My Snake Randomly Bit A Friend- why?

[DaveIsMySnake]

So, I fed Dave three mice less than a week ago, and handle him regularly. I had some friends over, and one asked to hold him. I took Dave out first and held him for a few minutes, then handed him over to my friend. She draped him over one of her arms, and then had let go of him with her other hand. He put his face near her arm that he was draped over, and I thought he was going to smell her, but instead her BIT her! It was not a strike. He didn't coil back and strike at all - he was totally relaxed, and then just bit her and held on. As soon as I grabbed him, he let go of her. When she draped him over her arm, I was getting ready to tell her that she should use two hands to support him, because I know that is how to hold a snake. Is it possible that he bit her because he was trying to hold on and did not feel supported enough? He was not behaving aggressively at all - it REALLY shocked me. I have a 7yr old daughter who I allow to hold Dave all the time (with my direct supervision). I would really like some thoughts on why he bit her, so that I can prevent it in the future, or so that I can know if I need to stop allowing my daughter to hold our snake.

Any thoughts? Thanks so much for any feedback.

~DaveIsMySnake

[DemmBalls]

It's an animal...they are all unpredictable and you WILL get bitten over time if you own snakes. Judging by the way you described her "hanging on" it sounds like she may have been hungry? If it is in defense, they will strick and let gow. I have also never heard of one biting so they wouldn't fall.

A similar thing happend to me at a show this weekend. I held a blue eyed lucy that a breeder i regularly buy from produced...out of nowhere she tagged me. it's to be expected.

[zina10]

Maybe she smelled of rodent ??
Sorry, but there is no knowing what goes on in those tiny heads, but I can understand your shock. Its kind of embarrassing when that happens, esp. to friends and family whom we are trying to show how "cool" our snakes are...
Never heard of one biting to "hold on". Technically that would work I guess, but I'm more inclined to think some smell or heat or a combination of it triggered his feeding response...

[anatess]

We've had the bp's since my children were 5 and 7 year olds. They handle the snakes a lot. They even play "jungle" with them (putting hides, branches, etc. on the coffee table and put the snakes there while they pretend they're in the jungle and they had to fight for territory.

My 5 year old got bit once. Jumping on the couch while the snake was on the couch - scared the bejeeezuz out of the snake.

No big deal - lesson learned. Their girl cousins came to visit, they join the jungle game but they were screaming like how girls are (I don't have girls, thank God!) so of course one got tagged. No big deal - lesson learned.

One time they got tagged for taking out a snake in shed.

I don't know why your snake tagged. But there are myriads of reasons they strike - most of them user error.

No big deal - that's just part of owning a snake.

[WingedWolfPsion]

As everyone said, there's just no way to be sure. Different families of humans have different scents, though, so complete speculation says: Maybe your friend smelled different enough that the snake wasn't sure what he was, and warmth and an unfamiliar scent triggered a defensive response.

Unless he bit and wrapped, this probably wasn't about feeding. I have had some baby ball pythons bite me in the fashion you described when they were unhappy with the way they were being handled (posing for photographs). (Rather than a strike, or a bite and wrap, it's more of a 'find a good spot and sink your teeth in, then let go').

Maybe he was just not in the mood, and didn't trust the situation, and wanted to make that clear, lol.
Cats do the same thing--if they've had enough of handling, they may turn and bite. All animals will bite, it's one of the few ways they have of signaling their displeasure.

[Kysenia]

I have done probably 10-15 school, summer town celebration etc presentations with my ball pythons. The one question that is always asked is...."Do they bite?" Yep, they bite. Then the response is ewwwww shiver shiver shiver lol. Then I ask if they have a cat or pet. Ahhhhh Yep they usually say. Has it bitten you? Ahhhh Yep. Then i go ewwwww shiver shiver shiver...lol just kidding on last part, but the point is simple all pets, ones we consider domesticated or ones we dont, can bite and do bite. I know humans that bite Just like us, animals are unpredictable and i would chalk it up to that.

Now if I had a bp that was defensive all the time, struck all the time, cage aggressive etc, then that one doesnt get held by others or taken to presentations. But even the ones we think would never bite, or over the years have never shown any signs of aggression or nervousness can bite. And unfortunately they wont tell us why So as long as the animal is not one of those that we like to say is fiesty I wouldnt worry too much about it

[jfreels]

My 5 year old got bit once. Jumping on the couch while the snake was on the couch - scared the bejeeezuz out of the snake.

No big deal - lesson learned. Their girl cousins came to visit, they join the jungle game but they were screaming like how girls are (I don't have girls, thank God!) so of course one got tagged. No big deal - lesson learned.

The lesson is, snakes shouldn't be put into these situations. Right?

[Clint Bundy]

I think he did it because he can. We must remember these aren't dogs or cats. Well I guess they bite too. I take my snakes to schools to teach children about snakes and let them ask questions. They always want to know if I have been bitten. Of course I have and I know I will get bitten again. The odd part is that most kids that are scared of snakes want to pet their head. I have never figured that one out.

[Jeo123]

Just to answer your question... this does happen sometimes.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ighlight=teeth

or the direct youtube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9_6b_RZ1pg

[ed4281]

If it has teeth it bites.

All animals are capable of it, it's the only way a snake can defend itself, it's not like it can push you away or tell you to stop.

As for your children getting bit I understand it's a scary thought and goes completely against all you own instinct's, to even think of something harming your children. The only thing you can do to prevent it is teach your kids what behaviors to look for, even then it can still happen, be thankful it’s a snake that is only going to leave a few teeth marks and not a dog that can rip a face off or a cat that can transmit zoonotic diseases via its bite. Snakes are relatively clean and a small one will do very little harm.