Lapse in judgment (not for the squeamish)

[dsirkle]

Looks like you tried to jerk your hand away. I'm sure that I would have!

[Dave763]

That had to hurt. Makes getting bit by one of my balls look like a kitty scratch.

David Perkins David Perkins Reptiles

[mlededee]

To all those who want photos--there isn't a lot of thought about taking a photo when you are trying to keep a 16 foot snake from eating your friend! Remember--it's the after-the-bite photos that are priority--not the during-the-bite please-don't-wrap-part-of-that-16 feet-around-my-neck photos!

Looks like you tried to jerk your hand away. I'm sure that I would have!

Kara didn't even flinch when the snake latched onto her. She froze in place and stood perfectly still until the snake was out of the cage and she could slowly sit down under the weight of the snake. Seriously--no way could I have stood completely still which a huge python gnawed on me--she handled it perfectly!

[starmom]

Kara's my hero

[Shelby]

That's a pretty nifty bite! Glad it wasn't worse. Gorgeous snake by the way.

[Kara]

Looks like you tried to jerk your hand away. I'm sure that I would have!

LOL...no. When the snake is that big, jerking your hand away turns what could be a relatively minor injury into a potential train wreck (and an inevitable trip to the ER). There just is no "jerk your hand away" in this situation...the python is simply too strong, and to attempt to do so is going to cause an extensive amount of damage. By the same token, being bitten by a 16' snake IS going to eff you up a bit, period, the end. It's something you MUST take into consideration prior to dealing with them. Retics have big, triangular, razor-edged teeth that WILL cut you up regardless of how little fuss you make about the situation. It's simply the mechanics of being bitten by a retic of that size...I quite frankly got away with a "little bitty" bite compared to what would have happened had I struggled and tried to pull away, or if this had been a less manageable animal. And let me tell you...this friggin' HURT! My hand is all swollen & cut up, and every time I reach forward I get nasty "zingers" up my arm from nerve endings complaining about the abuse they endured.

Please keep in mind that I am not trying to shrug this off or make light of the situation (and even typing a response right now is rather uncomfortable). It's funny...you can go over a scenario like this in your head all day long, but when you actually get grabbed by a relatively large snake, everything gets streamlined into a very simple assessment of A) how can I get it to let go B) in a reasonably quick time frame C) while minimizing potential damage to both snake and keeper. Sometimes that involves just sitting still till the snake lets go on its own...other times, it involves some helping hands encouraging the snake to move on.

Just some food for thought...

K~

[Shelby]

How DID you get it to let go?

[Freakie_frog]

Ok so I'll stop whining about getting bit by my snakes now.. Damn girl that one got you good.. I think I'd have freaked

[kc261]

To all those who want photos--there isn't a lot of thought about taking a photo when you are trying to keep a 16 foot snake from eating your friend! Remember--it's the after-the-bite photos that are priority--not the during-the-bite please-don't-wrap-part-of-that-16 feet-around-my-neck photos!

I think I was the first one to mention photos of the snake wrapped up on Kara, and I was JOKING! I hope that was obvious by the smiley. If not, I apologize, because obviously with a snake of this size, there is a potential for serious injury if not even life-threatening... not the time to stop and take photos. I also apologize if even knowing it is a joke, some people find it in poor taste.

[mlededee]

Oh I know you were joking, so no worries.