Ball Python bit without striking first

[kathleenwdwrd]

So my ball python bit someone without striking. He just started rubbing his nose against his hand and then started biting him pretty slowly. I've had a similar situation happen with a fuzzy blanket that he thought was a rat and then acted like he was going to bite me. He didn't just stayed with his nose right against my wrist and was hard to pry off. He's generally pretty friendly and always comes to me when I go to handle him. Now I'm scared he might bite me. I know it's to be expected, but would like to avoid it if I can. He is a Killer Bee and has a pretty intense head bobble and a strong feeder. I'm just wondering if there might be a reason he bit in such an unusual way...? Does his head bobble have anything to do with it?

[KMG]

I've been bit several times just like that. It seemed to me that my snakes did not like the feel of my arm hair. More of an exploratory bite.

[dakski]

Sounds a little odd, but there could have been a food like smell on the person as well. Who knows?

Look, no one wants to get bitten, by anything, especially larger snakes! That kind of bite sounds pretty harmless, almost exploratory, as KMG said. I wrestle with my dogs and play bites from them hurt more than a BP bite. However, I am not afraid of them. I think sometimes we are afraid of what we don't understand, or can't read. Snake bites seem to scare people more than much more painful things. Frankly, I am probably more worried about getting bitten my one of my snakes (during feeding for example) than I am about many other things that are far worse. I don't let it get to me, but in thinking about it I am more cautious about feeding my snakes than many other things. It's the quickness/unpredictability that potentially bothers me. However, as you will see below, I have had many worse things happen to me (and painful things - I had a kidney transplant and follow up surgery 6 years ago) than getting bitten!

The reality of owning snakes is you can get bitten. Knowing you snake, handling you snake, etc. helps cut down the risk, but mistakes happen during feeding, or they can get confused, or are having a bad day. I race cars and they say if you race long enough, you will crash. I had a transmission failure at 100 mph and went into the wall. That hurt! A BP bite does not, comparably. If you own snakes long enough, you may get bit, it happens.

Having said that, I have had BP's, corn snakes, and now Boa's for much of my life. I have suffered one bite from a baby BP - and it was totally my fault. I slipped and slammed my hand down in front of his hide and he struck quick and then coiled up. I scared him more than he scared or hurt me.

First, try to learn your snake and not be afraid. A bite can be scary if they strike, especially if you are used to chill snake, but it won't be the end of the world. It also sounds like your BP is not aggressive, but rather, scared or had a food response. I wouldn't worry about that as much as a snake that strikes when you walk by or put your hand in his/her enclosure.

Secondly, learn snake language. Sudden and sharp movements can mean scared or defensive. In these instances, be cautious. I would balance that with letting the snake know you are in charge and not afraid of it. My albino spider BP used to hiss when she was little. I called her bluff the first few times and picked her up. She realized I was not afraid of her and hasn't done that since (she is 5 now).

Happy snake or curious snake equals slow and wide/long tongue movements. Tasting the air, taking things in. Short fast tongue movements can mean hungry, scared, defensive, etc.

I am not trying to be difficult and trivialize your fear. I understand, as I said above, and don't want to get bitten either. However, as Alford Hitchcock said, "the anticipation of the bang is worse than the bang itself." He made a living on fear/anxiety over actual event.

In this case the fear of a snake bite is probably doing more harm than the snake bite could. Additionally, although snakes DO NOT "sense fear," if you are nervous, he could become nervous and defensive too. Be chill and he probably will be as well.

I used to tell myself when I started racing cars that I would freak out and quit racing if I got in an accident. I didn't. I got back on the horse and set faster lap times.

If you get bit, you'll keep enjoying your BP, but I doubt it will be a common occurrence, if it happens again.

Enjoy your BP! Don't let the fear of getting bit take away from how awesome your BP is and how much enjoyment you get from him/her.

[kathleenwdwrd]

Thanks for your input! I know a lot of the fear is mental and I could experience far worse bites from my other animals.. He's never struck at me in aggression before but he is very curious when I come by his cage. Like I said he would just come out to me when I stopped by and opened up his doors. Both of these times though he was totally chill and normal until I'm guessing something triggered him. Mostly just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar, I've just never seen a snake bite the way he did.

[dakski]

Yeah. I realize I rambled on there after re-reading. Lol.

Glad it was helpful though.

I have heard of bites like that but never seen or experienced one.

Probably a one time thing.

How old old is your BP?

[kathleenwdwrd]

Yeah. I realize I rambled on there after re-reading. Lol.

Glad it was helpful though.

I have heard of bites like that but never seen or experienced one.

Probably a one time thing.

How old old is your BP?

Lol it's all good, I've never been bitten before but I've heard it's like a paper cut. He is very hard to get off once latched on, strong lil guy. Felt bad for the guy he bit though, we were all just talking about how friendly he is and then that happened lol

He's around 2 years old, closer to 3. I've had him for about 2 years.

[Craiga 01453]

Look, no one wants to get bitten, by anything, especially larger snakes! That kind of bite sounds pretty harmless, almost exploratory, as KMG said. I wrestle with my dogs and play bites from them hurt more than a BP bite.

Am I the only one who sometimes wishes I could play with my snakes the way we play with dogs, cats, ferrets, etc... just some gentle rough housing and a few play bites?? Maybe a little tug-of-war, chase the toy, etc...Hahaha!!
I said that to my girlfriend a while back and she looked at me like I had 7 heads!!
Maybe it is just me??

[CALM Pythons]

Am I the only one who sometimes wishes I could play with my snakes the way we play with dogs, cats, ferrets, etc... just some gentle rough housing and a few play bites?? Maybe a little tug-of-war, chase the toy, etc...Hahaha!!
I said that to my girlfriend a while back and she looked at me like I had 7 heads!!
Maybe it is just me??

Hahahahahaha.. To funny. I get some strange looks myself.. I call them Sweetheart and i dont know how many times ive gotten:
"I don't know the last time you spoke that sweet to me but your in there with the snakes calling them Sweetheart"

We have some Pet Norway Rats also that are really cool and smart. They play just like our Dogs.. Tug a war, wrestle your hand and love a massage... And yes i think to myself...
"wish the snakes would come over to me & wanted to get scratched and rubbed" Hahaha

[Forgotten]

I find this very interesting, I have no advice but simply my opinion on snake bites and my experience.

I've taken a few bites from my 100+ lb german shepherd / rotty mix (unintentionally) as him and my other dog sometimes get too rough playing and I have to separate them and those bites hurt and do a lot more damage than a ball python ever could but it doesn't scare me off of letting my dogs sleep in my bed or play with me.
We are naturally scared of what we don't know and with public perception of " the big bad snakes" we associate them with danger and don't take the time to get to know the animals and understand them like we do with dogs, creating a fear of them.

Ball pythons don't hurt when they bite but the thought of being bit by a snake is intimidating and I feel like it comes from the overall perception of snakes being dangerous and bad. Of course no one on this site believes that but, personally, I think it goes back to your natural instinct and what you were taught of snakes being dangerous.

When I was living with my parents they wouldn't allow me to have snakes and they were terrified of them so I didn't handle a snake until I was 17 and living on my own.
For 17 years I was taught that snakes were bad, leave them alone, and now sometimes when I see one of my snakes (who I know is friendly) coiled up or looking defensive I start to get nervous about being bit and I think subconsciously its your brain telling you what its been told for years: Snakes = Danger

I just picked up a large adult female bp (largest snake Ive ever handled) and seeing how big she is does make me nervous to get bit but as Dakski said, its the anticipation of being bit which can lead you to be more timid and more likely to get bit, the bit itself isn't so bad.

I'm very excited to start handling her once she's settled in, despite my intimidation, because is anything fun if it doesn't get your heart racing?

All in all, don't be worried to get bit, it might happen, it might not, you're not gonna die or even be hurt. Try to get to know and understand your snakes body language and signs of when its scared or defensive because its not biting out of aggression, your snake isn't sizing you up and planning an elaborate jail break to devour you in your sleep.



Or atleast thats what they want us to think

[MR Snakes]

I find this very interesting, I have no advice but simply my opinion on snake bites and my experience.

I've taken a few bites from my 100+ lb german shepherd / rotty mix (unintentionally) as him and my other dog sometimes get too rough playing and I have to separate them and those bites hurt and do a lot more damage than a ball python ever could but it doesn't scare me off of letting my dogs sleep in my bed or play with me.
We are naturally scared of what we don't know and with public perception of " the big bad snakes" we associate them with danger and don't take the time to get to know the animals and understand them like we do with dogs, creating a fear of them.

Ball pythons don't hurt when they bite but the thought of being bit by a snake is intimidating and I feel like it comes from the overall perception of snakes being dangerous and bad. Of course no one on this site believes that but, personally, I think it goes back to your natural instinct and what you were taught of snakes being dangerous.

When I was living with my parents they wouldn't allow me to have snakes and they were terrified of them so I didn't handle a snake until I was 17 and living on my own.
For 17 years I was taught that snakes were bad, leave them alone, and now sometimes when I see one of my snakes (who I know is friendly) coiled up or looking defensive I start to get nervous about being bit and I think subconsciously its your brain telling you what its been told for years: Snakes = Danger

I just picked up a large adult female bp (largest snake Ive ever handled) and seeing how big she is does make me nervous to get bit but as Dakski said, its the anticipation of being bit which can lead you to be more timid and more likely to get bit, the bit itself isn't so bad.

I'm very excited to start handling her once she's settled in, despite my intimidation, because is anything fun if it doesn't get your heart racing?

All in all, don't be worried to get bit, it might happen, it might not, you're not gonna die or even be hurt. Try to get to know and understand your snakes body language and signs of when its scared or defensive because its not biting out of aggression, your snake is really sizing you up and planning an elaborate jail break to devour you and your family in your sleep.



Or at least that's what they want us to think

Now you've ruined it for me. It's time to go back to the unicorn forum for me. Bye