big ball bite... yes, there's blood here...

[Blake_Herman]

well, it finally happened to me... I've fed literally thousands of times now, frozen/thawed, by hand, and never had anything go wrong... So I'm posting this so anyone else that does that can see what COULD happen to them... to start, here's petunia...


I was going through feeding some of the snakes tonight and petunia appeared to be hungry as always (this is my fiance's 1,500 gram ball - which is the same snake that bit her in the face several months ago). He went for the rat, overshot and so I dropped the rat and pulled away. The problem was that petunia had managed to grab the tip of my finger...

This all happened pretty quickly, but as soon as I realized what had happened (and pulled him across the tub hanging onto my finger for a foot and a half) I reached for him, cause he wasn't letting go, and he constricted both of my hands, and still had my finger in his mouth. I was alone, and couldn't use my hands. Not good. Knowing petunia, I knew he would let go of me before he tried to eat me. So I decided my only option was to wait it out, and I was trying as hard as I could to stay still so he would release sooner. After a little over 3 minutes, he finally released and left me bleeding...

It tore a little bit at the end of my finger, and then the other teeth just punctured... I just want to share my story so that maybe it will keep someone else from getting bitten during feeding... Here is before clean up...




And then this is after I got it cleaned up. It took several minutes for it to stop bleeding and there was A LOT of blood that came out of those little holes. Sorry, but I could help but to squeeze my finger when I was washing up, and it actually squirted... :eek: the worst part, as you can probably tell, was under my fingernail...




The funniest thing was that I was trying to get water on him at first to get him to let go. First I tried the faucet, and I couldn't turn it on because of my hands being stuck in the ball of constricting petunia. Then I went for some pitchers that I had water in, the problem there was that they were half full, and he was too big to get into the pitcher. So that's when I actually decided to wait until he decided it was time to let go...

[jknudson]

Probably just mad HE was named Petunia.

Great thread...even greater carnage! lol.

[Blake_Herman]

and I guess I should point out, I DID NOT NAME HIM THAT... that would be lindsey's work...

[liam]

the word 'ouch' springs to mind, so u gonno use tongs next time?

[Alice]

Yikes! That will be just a bit sore for a few hours.


Are you going to change your routine because of this? I've been bit once by an adult on my upper arm and it hurt like h&%*. But I didn't change anything in how I feed after - I just chaulked it up to bad moves on my part.

[Seneschal]

Ouch! My 1500 gram-er has gotten me a few times, but she's never held on! The worst she ever did with me was on one of the veins in my wrist and it bled for a few minutes but no squirting...

..and the squirting comment had me going, D8 "EW!"

[Laooda]

Where was someone with a camera when your hands were wrapped up!?!?


So sorry you got tagged.... looks like it'll be soar for a few days! He's really pretty if that makes it any better!?!?!

[crisstyle21]

Wow I bet you was like ouch at first, but was kind of happy about it. for 12 years owning Bps I never been bit once. So when that day happens I will be relieved because everyday its like "oh my god! is my borneo gonna bite me today but never does.

[frankykeno]

Somebody needs some long tongs LOL. Poor thing being named Petunia, I'd bite you too!

[mricyfire]

Was curious...ball pythons arent one of those animals that once they taste human blood they want more right?