Do you let your BP come near your face?

[nikkubus]

I can see both sides but every individual has to decide for themselves what level of risk they want to deal with. I can read my animals well, and there are times I would let them near my face and times I wouldn't. I've also seen people on youtube who are really trying to teach others to keep the animals face away from yours, and in the very process of doing so they are making quick movements towards the animals face that if the animal was going to get fearful and bite ever, this would be the time for it to happen! I think it's good to teach as a general practice not to have them near your face because a lot of people don't know how to read their body language. How many times have you heard "Aww look, my BP is waiting at the front of his enclosure for me to take him out because he misses me and wants to cuddle!!"?

[Zincubus]

I realised it was an old thread

I was searching through our archives for a decent thread on the topic as I see so many videos / photos online with small children putting their face right up to the jaws of huge Retics ..

This thread is the GodFather of all the relevant threads


https://images.app.goo.gl/71nc2zcvQRyLFYnHA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Bogertophis]

I realised it was an old thread

I was searching through our archives for a decent thread on the topic as I see so many videos / photos online with small children putting their face right up to the jaws of huge Retics ..

This thread is the GodFather of all the relevant threads


https://images.app.goo.gl/71nc2zcvQRyLFYnHA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah, who couldn't see that bite coming? But obviously, young children don't, and sadly, many adults don't either. It's a topic well worth revisiting.

It takes time for virtually everyone to learn to read a snake's body language- & still some catch on better than others- just like with any other animals, not everyone is equally good with dogs, cats, or riding horses, etc. I will also agree that no one who is new to snakes should be getting "face to face" with them, & the same goes for if the snake is newly acquired.

[Trinityblood]

I don't think it's a good idea to put a snake by your face. Particularly when its involuntary by the animal. Mine sometimes stretches his neck out all the way and sniffs/licks my face but he's in a totally relaxed state and did it on his own. I'm still doing it at my own risk, though. I read the mood wrong once, and I'll get a bite.

[Bogertophis]

I don't think it's a good idea to put a snake by your face. Particularly when its involuntary by the animal. Mine sometimes stretches his neck out all the way and sniffs/licks my face but he's in a totally relaxed state and did it on his own. I'm still doing it at my own risk, though. I read the mood wrong once, and I'll get a bite.

And I'm not suggesting anyone "force" the issue either, but sooner or later, most of our snakes end up near our face, especially once they get longer. That's why I'd rather teach them while they're the size of a pencil, rather than waiting for their bite to have more significance. There's some element of risk in many things we do in life, & we don't all have the same comfort level for all the same things. Some of my methods probably seem goofy, but they work for me. No one should do anything that doesn't feel natural to them just because it works for me or anyone else. That's often how it begins though, with our snakes just being curious & sniffing our faces. If we're tense about that, it might spook them, but if we can manage to really relax, I think that helps- at least it has for me. If you've ever seen snakes bump into one another, a similar thing takes place- identification as harmless & no "escalation".

[Bogertophis]

...I think it's good to teach as a general practice not to have them near your face because a lot of people don't know how to read their body language. How many times have you heard "Aww look, my BP is waiting at the front of his enclosure for me to take him out because he misses me and wants to cuddle!!"?

I so agree. And how many people know (or notice) a strike coil when they see one?

The flip side happens all the time too- a hungry snake chases the owner's motion thru the glass, but has NO desire to actually bite THEM, yet so many people do take it that way.

The longer you live with lots of snakes, the easier it is to read them, but most ppl haven't had that much exposure. So in general, "do as we say, not as we do". -or, "don't try this at home".

And btw, I'm quite cautious with someone else's snakes too. It helps to know your own animals, & for them to know us.

[wnateg]

I let my emerald tree boas and reticulated python near my face and crawl on my head. The rest I do not. It’s definitely very dependent on the personality of each snake.

[Bogertophis]

I let my emerald tree boas and reticulated python near my face and crawl on my head. The rest I do not. It’s definitely very dependent on the personality of each snake.

Funny, I just realized that this thread originally started off being only about BPs, but since I no longer keep any, I answered with respect to my variety of snakes in mind, as did you. It's interesting too, because the ones you mentioned are some that most wouldn't think would be trustworthy being in your face, & the same is true for many of mine, & especially some of the snakes I've had in the past. But you can really tell that some snakes are smarter than others- & it's so much about their personality & how they mesh with us.

[bcr229]

I've actually bit bit twice in the face by boas, but in neither case was the snake's head close to my face when they launched their strikes.

One was a big adult female that I had draped across my shoulders and behind my neck, with her tail wrapped around my right arm, and her front third supported by my left arm and hand so her head was pointed forward in the direction I was walking. Her head and mine were at about the same height, but her neck was resting on my hand which was held out in front of me; I was supporting but not holding her. I walked by a fan that was turned on, and when she felt the sudden breeze hit her from the right, she interpreted that as an attack, whipped around to the right, and popped me defensively on one cheek. I think we were both a bit surprised.

The other was a male adult boa that I was carrying into the house after some sun time in the yard. The entry has a screen/storm door and a regular exterior door. The spring on the storm door was a bit stiff at the time and it had a habit of hitting you in the back or foot if you didn't pass by it fairly quickly unless you held it open, which I couldn't do easily while I was holding the snake. I guess my quick movement into the house startled him and again, while his head wasn't anywhere near mine when he launched the strike, he actually got me just in front of my right ear to let me know he didn't appreciate his walking tree suddenly moving in an unexpected way.

So, with the bigger snakes at least, if it's in your hands, it's likely capable of reaching your face.

[Bogertophis]

...I walked by a fan that was turned on, and when she felt the sudden breeze hit her from the right, she interpreted that as an attack, whipped around to the right, and popped me defensively on one cheek.....So, with the bigger snakes at least, if it's in your hands, it's likely capable of reaching your face.

That reminds me of an odd (but not serious & not face) bite that I got many years ago, when I walked past a mirror while carrying a snake- the snake apparently panicked when he caught sight of what probably appeared to him to be nearby motion- actually just our reflection in the mirror, but snakes survive because they have these instincts that make them react fast. While bites like this are very hard to anticipate, I think one thing that contributes is when it's a larger snake that doesn't feel so safe & supported by us in the first place- just a thought. (The snake I was carrying was not one that I raised, & it was a 6' rescue.)

(For a 10-year old thread, this one sure came roaring back to life. )