Why are people so scared of a ball python bite?

[Sariel]

Ok I could use alittle clarification on a few posts, because at first glance they disturb me..
things like asking how to instigate a bite and that you require your friends to be bitten. First thoughts that come to my head are that, to get your snake to bite require it to be stressed or in feeding mode. So, removing feeding mode from the equation, why would you stress your animal out to make sure yourself or someone else gets to experience a nip?

Now Im not trying to bash anyone or start online bickering, Id just like to clear the air alittle. If Im confused on this then someone new to the forum and BP keeping might wonder as well.

That said, even the best of us can get tagged at feeding time during a lapse moment. I've gotten two bites in my time as a keeper. One from a bin of babies that I reached in to single one out and one from my fire during.. you guessed it, nomnom time.

[Beardedragon]

Im not afraid of the bites, im afraid of getting scared crapless by the strike. If you even watch a horror movie with me youll get what im talking about... Im a jumper.

Ive been bite before and the snake constricted my arm by a 1000 gram spider( Feeding mistake I made...) Didnt hurt one bit, you learn after a while not to freak out, I wasnt scared but its one hell of an annoyance.

[punkoldschool]

not been bit yet. is it wierd that i kind of want to just to get it over with lol

[angllady2]

My husband was nervous about being bitten, but not really bad. Then his big girl got him.

It was really weird, she didn't strike, she just opened her mouth slowly and then closed it over his wrist. You couldn't even see the mark by the next day.

But sine then, he is terrified of even a hatchling strike. It's so sad. Little bitty thing can't even open it's mouth wide enough to bite you, but if it snaps a little, he freaks out and won't come near it. Worse than that, he's afraid I'm going to get bitten.

Me ? I got tagged once. You needed a magnifying glass to see the blood, and I quit being scared. One of our hatchlings got me, made me bleed a bit. I just started laughing and couldn't stop. This sweet little thing, scared out of his mind, and going to show big, bad me who was boss. It just cracked me up. I'm not in the least bit scared of being bitten by a ball, they just don't do that much damage. I've had a pet BIRD do worse! And don't get me started on kittens.

Gale

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

This thread is a bit distressing.. Lets try to be a little more responsible for the HSUS-PETA narcs which may be lurking, shall we?

"Why are people so scared of a ball python bite?"

Because they have not been bitten yet. Not that anyone really wants to be bitten but its true. Facts: The strike will freak you out. The bite will make you point at the BP and laugh. If there is any blood there wont be in about 10 seconds or so.. Anything that moves that fast is too much for our senses. Its natural to jump and fear it.

[Jay_Bunny]

I have been bitten a few times. I don't fear getting bitten, but the strike itself makes me jump. Sometimes I still jump during feeding when one of my snakes has a really nice feeding response and hits the rat really hard. I don't want to get bitten so I avoid doing things that would get me bitten but sometimes they take me by surprise and I barely have time to move.

For instance, last night I was checking on all the snakes to change water and I fed a few. Well dumb me, I smelled like rats and mice and when I opened my female normal's tub she literally flew at me. Her tub is at the same height as my face so she was basically striking at my face! Scary stuff when you see a snake's open mouth heading for your nose. Thankfully I moved back enough that she didn't get me, but she was darn close.

I think most people that get bitten lost that fear of getting bitten. Those that have not been bitten before, usually fear it more because they are not sure what its going to feel like. But like I said, I'm not afraid to get bitten again. I know how it feels. I know how much I bleed from it and I know what to expect. But when they strike, it still makes me jump a little. Just a little startling I guess.