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Once bitten twice shy

M

Mjay84

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Im just looking for some advice. I reciently got a new ball python and she but me. It wasn't a problem it put her back and took care of my hand but now I'm having some issues dealing with my snakes. I froze up when my young male poked his nose at me. I have been handling snakes for years so I'm not sure why I'm fearful all of a sudden. It's not the first time I have been bitten. I'm just looking for some advice. I'm not a person that suddenly turns tail.
 
You are going to have to face it & hold your snakes, without fear ... if you have fear they will know & it will make them anxious. I've been bitten so much it doesn't even faze me ... except for my "baby" she is a 8ft Macklot's python and she is cage aggressive, the past few times she has bit me, it hurt like heck. I am reluctant to reach in and get her now, but I know if I don't I will get to a point where I don't want to hold her. :(

Good luck.

Do you have some smaller snakes you can hold, then work up to something larger?
 
I'd a friend who started out a bit jumpy after handling a snake who bit her, and ended up giving the snake to me because she never settled back down to it.

I'd recommend keeping on handling so you don't let it get the better of you.

A few tips:

1. Handle it quite soon after feeding so you're sure it isn't hungry
2. Pick it up from half way down the body, not near the head so you don't jump if it moves it's head.
3. If in real doubt, put a light cloth over the head, they totally calm down.

You'll relax again after a couple of good handling sessions I'm sure.
 
I don't know how soon you mean, but I generally recommend avoiding handling right after feeding. If the snake is still in feed mode, they react strongly to movement - which, even if it doesn't result in a bite, won't do much to settle the keeper's nerves. Further, if the snake is on the nervous side, being picked up after eating can cause them to regurgitate.

As far as cage aggression - speaking specifically about the macklots, not ball pythons (giggles at cage aggressive bp, lol) - use a hook to bring the snake to the cage opening.
 
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hhmoore said:
I don't know how soon you mean, but I generally recommend avoiding handling right after feeding. If the snake is still in feed mode, they react strongly to movement - which, even if it doesn't result in a bite, won't do much to settle the keeper's nerves. Further, if the snake is on the nervous side, being picked up after eating can cause them to regurgitate.

As far as cage aggression - speaking specifically about the macklots, not ball pythons (giggles at cage aggressive bp, lol) - use a hook to bring the snake to the cage opening.
Click to expand...

That is an idea. :D
Lately, I have been allowing her to come out on her own, which also works, just slower than using a hook. :D
 
Here is an idea. Lol get drunk and handle.your snakes. Just kidding.when i am getting a known aggressive ball out and they are in position to strike a quick tap on the nose usually sends them in the"Ball" making them easy to get out. Most balls.are fine after that. I just sold.my het pied girl.and.she would wait for you to open the cage then come.out on the edge and go for your eyes. Good.luck
 
How big is this ball python? I ask because most of the babies that I produce scared of everything, meaning that they strike at most movements (including fingers). But once they reach a few hundred grams, they normally calm down, and most become extremely docile.
 
TacticalMorphs said:
I just sold.my het pied girl.and.she would wait for you to open the cage then come.out on the edge and go for your eyes. Good.luck
Click to expand...

sheesh I'm glad I read that I will wear glasses lol...jk

Getting bit is part of having snakes hopefully you can help decrease the likely hood but sometimes it happens. I feed all of my snakes in opaque feeding bins yes it's a big fat pain in the butt for 150 snakes but it keeps food/hand association out of the equation, and I do like previously mentioned to help with other chances. Good luck to you, sounds like I may need my own since I am the one who just bought Tactical Morphs het pied girl lol, (to his defense he did warn me lol)
 
Just use caution don't just jam your hand in cage. Look see where he or she is spin tub until her back is facing you and her head is in another direction. Hold her in one hand keep other hand out of range. She or he should loosen up after 5 min or so then just keep an eye on him or her. I have a few nasty ones. I always do what I just told you and never have a problem. The biggest thing don't fear the snake and dont give up with him or her. Bites are not ba just startling.
 
I have been getting better with my snakes though the one that bit me really does not like me. im hoping she settles down soon. Im a little concerned about the bit though. It was minor to begin with and healed up quick but 2 days ago It started to itch. now I have small red bumps in the same pattern as the teeth marks. Im thinking hives but I didnt think you could be alleric to snakes. Im not allergic to anything, no animals, no foods not even pollen.
 
Mjay84 said:
I have been getting better with my snakes though the one that bit me really does not like me. im hoping she settles down soon. Im a little concerned about the bit though. It was minor to begin with and healed up quick but 2 days ago It started to itch. now I have small red bumps in the same pattern as the teeth marks. Im thinking hives but I didnt think you could be alleric to snakes. Im not allergic to anything, no animals, no foods not even pollen.
Click to expand...

When it bit you, did you yank back your hand? If so, you may have caused a lot more damage than the actual bite. If you're seeing marks in the place that it's teeth hit your skin, that would be my guess.
 
Marks where the teeth hit don't necessarily imply pulling back. I get marks from bites all the time, and I don't flinch...they're puncture wounds.
Any chance you've got a tooth or three broken off in there? You won't really know unless you see them come out...but that itches/almost hurts until they do.
(it probably isn't teeth under the skin, but) we can't really comment on the marks without seeing them. Can you get a clear pic, and post it?
 
I have pics of my hand but I dont know how to post it. the only option i see asks for a url. I dont think there are teeth in there because I didnt pull her off. I actually carried her back upstairs while she was curling around my hand. she then started to release me and I grabbed herbehind the head. The marks dont hurt, just itch terribly.
 
When you post the comment click "Go Advanced" and theres a paperclip on the top tool bar, click that and select the file from your computer, that will download the pic into the post.
 
hhmoore said:
Marks where the teeth hit don't necessarily imply pulling back. I get marks from bites all the time, and I don't flinch...they're puncture wounds.
Any chance you've got a tooth or three broken off in there? You won't really know unless you see them come out...but that itches/almost hurts until they do.
(it probably isn't teeth under the skin, but) we can't really comment on the marks without seeing them. Can you get a clear pic, and post it?
Click to expand...

Mjay84 said:
I have pics of my hand but I dont know how to post it. the only option i see asks for a url. I dont think there are teeth in there because I didnt pull her off. I actually carried her back upstairs while she was curling around my hand. she then started to release me and I grabbed herbehind the head. The marks dont hurt, just itch terribly.
Click to expand...

In this case, I completely agree with Harald. For whatever reason, I had it in my head that we're talking about a small BP that only gave you a quick nip. Whenever my babies, or even smaller juveniles, give me a quick, bite and release, I rarely notice the bite the next day, no matter how much the initial bite bleeds. Anyway, this was the reason for my thinking that you probably had a knee-jerk reaction and pulled back (I have done that, and did see marks for a couple of days after).
 
I agree with Harald, or you may have had a reaction to the saliva in the snakes mouth. It would not be a reaction to the snake or you would never be able to hold it. I have been bitten by a 4000 gram female and it is scarey more than painful, but within an hour I could not tell where the bite was. Reaction aside, it is something you have to get over mentally. As you get over the fear you realize every time you get bit that its not that bad. Fear still makes you jump. If you get a lot of snakes or do it for a long time you will get to where you dont care. When we get babies that strike a lot my partner sticks the back of his hand in there for them to bite and get it out of their system. When I have a snake that is overly aggressive I wear a motorcycle glove and let it bite repeatedly until it feels its useless. At that point I will take them out and hold them. Holding them is the key, but getting them out if you feed in tub is the challenge sometimes. Just dont let it get the best of you.
 
took this yesterday

Sorry for the wait. My comp has been acting very odd latley
 

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