Defanging?

Yay my first post..ok, well, I'm going to be getting a ball python in a few months, and was wondering if people ever defang them? I know they don't usually bite, but still, would it be ok to defang it? Or no?

ball pythons don't have fangs...

none of them? wow =S i feel silly, thanks

they have teeth, but they don't have fangs. either way, they should not be removed.

Defanging is usually discussed when refering to venemous species, and even then it's not recommmended.

If you own a ball python for awhile, you will likely get bitten eventually. I've been bitten once, and it was purely my fault. It didn't hurt, and I've been bitten far worse by cat, dogs and even my children. If you're nervous about that eventuality you may want to find a ball python owner and get some handling expereince under your belt. (at least until you are more comfortable with them)

:sunny:

Your ball python comes with teeth and needs those teeth to grasp and move prey into it's mouth during it's natural feeding behaviours. Snakes aren't tame or domesticated pets and eventually everyone gets tagged (bitten or nipped). It's just part of having snakes in your life.

thanks for the info :)

that goes along with all species of constrictors, including pythons, boas, anacondas, etc. Different species use different methods to subdue their prey, one method being venom, and the other method being asphyxiation, or suffocation.

There is such a huge market for small constrictors because of their lack of danger. You'll be just fine. no need to pull teeth :D

If you are really scared of getting bit you might handle you bp with gloves or just get a diffrent pet. also sounds like you need to research a little more before purchasing one.

Snakes grow new teeth all the time anyway.. ball python bites aren't a big deal either. :)

I too was wondering the same thing, not so much about having the teeth removed, but about being bit. The guy i got it from said he couldn't even tell he had been bit, so i'm not to concerned, i have yet to be bitten yet.

My problem is more or less the Anticipation of being bit, i have piercings and tattoos and i'm sure it's no where close to as bad as that.

Does the bite get harder as they grow? mine is still pretty small, only has shedded once, do they pack some more heat when they're older ROFL ? I guess is the best way to put it...

Even an adult ball python's bite is not a big deal. It's kind of surprising at first, they bleed a bit, and the pain subsides very quickly. Usually a few days afterwards you don't feel anything at all, it's kind of like a paper cut type pain, not a big deal.

I was bitten (and hung onto) by a 7' burmese python and 2 days afterwards it didn't even hurt anymore.

By far, the anticipation of your first bite is far worse than the bite itself. I've been bitten by an adult female. It left scratches on my hand and a little bruising the next day. I'd say a paper cut hurts worse than a ball python warning strike.


I've never been bitten by a hunger strike and mistaking your body warmth for food - that's an entirely different type of bite, and I imagine it hurts pretty nicely, compared to a warning strike, which is bite and immediate release.

I've been bitten once by a 1500g female. She flew out of her box, bit me and was back in her cage in a second. If I wasn't bleeding, I would have been hard pressed to say I was bit. By the next day it was completely healed. :rolleyes: I even took a pic of my not so impressive wound. (this was taken a minute or so after the bite) Paper cuts definitely hurt worse. :D

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../6/9/bite1.jpg

I was bit by a baby no bigger than 175 g and did not even realize it at first. I saw him strike but did not feel anything. Only reason i knew I was bit is because I had 2 tiny marks in my hand

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I've never been bitten by a hunger strike and mistaking your body warmth for food - that's an entirely different type of bite, and I imagine it hurts pretty nicely, compared to a warning strike, which is bite and immediate release.

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now this is true. a bite and fast release is nothing--you barely know anything happened. like others have said, you aren't even sure anything happened until you see a few small dots of blood.

now a strike, constrict and sometimes gnaw (the snake trying to get a good hold) is something else entirely. it's nothing awful, but you definitely know you're being bitten. so you just wait a few moments for the snake to realize, hey--this is not food. then it lets go and you wipe up a few drops of blood and move along. still not a big deal, but a little different from the quick tag. :)

The 7' burm bite was a feeding response bite.. it still wasn't that bad. Just my experience though.

I've been mistaken for food before. She held me for 3 minutes. The initial bite hurt a bit like getting a shot, then there was no more real pain, just kind of uncomfortable. Like when you're giving blood at the doctor's office...uncomfortable if you try to move.

It was totally my fault. I dangled the rat, she struck but only grazed it, knocked it out of my hand, and I was foolish enough to reach in to try to pick the rat back up. Rookie mistake.

Let's see if I can post some lovely pics of the encounter.

She got me!
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o.../ShesGotMe.jpg

The aftermath:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...flow/Thumb.jpg

Word on the street is vinegar under the nose, or hot water on the back (not too hot!) might make them let go faster. I just played dead until she was done. Bleeding stopped in one minute, little pinpricks remained visible for 3 days. And the pattern was cool...you could see both rows.

That is by far the best bite pic I have ever seen..GREAT JOB!

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

That is by far the best bite pic I have ever seen..GREAT JOB!

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Thanks!

Only us crazy herpers would get bit by a snake and instead of freaking, running around screaming or acting silly....we run for the camera "quick honey snap a picture before she lets go!!!!" LOL Great bite pic!

awesome bite pic!
Joanna you are so right

I always say the worst place to get bit is the knuckle. I once was taking a ball out of a cage that was housed with another with a really strong feed response at the petstore i use to work at. They both were haning their heads out of the cage doors, i went to grab one and the other one grabbed the palm of my hand near my thumb and tried to pull my hand into the cage to constrict it, and ended up raking my hand from thumb to tip of the pinky. it still didn't hurt past a few minutes but wouldn't stop bleeding. Thats my worst ball bite story.


~mike

Rodent bites are way, way worse than what any BP can do as far as I'm concerned. Their bites tend to get infected, plus they ALWAYS seem to nail you right on the knuckle lol.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Rodent bites are way, way worse than what any BP can do as far as I'm concerned. Their bites tend to get infected, plus they ALWAYS seem to nail you right on the knuckle lol.

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how very true! i always seem to get bitten on the side of the first knuckle/joint usually of my index finger. those long teeth go deep!

That's exactly where I can nipped if a rat is going to nip me. Geeze do we humans have some sort of rat bulls eye on that spot???

apparently so! i think that spot is what momma rat can grab ahold of quickest when you stick your hand in her enclosure. oooh no! you're not comin' in here with mah beebies! *chomp!*

My ball had a stuck shed so i was rubbing at it to get it off. I guess he didn't like it very much so he struck at my head. I looked over at my girlfriend with a little bit of a shocked look on my face. She started to laugh as 2 drops of blood rolled down my face. Didn't hurt, didn't even know it happened if it wasn't for the blood.

ROFL. Like i said, i'm not too worried, it's the anticipation that's got me kind of worried. I know this isn't probably the right thing to say, but mines been a little aggresive, i've kind of wanted to just put my hand in there and get it over with, haha, stupid i know...but hey, do what you got to do.

Haha, i'm also going to say this kind hearted, and trying to be funny.

But the girl who posted this thread at first was probably like, oh okay, this is cool, everyone telling their stories, doesn't sound like it hurts to bad, then the stories start to get more and more intense, suddenly pictures are popping up, different types of bites are being recognized, and now this girl is like :eek:

Maybe she's going to be going with an Anole as a pet now :rockon:

If it has teeth it will bite me reason I will never ever ever own a venemous snake, but would I defang a snake even a venomus one nope they are just doing what is natural to them. Ohh just had somthing new bite me this week one of those african rats see given time and exposure i might get bitten by everything that has teeth. So know if you cant live with a snake bite don't by the snake. from personal expericance cat scratches last longer and do more damage then even 6 and a half foot redtail bites.