It would be Apok to show me the light....

[EyeLashViper]

:shock: Well, over the last couple of years that I have been into snakes I must admit that I have gotten into the habit of letting them lay on my shoulders around my neck ( ! ) while I perform their husbandry chores. I have seemingly gotten away with this up until the last time I let my big male Apok drape around my neck. Apok has been feeding on rats and I think he is feeling his cheerios or something because he flexed his musculature and man....it felt like something indeed serious around my neck....I mean no B.S. it was tight - I immediately uncoiled him and it was not the easiest thing to do. I looked at him with new respect as I could see how powerful a sub adult Ball Python can be - Now I understand how dangerous a large Retic or Burm could potentially be if they got around you - I must admit that I feel stupid what with Apok giving me a good wakeup call :roll: but I will tell you that a good size BP can constrict very tightly around your neck so learn from my mistake and dont do it...!!!!

Okay you can all chastise me now...I am ready for it...

EyeLashViper :?

[Marla]

Nah, you've done it yourself. I will let my big one hand around my neck, but never without a hand on her to prevent her unintentionally injuring me. They are strong, and it just doesn't take that long with short enough oxygen to make a person pass out, so even if it is extremely unlikely that she'd cause permanent damage herself, she could get lost or I could be injured as a result of passing out.

[led4urhead]

Okay you can all chastise me now...I am ready for it...

Na .. we're not gonna do that. I've never let any of my snakes go close to my head and not even for that reason. I just dont want to get tagged in the face. Its a force of habit for me. Bp's are suprisingly strong for their size and can apply some serious pressure. Its ok to let them hang around your neck if you want them to, but as Marla said .. just be there with one hand in case they decide to get "frisky"

[elevatethis]

Pretty much any large constrictor is no joke...we, as a species, really aren't a match for them at all. It wouldn't suprise me if humans, back in prehistoric times, often fell victim to large snakes in areas like southeast asia.

[UberAlice]

Even my 3-foot viper boa can put quite a squeeze on, and she's nowhere near as girthy as a ball. Last night she was trying to snuggle, and I had a tight-fitting necklace on....I should have known better. She slipped her tail through the end of it and coiled, and I had to keep my head straight up so I could breathe. Now I've learned better I was always careful with my BP, but I never really thought that a smaller snake like a VB could be so strong.