Jeff Shemesh - VPI T+ Sunglow Motley Jungle het Anery

[Homebody]

I am not sharing to scare anyone but to point out that I've been keeping snakes for 30+ years and have had 5 bites (one wasn't even my snake) and none that were bad (like a feeding response bite that led to chewing etc. - that was the children's python who got me that wasn't mine).

Yeah, truth is snakes bite. Most commonly kept aren't likely to bite and don't cause much damage when they do, but anyone who says that snakes don't bite is lying. It's a cost that anyone considering keeping them must consider.

[Bogertophis]

The mistake there was when Jeff was grabbed "quick", & also in letting a stranger make the first contact.

I never got bit by my BCI, but it could easily have happened had I not been patient, & waited for her to indicate she knew me & was ready for interaction. It's hard to gauge if the snake seems calm, as Jeff apparently was. Once in a while, she'd hiss up a storm when I approached to interact, but she'd stay coiled & on guard while I "reminded her" by touching her coils farthest from her face, & giving her my scent, until she quieted down. Then I could pick her up with no issue, ever. And she came to me as a feisty boa that no one wanted, because she bit everybody without remorse, haha.

You're right to forgive beautiful Jeff...he just panicked & was confused, & you were nearby. I'm glad it wasn't a bad bite.

It's SO important when handling snakes to be the one handling them first. I've done many programs & "meet & greets" with all kinds of my snakes, & seriously, their trust in us clearly carries over to meeting new people. I've never had any snake bite or try to bite when I've made the first contact. Even when I've had to travel to another location...they were fine because I was the one to pick them up & reassure them first. Snakes just want to feel "safe"...I'm glad you posted about this experience.