"The Big Squeeze" on Animal Planet

[Austin Smith]

I watched this show on animal planet called "The Big Squeeze", did anyone else catch it? It was about Giant pythons. Mainly they just talked about them attacking people (If it bleeds, it leads you know), but it did have some great tips for anyone who might find themselves being constricted.

These are all techniques people throughout the show used to make the snakes release (The smart ones anyway. One person called the police, who shot the snake in the head then decapitated it. Another guy tried stabbing the snake, which didn't work).

1. Poor Drinking Alcohol on the snakes eyes or in its mouth. (This is of course only recomended in a life or death situation. I'm sure alcohol isn't good for the snake. Much better than stabbing the snakes like some people did on the show though)

2. Poor Warm/Hot water on the snake.

3. Bend the snakes tale backward at a sharp angle.

Does anyone have a testimony for the effectiveness of these techniques?

-Austin-

[slartibartfast]

When an adult ball python tried to eat my wrist and seemed disinclined to let go, running cold water on her did not work. Pouring a small amount of brandy in her mouth resulted in immediate release, and behavior that seemed indicative of discomfort/distaste (mouth open, shaking head back and forth as if trying to remove the irritant). Although alcohol was instantly effective for me, I have heard of situations where it did not work (and the snake didn't detach either. :-P ).

[catawhat75]

When the herp shop I worked for kept two large burmese in a large enclosure together (yes I know- BAD IDEA!), the larger one tried to constrict the smaller one as a rabbit has just been thrown in. Anyway, hot water did end up working, sort of. It took a good 20 minutes, almost drowning the poor thing and some pursuasion by human hand to get him to let go. It was awful

[littleindiangirl]

I watched this show on animal planet called "The Big Squeeze", did anyone else catch it? It was about Giant pythons. Mainly they just talked about them attacking people (If it bleeds, it leads you know), but it did have some great tips for anyone who might find themselves being constricted.

These are all techniques people throughout the show used to make the snakes release (The smart ones anyway. One person called the police, who shot the snake in the head then decapitated it. Another guy tried stabbing the snake, which didn't work).

1. Poor Drinking Alcohol on the snakes eyes or in its mouth. (This is of course only recomended in a life or death situation. I'm sure alcohol isn't good for the snake. Much better than stabbing the snakes like some people did on the show though)

2. Poor Warm/Hot water on the snake.

3. Bend the snakes tale backward at a sharp angle.

Does anyone have a testimony for the effectiveness of these techniques?

-Austin-

I did watch that for about 15 minutes. I thought it would be an informative show on large pythons... Nope, just tell you how dangerous these animals are, and that they go into your homes at night and will try to swallow your kid after killing the dog because their mean and nasty. Very over dramatic about the "threat" of wild snakes. Wasn't a fan at all with how they so poorly represented these animals.

[Shadowspider]

I did watch that for about 15 minutes. I thought it would be an informative show on large pythons... Nope, just tell you how dangerous these animals are, and that they go into your homes at night and will try to swallow your kid after killing the dog because their mean and nasty. Very over dramatic about the "threat" of wild snakes. Wasn't a fan at all with how they so poorly represented these animals.

Ditto. I watched a few minutes of it then walked away. The kids didn't even like it; they thought it was pretty dumb.

[bait4snake]

When a 6ft burmese python mistook my hand for a rat, I remembered the alcohol trick. All I had was a drunk snake with a taste for more blood. That time, someone else had to pry the teeth out of my hand and peel it off from around my wrist.

The second time he was nearly 9ft long and he was in shed (I guess he thought I was a rat again). Not my proudest moment, to have it happen a second time. My wife heard a loud THUMP and a "F***! HEY, TURN THE TUB ON HOT!"

I dragged this 9ft python into the bathroom, put his head under the hot water, and he INSTANTLY let go. INSTANTLY. This time the little puncture wounds healed very quickly because it was only pin pricks versus trying to rip 100 gripping teeth out of your flesh. That first time I hurt for about a month. This time it only hurt for a day.

So, hot water in the face is my vote for the best way to handle a constriction.

And I haven't been bitten since, just fyi. It's all about gloves, tongs, and brains.

Hope this helps.

[West Coast Jungle]

When a 6ft burmese python mistook my hand for a rat, I remembered the alcohol trick. All I had was a drunk snake with a taste for more blood. That time, someone else had to pry the teeth out of my hand and peel it off from around my wrist.

The second time he was nearly 9ft long and he was in shed (I guess he thought I was a rat again). Not my proudest moment, to have it happen a second time. My wife heard a loud THUMP and a "F***! HEY, TURN THE TUB ON HOT!"

I dragged this 9ft python into the bathroom, put his head under the hot water, and he INSTANTLY let go. INSTANTLY. This time the little puncture wounds healed very quickly because it was only pin pricks versus trying to rip 100 gripping teeth out of your flesh. That first time I hurt for about a month. This time it only hurt for a day.

So, hot water in the face is my vote for the best way to handle a constriction.

And I haven't been bitten since, just fyi. It's all about gloves, tongs, and brains.

Hope this helps.

Thats why I stick to BP's. Ouch that sounds like a bad day! Thanks for sharing!

[Saucey_do]

I saw that. I got all excited because I thought it would be informative, but it was only about how nasty and evil big pythons are. Really stupid. The story about the kid and the dog was ridiculous, and then my dad walked in and watched and he told me "you better make shure your snake doesnt get you while you sleep" (keep in mind I only have one ball python) and I just laughed at him and changed the channel, lol. Ridiculous what these shows can do to people.

[killerkid57]

i saw it it was semi informatove

[CeraDigital]

Majority of the information on that show was false....it was kind of a joke, and bad mouthed keepers and breeders in my opinion....

As for the alcohol trick....It really hasn't worked for AfRocks with me. I've tried it before when my big girl nailed me and wouldn't let go...she just bit down harder and tightened her grip. It has worked With Burmese Pythons for me...

As for the warm water trick....never worked for me at all....

The tail tip....I tried it once and it just aggrivated the snake, and the animal bit down harder and tightened its grip.