Bites

[Jay_Bunny]

I know at some point, when I have a snake, I will be bitten. So, I want to know ahead of time, how bad does a snake bite hurt? Especially a ball python's bite, since this will be my first snake. I've actually heard that it hurts no worse than getting a shot at the doctor's. That I can definatly handle. (I have a good pain tolerance. )

[Schlyne]

I've had shots hurt a lot more than a bp bite

[Jay_Bunny]

Ok, then I'll be fine. It might scare me at first when I am eventually bitten, but I think I've had worse. I was bitten by a rottwieler a few years back. Put a nice hole in my arm at least an inch deep. I think a BP bite will be nothing when compared to that.

The one thing I'm wondering is feeding in the cage. I've heard this leads to the snake associating the opening of the lid and the appearance of a human hand as a sign for food if you feed in the enclosure. Will feeding outside the enclosure decrease the risk of getting bitten?

[Shelby]

Oh my gosh a snake bite is NOTHING like a dog bite, or a shot. (a ball python bite anyways)

I was bitten and held on to by an 8' burmese python, and by the second day it didn't even hurt at all anymore. Very mild pain in my book..

[Jay_Bunny]

Awsome. Then I shall have no problem with BP bites. Its probably more fear than pain for your first bite I'm guessing. I've never been bitten by a snake, so I've only heard experiences from others. Its good to know it won't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. If I can easily sit through and watch getting a shot, then I have nothing to worry about.

[Amy05]

i'm glad to hear that too, i've had a BP for over a year now, but i havn't been bitten *knocks on wood*. I just hope my first bite isnt from my RTB when he grows up. that would hurt....or atleast more than a BP bite.

[JLC]

The one thing I'm wondering is feeding in the cage. I've heard this leads to the snake associating the opening of the lid and the appearance of a human hand as a sign for food if you feed in the enclosure. Will feeding outside the enclosure decrease the risk of getting bitten?

That's just a myth...not even sure how it got started because the logic behind it is so fuzzy. If you open the enclosure for other things like providing fresh water and cleaning and handling...then why would the snake believe "opening" equals "food?" And if it would make that sort of association...then why would it not also associate being picked up with being fed? See why it doesn't make any sense?

Go ahead and feed in the enclosure...it works fine.

To avoid bites associated with feeding...just use your head. Don't approach or handle the snake if your hands smell like rodents. Don't mess with the snake on feeding day except to just feed him. Don't hold food in your bare hand while offering it to the snake. Drop live rodents in quickly...or hold f/t rodents with tongs...depending on which feeding method works best for you.

[Jay_Bunny]

Not sure if I'll be doing live or f/t feeding. When I used to have a ball, we fed it live in the enclosure. He never bit anyone. He was such a sweetie. Since I'll be living with two other people when I get this snake, I just need to assure them that any bite they get won't be serious. They are not scared of snakes, but don't love them either.

[bigballs]

if youre gonna get bit by a snake you probably wont even know you even got bit until after it bites you. they are pretty fast...(bps dont hurt anyways...)


but i can understand how the hand associated with food thing is possible. if you dont regularily handle the snake and only put your hand in there to feed and change water then it is possible to condition the snakes behaviour to associate your hand with food.

i never tried to do it but if you wanted to prove that theory then thats how it can be done...

[JLC]

but i can understand how the hand associated with food thing is possible. if you dont regularily handle the snake and only put your hand in there to feed and change water then it is possible to condition the snakes behaviour to associate your hand with food.

i never tried to do it but if you wanted to prove that theory then thats how it can be done...

Well...I have a gopher snake that has been fed in its enclosure for years now. And it is handled only rarely. Most of the time that his lid is opened, its for food, water, or cleaning poop. And never once has the snake ever mistaken a hand for food, nor even seemed to consider it.

I would venture to say that if it ever got so bad that a snake was indeed conditioned to think the hand=food...then that is a seriously neglected snake. Not because snakes need to be handled (they don't care) but because their homes need at least some minimum standards of care that have nothing to do with food.