As you said, wild animals can be unpredictable (just when we think we "know" them). So glad it wasn't worse.
Like you, I've done many "meet & greets" with some of my snakes with no incidents ever, but now I have to re-think having multiple snakes out at once, especially
letting others (that are new to snakes) hold them. Not like I have any giant snakes though, & I've certainly never taken any hungry ones. That was just a really
awful accident...4' is "nothing" for snakes that big, what a "wake-up call".