How do you get over the fear of being BIT?

[Daigga]

Being bit is always a possibility. Personally, I find it more important to keep my own reaction in check to make sure I don't accidentally drop the snake or flick it away on reflex. The bites really don't hurt a person, but it's very possible whatever your reaction is could hurt a young snake. That being said, BP's are traditionally very docile and not usually prone to biting. Sure, you may have a few nippy individuals but you'll recognize those ones pretty quick, and then there's the feeding response that may herald an incoming bite. Honestly, whenever Kirby or Chelsea look at my hand like food, I just use the other hand to pick them up from around the middle and they calm right down.

[LLLReptile]

As others have said, after your first bite, you lose the fear big time.

A bigger snake biting you will hurt, but it's not any worse than the stubbed toe example, and as long as you stay still and do not yank the snake off you, it'll heal up in a day or two.

We often train new staff out of their bite fear by making them stick their hand in a cage with a bunch of new baby carpet pythons. Lots of angry and potentially lots of biting, but little actual injury, especially if they stay still. Just takes one and most people are able to get past the fear - it's not an unknown anymore.

-Jen

[MrBrute]

lol thanks folks

[MrLang]

We often train new staff out of their bite fear by making them stick their hand in a cage with a bunch of new baby carpet pythons.

Video please!

[Mojave]

the bites are more startling than anything, and they're so quick that you wont even realize it until its over with. they're not painful at all, in my opinion. especially babies; their bites feel like a pencil tapping your hand lol. getting popped isn't anything to worry about, the snakes aren't powerful enough to do serious damage. ill be honest, i used a thick knee high sock over one of my hands to pick one of my babies up when i first got it because i was super afraid of getting popped. he didn't to anything at all, just coiled up and stared at the sock like "the heck are you picking me up with?" some tips would be to just reach in at a constant speed, nothing sudden, nothing too slow, and scoop the snake up. don't wave your hand or hover it above them. THAT is what makes them nippy. reach in with confidence. its a little scary at first and the babies may suddenly jerk back or hiss, but that's about all they will do. after a few handling sessions, all that disappears. i still jump out of my skin when mine are sleeping and i reach in to get them and they wake up and jerk back really fast because they didn't know whats reaching in to get them! in all though, these guys are one of, if not, THE most docile snakes to own. they're like tiny puppy dogs (without the painful, annoying teething period- thank god) and are by far my favorite snake species. good luck!

[Gemma]

I was bit by a reticulated python. Scared me more than it hurt. I hate that it didn't leave a scar, though. That woulda been pretty cool. But yeah, all the little teeth make for a good bit of blood. After the shock is over, though, it kinda feels more like a bruise than a bite. At least to me it does.

[KING JAMES]

As has been said by many others the best way to get over the fear of getting bit is to simply get bit. I would rather get bit than stub my toe but I dont walk around with shoes on all day out of fear of stubbing my toe.

[Swayback]

You name the creature...I'll tell you how much more it's bite hurts compared a bp bite!
Pound for pound, they're at the bottom of the list!
Any mammals going to hurt way more!

Itll spook you!
As mentioned above, I always worry more about the snake than than myself, it really isn't hard to jerk back and really hurt your snake.

Just accept it's going to happen and try to be ready...

[Ballpythoncrazy]

(I don't know if someone already said this because I didn't read all of the comments) but ball pythons are very docile most of the time. I don't know if that's the type of snake you're getting but they're great! I got my first BP about two years ago and the fact that I could just pick her up and she wouldn't mind made me love them and start my passion for them. I was still careful because I know they CAN bite, but usually won't.
I've never met a "mean" ball python. Baby ball pythons are most likely to bite because they're so small and still scared of everything. Maybe get a sub adult or adult BP from a breeder? The breeder can sell you a BP that he knows isn't prone to biting.
One of my bps bit me for the first time the other day (I scared him) and it didn't hurt too much. It just felt like a little pinch.

But all that is just my opinion/experience


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[Izzys Keeper]

Ive been bitten and wrapped a few times. Honstly it doent hurt much at all. If you have tattoos or piercings, those are more uncomfortable than a bp bite (especially a baby).

I found the hardest part was re establishing that trust for the animal after it bites but thats more of an issue of beimg able to identify the signs of aggression before it happens. Its more like trusting yourself to umderstand the snake. Now if i get snapped at, the first thing on my mimd is "im glad she didnt get me because i would hate to not trust her".

Youll learn it. It doesnt always come naturally but usually itll come with practice, as in all things. Good luck and happy herping!