4th Snake Bite in 30+ years

[dakski]

Yes, they are, which is why they're not recommended as a beginner snake even though their husbandry is no more difficult than a ball python and they stay fairly small. Most new keepers haven't learned to deal with and laugh off a nip or even a food bite from a snake.

Agreed on the not learning to deal with a bite yet. Alfred Hitchcock used to say, "the anticipation of the bang is worse than the bang itself." It seems many keepers live in fear of a bite and most cases and with the snakes many of them keep, it's not a big deal. I am glad I had a bite early on in my snake keeping journey to know not to worry so much.

I'm just so impressed that you've managed to keep track of all these "vicious attacks"! Do you keep notes & pics of all this trauma?

As someone that's lived with (WAY) more snakes for 3.5 decades, I haven't a clue how many nips I've thus far survived, but what matters is that NOT ONE was ever of any significance- no infection, no scars, not significantly painful, no actual damage, & certainly it goes without saying, none with venom. Most can be chalked up to raising hatchlings- "What was that? Was that a bite? Are you kidding me?"

I've had way bigger ouches from friendly playful dogs & cranky parakeets. Snake bites from typical pets just don't amount to much on the "pain & injury" scale- I wish more people realized that. Well that, & the fact that by paying attention & using good "snake manners", most bites are preventable & avoidable.

So few "viscous attacks" that I am able to keep track. .

Agreed on the pain level from playing with dogs and definitely bird bites - ugh. My cousins had a parrot who liked to nip and that wasn't fun.

"Not usually bad or painful and no reason to be angry etc. I wasn't even mad at this guy."

For sure. None of mine have done anything more than some tiny holes. They are usually over before you know it happens and though they tend to bleed a quick rinse under the faucet and it's usually over. The teeth are just so sharp like little needles.

That BRB bite I believe was caused by my body hair. I'm a guy so I'm hairy like some of us are. I swear it has caused several bites. My GTP is a good boy but on several occasions after I first got him he would be crawling down my arm and feel my arm hair. He would stop and look at it and then bite me. This was usually done pretty slow as if he's just investigating. After a bit of time he learned it's alright and stopped biting me. If I trim my arm hair through you can see him thinking about it again because it feels different.

I think that's what the BRB was too. He felt my chest hair and got tickled. To which he thought he should spin around and bite me. Silly guy he is.

The worst bite I've had was from my Dum. I was fooling water bowls and he hit me like a train on my hand outside his cage. He didn't latch thankfully. It bled like usual but he actually bruised me he hit me so hard. Still nothing bad and didn't cause and issues. More surprise than anything.


For those that haven't seen some bites and would like to I have some pictures in my profile. Caution as there is some blood.

I too am a hairy guy. Noted. Thank you KMG.