luckily, none of her teeth came off in my skin!

lol @ Adam

and Ed

all you have to do is warm water,rubbing achool in the face or bend the tail backwards

I saw this on a snake show

I am thinking that maybe the rack has intensified their feeding response?

Racks tend to do that, slide out tub and out comes a hungry snake.


They associate the opening of the tub with....Time to eat.

Damn, I cant believe Marky missed the photo op. :P

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Originally Posted by ECLARK

Racks tend to do that, slide out tub and out comes a hungry snake.


They associate the opening of the tub with....Time to eat.

Damn, I cant believe Marky missed the photo op. :P

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I agree Ed we need pics :P .Yea being in racks does tend to kick in the feeding responses:eek: .The other night i attempted to feed my largest female,as soon as i slide her tote open she was right their:eek: .I had to fire the rat towards the back and she was on him before he landed!

I can't say for sure, as all of my snakes have always been in racks (not counting the first BP who ate way better in a glass viv :), but mine definitely react to the rack opening, but only if they smell rat in the room.

I open them normally and nothing happens, but if Im working from the bottom of the rack upwards, and they smell rat, watch out.. Most of these particular girls get the rat on the first hop in the tub ;)

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I prefer bamboo shoots under their fingernails.

-adam

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Yeah yeah give the vomit guy a hard time ;)

Rubbing alcohol is not safe to drink, so I don't think I'd use that. I keep a small spray bottle of Everclear (very strong grain alcohol) close by. Keep in mind, the alcohol is gonna burn when it gets into those bite injuries!

Steve

I agree. I would not use rubbing alcohol for fear of getting it into the snake's mouth. I would use standard alcohol, like a cheap vodka or something like that..

I have had a similar story with a rescue that I picked up. The person was young, and only fed his 3 year old ball python on mouse per month. Needless to say, the snake came out hungry.. I held it and was talking to the young man, and the snake tried to eat my hand. It took about five minutes to get it off of my hand due to the fact that he had no access to alcohol and I wasn't aware of the water situation. It hurt for a while, and the snake is now dubbed "Bitey"

:D

I read somewhere one time about a guy that kept large constrictors (burms, retics) He kept a spray bottle of whiskey in the herp room, if he got wrapped up some he would spray with the whiskey.....IF they didnt let go........he had it to drink.......LOL

lol; maybe I should keep a bottle of Southern Comfort by the rack; there is one in the freezer, but that'd mean I'd need to go the 10 feet into the kitchen.. :)

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

lol; maybe I should keep a bottle of Southern Comfort by the rack; there is one in the freezer, but that'd mean I'd need to go the 10 feet into the kitchen.. :)

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but then u could drink away the pain an get drunk with ur snake

My problem is I'd constantly be having to replace my "emergency alcohol". Unless I got something I really don't like, like Jagermeister. No heckling from the Jager lovers!

lol! Maybe I should go with a bottle of vinegar then; I never enjoyed straight vinegar before. Although when Mark makes French fries.. it could vanish then..

LOL
I could put malt vinegar on ANYTHING and love it.

my bp prefers mezcal, lol (just kidding). there was a guy on a previous thread that used warm water with a burm and that did the trick, but if that doesn't work grab the bottle.:absolut: i learned the hard way if you stick you hand in the place where them eat they might bite thinking its dinner time. i feed clair in a small empty tank. so she doesn't get bark in her water and the mouse can't hide in her hides (its happened before). when we moved i put her in the tank for easy transport, and when i went to take her out she struck but stoped her self when she relized it was me and not a mouse. only been bitten(right under the nose) once when i first got her but she let go right a way. sorry to hear that yours didn't go as easy on you. i hope you feel better and i hope this was the first and only bite. :bounce:

When I first got my monitor I used to keep a bottle of vinegar with its top off by the viv for just such an emergency (never required though as he's never bitten me :) ) Later on on a monitor forum I was advised to get a bottle of JD ... trouble is I found it doesn't last long ... "ooh the monitor's giving me a funny look" *GLUG GLUG* just in case ... :cool: