big ball bite... yes, there's blood here...

well, it finally happened to me... I've fed literally thousands of times now, frozen/thawed, by hand, and never had anything go wrong... So I'm posting this so anyone else that does that can see what COULD happen to them... to start, here's petunia...
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...unia162107.jpg

I was going through feeding some of the snakes tonight and petunia appeared to be hungry as always (this is my fiance's 1,500 gram ball - which is the same snake that bit her in the face several months ago). He went for the rat, overshot and so I dropped the rat and pulled away. The problem was that petunia had managed to grab the tip of my finger...

This all happened pretty quickly, but as soon as I realized what had happened (and pulled him across the tub hanging onto my finger for a foot and a half) I reached for him, cause he wasn't letting go, and he constricted both of my hands, and still had my finger in his mouth. I was alone, and couldn't use my hands. Not good. Knowing petunia, I knew he would let go of me before he tried to eat me. So I decided my only option was to wait it out, and I was trying as hard as I could to stay still so he would release sooner. After a little over 3 minutes, he finally released and left me bleeding...

It tore a little bit at the end of my finger, and then the other teeth just punctured... I just want to share my story so that maybe it will keep someone else from getting bitten during feeding... Here is before clean up...
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...nning62907.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...nning62907.jpg

And then this is after I got it cleaned up. It took several minutes for it to stop bleeding and there was A LOT of blood that came out of those little holes. Sorry, but I could help but to squeeze my finger when I was washing up, and it actually squirted... :eek: the worst part, as you can probably tell, was under my fingernail...
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...nding62907.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...nding62907.jpg

The funniest thing was that I was trying to get water on him at first to get him to let go. First I tried the faucet, and I couldn't turn it on because of my hands being stuck in the ball of constricting petunia. Then I went for some pitchers that I had water in, the problem there was that they were half full, and he was too big to get into the pitcher. So that's when I actually decided to wait until he decided it was time to let go...

Probably just mad HE was named Petunia.:D

Great thread...even greater carnage! lol.

and I guess I should point out, I DID NOT NAME HIM THAT... :D that would be lindsey's work... :P

the word 'ouch' springs to mind, so u gonno use tongs next time?

Yikes! That will be just a bit sore for a few hours. :(


Are you going to change your routine because of this? I've been bit once by an adult on my upper arm and it hurt like h&%*. But I didn't change anything in how I feed after - I just chaulked it up to bad moves on my part.

Ouch! My 1500 gram-er has gotten me a few times, but she's never held on! The worst she ever did with me was on one of the veins in my wrist and it bled for a few minutes but no squirting...

..and the squirting comment had me going, D8 "EW!"

Where was someone with a camera when your hands were wrapped up!?!? :oops:


So sorry you got tagged.... looks like it'll be soar for a few days! He's really pretty if that makes it any better!?!?! :P

Wow I bet you was like ouch at first, but was kind of happy about it. for 12 years owning Bps I never been bit once. So when that day happens I will be relieved because everyday its like "oh my god! is my borneo gonna bite me today but never does.

Somebody needs some long tongs LOL. Poor thing being named Petunia, I'd bite you too! :D

Was curious...ball pythons arent one of those animals that once they taste human blood they want more right?

No animal naturally "wants human blood" so no, snakes would not do that.

oooo dat is a nice!

looks like a nice bite!

sorry he got you.

:oops:

Haha, Blake, you need to take up yoga so next time you can turn the faucet on with your toes! :lmao:

ooo under the fingernail sounds like a right ouchie.:eek:


I love this place though.:D

Where else would someone shout "my snake bit me - quick get the camera" :rofl:

Sorry you got tagged but thanks for thinking of us and sharing.:D



dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alice

Yikes! That will be just a bit sore for a few hours. :(

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I have to be honest, it hurt a little longer than a few hours, and it doesn't feel real good typing with it right now... :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crisstyle21

Wow I bet you was like ouch at first, but was kind of happy about it. for 12 years owning Bps I never been bit once. So when that day happens I will be relieved because everyday its like "oh my god! is my borneo gonna bite me today but never does.

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this was by FAR not my first snakebite, but it was just the first time one has gotten me while feeding, so really I just was ready for him to let go pretty much as soon as he had me... I'd had a couple close calls in the past where one had almost gotten me with feeding, but this time, this one did...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mricyfire

Was curious...ball pythons arent one of those animals that once they taste human blood they want more right?

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first the face, and now my hand? makes me wonder... :D jk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

I love this place though.:D

Where else would someone shout "my snake bit me - quick get the camera" :rofl:

Sorry you got tagged but thanks for thinking of us and sharing.:D

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It really was the first thing I thought of... and believe me, I was trying my hardest to get that camera while he had me, maybe I'll have to learn how to use my camera with my toes too... :carrot:

oh, and another thing that just shows I love my snakes... when i was waiting for him to release, I started thinking about it, and I was like "wow, that's amazing how well he hung on when I tried to pull away..." you know? cause I'm a lot bigger and stronger than a mouse/rat... I don't know, I just thought it was cool to see the curve teeth do exactly what they were supposed to do... ;) hang on to me! jk of course...

sorry, wouldn't let me edit and just add it onto the last post...

the only other time something like this happened and a snake bit and coiled me, was about a year and half ago... I was getting ready to feed my olive python (8-9 ft.) and I was getting ready to wash up and get her out (so I still smelled like rats, and I knew it), but to my surprise she actually came after me from like 6 ft away... She moved so fast and managed to bite my hand and coil around it... For those of you who haven't experienced a big snake bite and constrict, I hope you never do, but it's hard to explain the pain when they constrict their own head around you (so yeah, that means pushing those BIG teeth in you as hard as they can)... I wouldn't have had a chance of getting her off by myself, but when I'm working with the larger ones, I'm not alone. So lindsey managed to uncoil her and I had to remove her from my hand (she was hungry!)... but that was an experience! one that I don't ever want to repeat again... :colbert: :8:

u got bit in the face :O:O:O.... and lol.... how tht happen?

:O Oh man sorry you got tagged! Ouch under the nail.

Argh!! Man, that is a nice one.
My female, Ginger, did that to me a few months back. My fiance had to gently pry her off of my thumb; it was literally turning blue in front of my eyes. It was swollen for a few weeks.
This should be a reminder that, while BPs are generally not biters and everyone does not get bitten by every one every day, they are animals and CAN get you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blake_Herman

first the face, and now my hand? makes me wonder... :D jk

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That is exactly what happened to me...was hold him couple weeks after I got him and for no apparent reason he got me like 10 millimeters from my right eye...was bleeding and all...and then recently he bit me on the finger very gently though...but that was my fault...dont mess with them when feeding :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blake_Herman

sorry, wouldn't let me edit and just add it onto the last post...

the only other time something like this happened and a snake bit and coiled me, was about a year and half ago... I was getting ready to feed my olive python (8-9 ft.) and I was getting ready to wash up and get her out (so I still smelled like rats, and I knew it), but to my surprise she actually came after me from like 6 ft away... She moved so fast and managed to bite my hand and coil around it... For those of you who haven't experienced a big snake bite and constrict, I hope you never do, but it's hard to explain the pain when they constrict their own head around you (so yeah, that means pushing those BIG teeth in you as hard as they can)... I wouldn't have had a chance of getting her off by myself, but when I'm working with the larger ones, I'm not alone. So lindsey managed to uncoil her and I had to remove her from my hand (she was hungry!)... but that was an experience! one that I don't ever want to repeat again... :colbert: :8:

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A bad experience Blake but lucky for you that you do follow safe and sane larger snake handling procedures by having Lindsey there with you. That's a good bit of advice for our members to pay attention to. :)

very true, it's just a MUST with the large ones... :sweeet: and really not a bad idea when feeding the smaller ones, it would have been nicer if I wasn't by myself last night...

OwOwOw!

And I agree with Sarah, learn some Yoga so you can dial the phone with your toes and give me a ring. I can rush over and take pics of the battle wounds! LOL!

It's ALWAYS the sweet-sounding ones that are the worst. Cats named Buttons and Cuddles, and snakes named Petunia, hehe.