Quote Originally Posted by Snagrio View Post
Not a bite, but an almost similar situation happened with my BP the other day. I was doing some spot cleaning and he poked out several times to see what was going on, though he was looking a little too curious towards my hands. I tapped his hide (which is the "not feeding time" signal I've trained him on) probably more times than necessary to remind him of the protocol.
I generally don't worry too much with my BP, but all my food driven snakes like my Boas and my carpet python, are removed for 90% of cage maintenance. The other 10% they are hook trained and it is used to let them know "no food now." I read them and use my judgement. I probably should remove them all when doing cage maintenance, like water bowls, as I do with cage cleaning. However, probably just too lazy the 10% of the time and usually dealing with younger snakes. My bigger snakes I do not take the risk as they can do some damage.

As I said, and KMG alludes to below, not many try to eat you though . I've had 2 defensive strikes and 1 food strike over the years but all where bite and release. The former 2 where a BP I scared the crap out of in her tank. I was ten years old, she was a baby, and I was reaching into the tank and lost my balance. My hand fell a few inches from her face and hit the tank bottom. BAM and release. Scared her more than me. The second was my corn snake Solana. Something was spooking her like crazy recently and I went in to what was up. She struck at me and tail rattled etc. I should have left her alone, but got her out and she was calming down. Told a worker who was over that she was fine and put my hand up near here to show him how calm she was. BAM. Bite and release. Again, no pain, and she calmed right down after she smelled and tasted me in the other hand (that was holding her). Again, read your animal. Since she cannot do any real damage and I was worried she might be hurt, not spooked, I checked on her. My bad judgment. The food bite was young boa - Behira as a baby. She got me good (top and bottom jaw) on the arm, but released quickly (1 second or less) and never coiled. I assume that was a food strike because of the how good she got me and that 3 seconds later she let me pick her up seemed calm. Either way, I've hook trained her and never had an issue since.

Quote Originally Posted by KMG View Post
4 bites in 30+ years is pretty amazing. I've had that many in a day. My mind takes me back to a young Biak GTP I had or the three young Blood Pythons I got. Needles to say I've lost count of how many times I've been tagged. I certainly don't try to be but at the same time I'm really not bothered by it so I've never not done something just to avoid a bite. Some were just crazy too like my BRB climbing on me so calm and then suddenly bite my stomach going right back to being calm and climbing around.

The only one I've had that tried to eat me was a Western Hognose. Latched on the side of a finger and I had to pull her off. She was chomping. Finger swelled a bit and was a little numb from the venom but nothing to worry about.

I agree, KMG, pretty amazing, not impossible. I know people who are careful about what animals they select and what species and have done okay. I have 7 snakes now. 2 have gotten me and both where inconsequential to say the least (see above).

The more snakes and the more species the more likely you are to get tagged. I think it's important to put into perspective though. Not usually bad or painful and no reason to be angry etc. I wasn't even mad at this guy. I wish he hadn't bitten me, but he's a snake. No judgement here.

I also think this one was memorable as my finger became potential food, not just a quick strike bite. As you said, that's not super common, at least in my experience.

That BRB bite sounds annoying. Jekyll and Hyde sometimes with these guys.

We never know what will spook or entice them sometimes smell/movement, etc. We forgot how primitive they are sometimes, or at least how survival and/or food driven they can be.

Apparently Stimson's are known for this to some extent. See below. I just googled Stimsons Python and clicked on images. This came up pretty early on.

https://community.morphmarket.com/t/...g-to-eat/22118