This ball python attack just sounds unlikely

First let me say that I am very protective of children, especially the very young, they depend on us for protection and help. But I also do not believe everything I read in print. I've been around long enough to know that often there is an agenda and a spin put in place before a story goes into print.
Could this story be true? Maybe. Maybe not. What do you think?

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/...cid=hero_media

I'm not expert on Ball pythons but always believed snakes would bite for only 2 reasons. The first being to defend themselves & the second to eat. I dont plan on ever & haven't ever seen a 2 foot ball python eat anything remotely close to the size of a 1 year old child.... read quote below

Ball found wrapped on a foot? Well yes, that's what they do when they feel insecure - they wrap around things like a ball. I was just at a reptile show, I can't even count how many people had them wrapped around their wrists like bangles. I suppose a keeper could turn them into an anklet instead of a bracelet if they felt daring, I'm sure it's all the same to the snake...
:eek3: Sorry, that was the first thing to pop into my head when I saw that title.

Like you I'm protective around infants, I don't mean to jest on such matters, so I apologize. I sincerely hope that nothing untoward happened to any child, but I am skeptical that a young ball python attacked that sleeping baby the way it's painted out.

The parents don't seem familiar with these animals and the fact that the father 'used a blanket' to pull it off makes me think they fear it. If they saw a snake on their young child, what else could it possibly be doing other than "attacking" with the knowledge they have ?
Although it did say they brought him in for treatment of "a bite mark, bruise, and scratches." I hope not, but if it is true, I'd like to know more details. As it is I'm afraid that I can't help taking it with a grain of salt, I've just seen too many people exaggerate during their fifteen minutes of fame interviews, especially if they feel an injury might get them compensation, and that article isn't very absolute. Snakes are very feared and misunderstood, the media loves them, but even then there wouldn't be much of a story in "lost pet just pops up".

I don't know, guess I'm jaded on such stories. I hate that there's more negative media on "escaped pythons" though.
*sigh* Hope the kid's okay, pretty sure he will be, but I also hope the shelter properly provides for the small ball until things are settled~

cuz you know...ball pythons scratch people all the time ~.^

The snake wrapped around the babys leg to try and get warm. The parents are idiots. End of story.

(I wouldn't be thrilled to find an unwelcome animal with my child either, but to take it to this extreme is just silly. Report the story and just add more fear and lack of knowledge to the mix)

I will have to read the story when I get back home & get on my computer (kindle fire browser not compatable with the site).

But I highly doubt a ball python was trying to eat an infant. I think like Willow said ... it was trying to get warm.

if there are bite marks/scratches, seems like it could easily have happened when the dad was trying to pull it off the kid's ankle.

I don't believe it. But I'm sure it's getting them the intended responses from the general public.

I do know one thing, people need to do a better job of securing their pets. There is no reason why a person should ever walk in to see an escaped pet snake in with their infant, none.

When my oldest kid was around 6 months old I was showing him one of my cornsnakes. He was in his bouncy chair and seemed interested so I was just showing him it. I was keeping the snake about a foot or two away so my son couldn't grab it. The snake all of a sudden keyed in on my kid in the same way a snake keys in on prey before striking. I started to back away when the snake struck at my kid. I'd never seen anything like it before, and haven't since. It was shortly after that that I got rid of anything larger than a BP.

I've kept snakes a long time, and snakes look and strike at prey in a complete different way than anything else. I probably wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself. All I could guess is it has something to do with the way a baby smells, maybe something with the formula or ??

Anytime someone walks in and finds an exotic animal in their infants crib it's going to make the news. And people reading that news are going to react, sometimes with new legislation. Blaming the media is just tossing the blame where it doesn't belong. As keepers we need to do everything we can to keep our pets properly secured, and we need to educate new keepers about the importance in securing their pets as well.

Matthew, the corn may have struck out because of the fast bouncy movement and it was feeling defensive. fast repetitive movements can make them nervous. just a thought.
I do agree, it's a shame the BP had escaped from it's home, but as someone that has my share of 'escapees' over the years, mistakes happen.

At least this story doesn't seem to be getting blown out of hand (so far).

It was 100% feeding response.

I'm sure most are not going to believe it because they simply don't want to. I wouldn't have if I wouldn't have seen it. But the way an adult cornsnake keys in on potential prey is way different than how it reacts to anything else.