What's it like to get bit by a snake?

I am new to the Ball python hobby. I have never been bit, by any of my snakes, or any snakes I have handled over the years. What's it like to get bit by a ball python, or any other python or boa? I'm sure it's not so bad but would like to know, your experiences.

I have 7 Balls now and am waiting for the day it happens so I can finally put the mind to rest.

depends what kinda bite:
the get away bite is like someone slapping or flicking your hand hard you may or may not get teeth.
the hungry bites hurt worse cuz they think you are food full on teeth and constriction. These hurt pretty bad if they get you good.

Knock on wood but i have yet to be tagged either. I pretty much am waiting for the day i have a brain fart and i reach in the cage smalling like rat and BAM get it. but until then its just a ticking time bomb :)

I have a 2 year old BP and a baby BP. The 2 year old grazed me a few times was like a thump, not yet fully bit by her but the baby slapped at me and hung on for a few seconds. Thank god it was just the baby lol. It wasnt bad at all but I dont wanna find out what the 2 yr old feels like.

very fast, usually unexpected in my case, and you bleed for days (not really) but you do bleed a lot. make sure to fill us in when you get your first TAG! its kinda exciting. pics are always good too. good luck :gj:

In my opinion, the shock value of actually having the snake strike at you and bite is what makes me jump. The bites usually aren't that bad. Of course, this only applies with smaller snakes... Having a Retic or Burm lounge at you is a whole nother' story.

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Originally Posted by andwhy6

very fast, usually unexpected in my case, and you bleed for days (not really) but you do bleed a lot. make sure to fill us in when you get your first TAG! its kinda exciting. pics are always good too. good luck :gj:

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Great... I sure cant wait.... NOT:bolt:

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Originally Posted by bender29

In my opinion, the shock value of actually having the snake strike at you and bite is what makes me jump. The bites usually aren't that bad. Of course, this only applies with smaller snakes... Having a Retic or Burm lounge at you is a whole nother' story.

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Annies are far worse.

I will await the day. Have any of you ever been bit bad by one of the larger boa's or pythons?
I had a fairly large burmese python 10 or so years back, she hissed lots but never striked.

Green tree pythons have the largest fangs in the python family,so i guess they hurt the most but i am a virgin also.

It is startling and stings.. and bleeds.

I just got bit around... 30 min ago.

I have been grazed a few times when I worked at a petstore but no full on bites. I think it needs to happen so I can not be afraid of it happening I think that is worse.lol.

Fast, very fast. Most times you don't realize you've been tagged till after the fact. The only painful one I got was from a large boa as a teen. Bled a LOT!! I've had a few that stung, but not bad.

I have been bitten a few times back in college when collecting for my Herp class. One was a black rat snake that was found in the dorms. It was a wild snake and the Police had it really pissed and in one of those dog restraining devices. I grabbed it behind the head and thought I had it when they let it go. It turned its head aroudn and grabbed my thumb. It did not hurt at all. Teeth were very sharp and I did bleed a lot. Freaked out the police and I thought one of them was going to pass out. I just calmly put the snake in my bag, laughed and went on my way.

The second time was a very nasty Diamond back water snake. I got tagged when trying to stop it before it got back into the water. That hurt a little but still, the shock of it always gets me more than the bite really. Plus those water snakes really stink bad. I probably was at a much greater risk of infection than anything.

Don't worry too much about bites and learn to read your snake. They will usually warn you first if you are paying attention. Don't smell like food and don't move like food and you should be OK.

Jeff

HMMMM to get bit.. LOL

Well it pinches and stings much like a tattoo. You might be surprised at how much you may bleed but its over before you know it..unless a 3000 gram girl takes your hand as food and descides yo grad you and hang on.. Hannah.

Doesn't hurt to bad, but just make sure you check for teeth in your hand. You would be surprised how hard they are to see.

Thanks for posting your experiences with bites.

my boy and girl are most jumpy the first 5 minutes after I remove them from their tubs, this is when I slow down all of my movements. After about 5-10 minutes of handling, they seem to be more comfortable and don't recoil as much, so I believe that means they are somewhat more comfortable in their surroundings than they were initially.

Either way, I try to pick them up by moving m hand around the back part of their body, never straight on, I know they are sensitive to their heads....haven't been bit yet, but I'm sure one day I'll get careless :/

I've been grazed twice by baby ball pythons and once by a half growl corn snake. Didn't really hurt that much, not much blood since it was just a graze.

With the corn, I was stupid and held her food with my fingers and of course my fingers were warmer and she tried to get at my fingers. She grazed it and it stung a bit, much like someone poking you lightly with a pin and there was one drop of blood. Not bad and I learned my lesson. Now I use feeding tongs at all times.

With the baby ball python I was holding it in a store and it was in shed (I didn't realize till after the fact because its eyes were just starting to go cloudy) and I went to transfer it to my other hand and I heard a hiss and wham! grazed my finger. There was no blood but it stung for a bit after.

I just know I'm going to get tagged by a larger snake someday and I kind of want to get it over with so I'm not as "scared" of getting bit.

Never been tagged but my Burmese at time would put on a good show when I would go to pick him up at times! As soon as he felt the clamps being released over his pen he'd expand to about twice his size and then as I pulled the top off he'd let out his hiss for what seemed like minutes! I would just tell him
to "Aw...shutup" and pulled him outta the tank anyways. Then good luck getting him back in. I miss my Burmese but I'd never get a snake that grows THAT large again. Our Great Pyreneese Mountain dog Theodore means too much to us. Let alone the kids, the wifey, goats, sheep, small mules, ponies, etc.

Jeff

PS - If I ever do get nailed I'll be sure to post picks of the aftermath here.

I bleed alot when it happened the first time..... It didnt really hurt because it was still a baby even though it was bleeding alot I was laughing because it seemed pretty cool haha I wasnt expecting it thats for sure.