Snake Bite

Allright, I've heard that if a snake bites you and won't let go that the best option is to pour alcohol(preferrably ethyl) along the snakes lip. My two questions are :
1) If i've got a tokay gecko chewing on my hand will this same technique work?
2) Will vinegar work?

thanks!

you must type pretty well if you did that with one hand...hang in there, he'll let go eventually

I have found that hot water works the quickest.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

you must type pretty well if you did that with one hand...hang in there, he'll let go eventually

Harald you're killing me. I have tears running down my face from laughing so hard. :

Um I can type pretty fast with only 1 hand too, BTW.

I've had a Tokay hang on for 20 minutes, my personal best.
I tried holding it under water but after 8 minutes I was afraid it would drown. I tried hot water but I didn't want to burn him. Finally I put him down on the table and let go of him completely and he thought he was free, he was, and he let go and took off up a wall. Whew, my bleeding hand.

My two cents:

This can be touchy with some people. Some strongly believe that ethyl alcohol is very bad and one should only stick with strong liquer. Some believe a person should only use water, personally, I think it is solely up to the person with the animal attatched to their hand.

My experience, I had a 5 foot boa latch on to my forearm after I probed him, well, I used a lab grade alcohol that is 200 proof, 95% Ethyl Alcohol 5% Methly alcohol/Isopropyl Alcohol. The boa did not let go imediately, he held on until he decided it was time to let go which was about 3-5 minutes. If a snake latches on again, I will try water and see what happens.

Heck, vinegar sounds like it is worth the try to me.

I'm pretty familiar with a lot of the suggested methods for getting a snake or lizard to release a bite. I have opted never to try any of them because of concerns for the animal or for the part of me that is being bitten/held. Here are some of my reasons. Cold water immersion: think about it - we expend considerable effort, time, and money to ensure that our animals stay in an appropriate temperature range...why would we dunk them in cold water. Hot water, running : well, that one could be painful to both of us, in addition to the risk of aspiration. Alcohol (any except that meant for drinking) sprayed in mouth: the whole idea is that it will have an awful taste and create pain sufficient to get it to release and flee. besides, that stuff is toxic. **Alcohol (drinking kind)**, sprayed in mouth: this is probably the most widely recommended. based on the same ideas of taste and pain. My reason for not trying this one is simple - I used to deal heavily with large constrictors, monitor lizards, and crocodilians. My concern was that if I sprayed vodka in the mouth of a nile monitor that was clamped on my hand, the likely result would be a really pi$$ed off nile monitor that was now violently shaking its head...that would really suck. In reality, my feeling is that the pain of the bite is not unbearable (usually). By remaining calm, and not trying to coerce the animal into releasing its grip, the critter will calm down sooner and let go by itself. And the whole notion of inserting something into its mouth to pry it off - way too much potential for causing considerable damage. And in case anyone is thinking that I must never have been bitten by anything that really hurt, here are a few of the animals that have clamped on my hand for over 20 minutes each: 3.5 ft nile monitor (45 min+), 4 ft dwarf caiman (about 35 min. I'm still not sure how I managed to get my hand in its mouth, lol), ~9ft rock python (probably only 20-30 min, seemed like hours...some of you know that story). sure, there have been smaller ones, and many of short duration, but these make my point.
There are lots of options when you are in that situation, the choice you make regarding getting out of it is usually yours (this sometimes changes when there are other people around, especially if you are whimpering about it). Regardless of which option you take, it is probably in your best interest to give it some thought before the critter latches on (so you can be prepared/have a plan. It's hard to get the vodka in a spray bottle when one of your hands is being chewed on)

The hot water technique isn't a cause for alarm, or going to cause harm. In the time you run your hand through the hottest water your say kitchen sink will produce, you will at best feel warmth but not get burned. That short amount of time is all that is needed to have the animal release. I know zoo staff that utilize this method and have hot water at hand by their bigger herp housing units. I for one would not suggest waiting for a 18 foot retic to release on it's own.

Originally Posted by DAND

I for one would not suggest waiting for a 18 foot retic to release on it's own.

A valid point - obviously, if it is in fact a lifethreatening situation, waiting it out is not an option - interventional action must be taken...but then, in the example you site, one must have the ability to get the 18ft retic into the kitchen and get it uncoiled enough to put its head in the sink.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

A valid point - obviously, if it is in fact a lifethreatening situation, waiting it out is not an option - interventional action must be taken...but then, in the example you site, one must have the ability to get the 18ft retic into the kitchen and get it uncoiled enough to put its head in the sink.

The kitchen sink was an example. I have a hose that is connected to the hot water tank. No waiting for the water to heat up. Works well for me having my animals in the basement with the tank close by.

ok well if any of you know fat tails have a strong bite for there size. well i was working and one bit an employee on there chest. yes it was a girl and she was screaming. she was letting it walk up her shirt. and wack, it bit. well the only thing i could find near us was a pack or duck sauce. i rubbed it on its lips and what ever i can get in its mouth and it let go in like 5 secs. i dont know if this works well with other herps but it did that once for me. also when i had a 2 foot sav. monitor latch on my arm, nothing worked, i had to just let it take its coarse and let go after 10 or 15 min. it thrashed around once and boy almost took a chunk out. best wayi think is just find something thats safe but taste sour, tangy, sweet, or just let it take its coarse.