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Safety Questions

J

JohnG1122

JohnG1122
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I was thinking about taking a Burmese Python soon from my friend bc he is going away and cant take it w him to college and he is a nasty lil guy tand as you know they can reach 19 or more feet on average. I am a Boa owner and have some experience w constrictors. But knowing that this snake gets to a big length i would like to know what can be done to prevent attacks or help against them.
I heard that if a snake is sprayed w alcohol it would release from its constricting (dont know if this is true)
I also heard if its skin is pierced w something it would release as well (obviously I would not want to hurt the snake)
Just wondering if anyone knew anything in this area?
 
Burmese pythons are illegal to keep in the State of NY, John...that SHOULD be all the discussion you need, lol.

Spraying alcohol often inspires many constrictors to release their bite (they may or may not release their "grip" at the same time). Piercing the skin...you mean stabbing?? In a dire emergency, it has been tried by some...but a person is just as likely to end up dead as he is to be released.
 
JohnG1122 said:
I was thinking about taking a Burmese Python soon from my friend bc he is going away and cant take it w him to college and he is a nasty lil guy tand as you know they can reach 19 or more feet on average. I am a Boa owner and have some experience w constrictors. But knowing that this snake gets to a big length i would like to know what can be done to prevent attacks or help against them.
I heard that if a snake is sprayed w alcohol it would release from its constricting (dont know if this is true)
I also heard if its skin is pierced w something it would release as well (obviously I would not want to hurt the snake)
Just wondering if anyone knew anything in this area?
Click to expand...

I'd just hold him under a cold tap/shower. the shock of the old water makes them let go instantly. I've had to do it with a burmese, a ball and a mexican black king snake. it had the same effect in each case and the snake remains unharmed. :)
 
There is no such thing as "having" to do that with a ball, or a kingsnake,...there is absolutely no threat to your well being, and neither is a particularly painful bite. And if you are endangered, your energies are better spent in other ways than struggling into the shower with your burm. (and if the burm is small enough that it is not endangering your life - see my prior comment about the BP and king)
 
hhmoore said:
There is no such thing as "having" to do that with a ball, or a kingsnake,...there is absolutely no threat to your well being, and neither is a particularly painful bite. And if you are endangered, your energies are better spent in other ways than struggling into the shower with your burm. (and if the burm is small enough that it is not endangering your life - see my prior comment about the BP and king)
Click to expand...

Which leads to another point. I get the impression that the burm in question is small. If it's a big specimen then trying to handle it by himself is a bad idea. If there's someone with you then they might be able to grab a bucket of water to tip over the snake. If it was me, i'd have a bucket of cold water on stand-by just in case. It always pays to think ahead. :thumbsup:
 
I've owned a large burm before, it was my first snake. Rule #1 is always have 1 person for every 6-7 feet of snake. Thats the safest you can possibly be. I'm a big guy about 6'4'' and 267lbs and I won't handle a 10, 12, 14 fter all alone. Even if its just someone in the next room over who can hear you that is better than being alone.

Don't trust your life to a cold water or alcohol method that may or may not work.
 
reddog4063 said:
I've owned a large burm before, it was my first snake. Rule #1 is always have 1 person for every 6-7 feet of snake. Thats the safest you can possibly be. I'm a big guy about 6'4'' and 267lbs and I won't handle a 10, 12, 14 fter all alone. Even if its just someone in the next room over who can hear you that is better than being alone.

Don't trust your life to a cold water or alcohol method that may or may not work.
Click to expand...

the bucket of water is for the other person in the room to tip over the snakes head. ;)
 
not all preventions work just depends on how bad the snake wants to let go . i own allot of large constrictors and there strength shouldn't be under estimated . my 15 ft green burm polled my refrigerator across my garage floor with out any hesitation. Burms should be respected and handled with a great deal of care . i got nailed by a 10 foot burm and he pulled me against the side of the cage like i was nothing . not all techniques work i handle my large retics and burms with 3 friends in the room . just do your research and play it safe .
 
The pail of water, LOL, is about as much good as spitting into the wind and not and expecting to stay dry.

Alcohol almost always works, ALMOST being the key word there. Stabbing the snake may make it let go but is more likely to make it squeeze tighter so that whatever is stabbing it will stop.

Holding it's head underwater is a WONDERFUL idea, especially if you're all wrapped up while you're doing it. Afterall, the snake isn't the only one who can hold its breath more than 20 minutes, is it?

snakelover, have you ever owned a large constrictor?
 
thanks for the advice and input.
the burm my friend has is still small only about 3 ft maybe a lil more but just out of curiousity how fast do they grow. Like in a yr is this thing going to be 10 feet or somethin thats what i have heard about retics that they will grow up to 10 ft in their first year. once again jus curious. thanks
 
4-6 ft at a year is not uncommon.
males typically at 6-8ft, females 9-12 at around 2.5 yrs (breeding season)...of course, individual factors such as temperatures, and feeding practices can greatly skew things in either direction.
 
Wilomn said:
The pail of water, LOL, is about as much good as spitting into the wind and not and expecting to stay dry.

Alcohol almost always works, ALMOST being the key word there. Stabbing the snake may make it let go but is more likely to make it squeeze tighter so that whatever is stabbing it will stop.

Holding it's head underwater is a WONDERFUL idea, especially if you're all wrapped up while you're doing it. Afterall, the snake isn't the only one who can hold its breath more than 20 minutes, is it?

snakelover, have you ever owned a large constrictor?
Click to expand...

The reason i mentioned the bucket of water is simply because it worked for me on a large burm. I didn't actually USE a bucket becaue i was closer to the bathroom. Running the cold water tap over the burms head worked for me. Has anyone else tried it? :shrug01:
 
Wilomn said:
The pail of water, LOL, is about as much good as spitting into the wind and not and expecting to stay dry.

Alcohol almost always works, ALMOST being the key word there. Stabbing the snake may make it let go but is more likely to make it squeeze tighter so that whatever is stabbing it will stop.

Holding it's head underwater is a WONDERFUL idea, especially if you're all wrapped up while you're doing it. Afterall, the snake isn't the only one who can hold its breath more than 20 minutes, is it?

snakelover, have you ever owned a large constrictor?
Click to expand...

I forgot to answer your last question. Yes. i've had two burms, two boas, 1 yellow anaconda and i now own several carpets.
 
I know I am dragging this up a bit, I have been too busy to be on here lately. Anyways I have tried the water thing before and it did not work, not in the least. The only thing that happened in both cases was tighter constriction. I was only trying it to see if it worked as both snakes were under 8 feet, so no big deal. The rock python really took offense and ripped my finger up when I tried it, whereas the retic just locked down hard. The safest thing to do is dont get bit :) . Good luck, Dan M.
 
reddog4063 said:
I suppose you could repeated bludgeon them with the hook.
Click to expand...


You might live to see another day doing this to a burm, but I think a Rock or Retic would take some severe offense to such an action leaving you wishing you had not done it(and probably making you wish you hadnt done it the next 30 times you went in the cage until you finally put up an ad for a tame retic with a picture of it in its cage, locked and from 10 feet away lol). A great idea however, gave me a good laugh! Take care, Dan M.
 
im sorry to but in with your guyses conversation but i do not think i woud even try and hit the snake that is twice you size probaly your weight or more and more muscle then you could wish you had. i would be extreamly careful and have 3 or 4 others to help you. and how would you get up and run to the bathroom and turn on the shower if yor getting strangled by a 15 foot snake that ways 100 or more. da. all im saying is its pointless to try and stop it from trying to kill you its there instincts thats how a snake is it could be super tame and still try to eat you if its hungry or if you p it off snakes do not think before they act.
 
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