BP biting once in hand?

[Shera]

Hey, this will probably sound like a silly noobie question, but bare with me, I am a noobie I was just wondering if your BP has ever bitten you once you were already holding it. Like it seemed docile when you picked it up and while you were handling it, it just out of the blue bit you? I'm more concerned for my kids, we just got our first BP and I have basically told them that she doesn't bite, and I would hate to give them a bad experience with snakes. When I was about 8-12 years old I spent a lot of time finding and catching (and releasing) snakes (and turtles, and frogs), and I always found that if a snake was non aggressive when you picked it up, it would never bite later while you were still holding it, and likewise, if you found an aggressive snake that was striking, as soon as it calmed down and was ok with being held it wouldn't bite again. These are wild local snakes though (garters, corns, red bellied), I have no experience with pythons.

[Anya]

Nope. That would be really strange, IMO. Then again...I think a better way to explain it to your children is that anything with teeth can bite, but that It's extremely unlikely that the bp would bite them.

[Shera]

Ok, thanks, so far this just reaffirms what I felt I already knew about snakes, they don't just up and bite when you are holding them and they are relaxed. It's true though, anything with teeth can bite. I got a bit freaked out the other day when I was holding her and she yawned (or what appeared to be a yawn). I have never seen a snake yawn before, and OMG, that's a big mouth LOL.

[Blitzjg]

I have a 3 month old, handled him for the first time today since I got him, he startled several times but didn't strike although I was probably hyper cautious. The first time I held him during a cage adjustment I was sitting down with him and when I stood up he startled and struck at my other hand. So it is possible, in my experience sudden movements can cause a bite reaction. Although in my case it may be because he's still very small.

He yawned today and I caught it out of the peripheral when I was hanging out with him, it is so adorable

[Centexsnakes]

Never been bit by my bp's but there is a wild rat snake about five foot in my yard that I mess with a couple times a month and he will be calm then tag the crap out of me, lol!! Granted he lives under my deck and I do "catch him " enough to where I know he gets annoyed with me but come on!! He is big and pretty and sooooo worth the bite! Lol

[Inarikins]

I've gotten nervous babies to strike at me while handling them, but I wouldn't say that it wasn't at least partially provoked (I like to test the temperaments of babies by waving my hand in front of them to see if I can get them to strike) but the only other time i've gotten nailed is when I stuck my hand into a tub just a couple hours after feeding to rearrange some substrate. So my answer would have to be a combination of all three of the 'yes' replies. I have yet to have an unprovoked or undeserved strike at me.

[rlditmars]

The only time I was bit by a calm snake while handling it was when my daughter went to clean the girls tub and handed her to me to hold. I had just been petting our small dogs and I am sure the scent coupled with the heat signature of my hand in front of her, prompted the strike. Other than that, never. If you have small mammals, (cats, dogs, hamsters, etc.) just make certain the children wash their hands before attemppting to handle the snake. Have a great time with your new BP.

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

I have never had a BP bite me, but my 2.5 year old BCI bit Tiffany aka RoseyReps in a similar fashion. She was moving through her arms and just kind of opened her mouth and her teeth made contact with Tiffany's arm, but there was no aggression or strike. She wasn't being defensive or anything.


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[MrLang]

If the snake is nervous and feeling the need to defend, it will strike. Hatchlings do definitely strike once holding. I think an adult would be less likely to.

Just teach your kids to be calm, 'be the tree' and don't restrict the snake, just guide it, and not to wave anything in front of their face or make abrupt movements and they'll be fine.

[Crazymonkee]

My little girl struck at my fiancee once...but I think she was hungry... we got her June 8th and she didn't eat for me for 2 months! Since she's been eating regularly ( trick was live) she's back to her normal docile self!

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