# Corn snake questions... and don't laugh!



## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

Hi...


Why the "don't laugh" comment? Well, these questions, seen in relation to issues about copperhead snakes, spitting cobras or boas can seem pretty comical. But the question has arisen and I have no way to make it go away by ignoring it so I have to jump in the fire now and ask 'em:

First tho I wanna say where the q's have their origin. I am a rather new corn owner, got 2 adults a few months ago and am very happy about them. They are both in the same tank, about 6-7 years old and have lived that way all along (so I think there is no risk of "accidental" cannibalism, especially as they always get enough food on a regular basis.) 

Now to the story: Some weeks ago I took one of them out, it was hungry (we were about 3 days away from feeding) and it tried to eat one of my fingers. Before that I've not handled them with any worry about being bit. The previous owner was only bit once in 4 years, by the same individual. Same problem there, it was hungry and did mistake him for a starter or something. 
Now when I pick them up (one at a time) I always worry. Ok, it didn't hurt much and bled only very little and all that and I could have been more hurt hitting my toes against a table -  but I think it is unnessessary since it stresses me out a bit and makes me a bit unsure of the procedures, if you know what I mean. I wanna feel as safe as possible when handling them so that I can think of the snakes well being instead of mine!

So here we go with question nr one: Are there any typical things you shouldn't do when handling a snake, even if it is only a corn? When it bit my finger I had my fingers separated. That obviously made them look like a little family of mice or something. But would I always be in danger of being bit if holding my fingers separated infront of the snakes head??

I always wash my hands before handling them (and the one time I didn't do it was when I got bit) and I havn't seen them showing any kind of interest in my fingers besides that one time, presumably because of the soapy smell. I try not to handle them when they have just eaten or when they are only a few days from feeding (unless I separate them prior to feeding ofcourse). 

What is the best way to get the snakes jaws off your fingers? At the time of the bite I had no hands free, both were occupied by the snake (one hand with one end of the snake, the other with the other end, the feeding end). So I had to pull the finger right out of it's mouth to get away. Is there a chance the snake would eventually have understood it can't possibly swollow me or would it have tried to turn towards the stump end and swollow it? Would it have let go eventually if I hadn't done anything?

Do corns get very stressed if you gently but firmly hold them by the neck to secure them? I have never tried it, but I've seen enough nature programs to understand that that could be done to hold a snake safely. But if it stresses my corns out too much I don't wanna do it.

Whatever I have asked and whatever the answers may be I will certainly need some time to trust them again. But that doesn't stop me from handling them. Tho now it is only if nessessary, not anymore to experience the feeling of them climbing up and down my arms. Eventually I will trust again tho and this was just another experience I can learn from - and I have.

Snakes are wonderful elegant creatures...
The end.


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## MilkmanWes (Feb 2, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> Are there any typical things you shouldn't do when handling a snake, even if it is only a corn?
> 
> But would I always be in danger of being bit if holding my fingers separated infront of the snakes head??


To the first question - the Macarena comes to mind but then that applies when not holding snakes too. Wrapping it around your neck could cause it to stress and hld on tight and keep the feeders in the other room while they are out and possibly other pets too. Smoking should probably be out as well as heavy drinking.

As to the second question probably has to do with the individual snake.



			
				Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> What is the best way to get the snakes jaws off your fingers?


Never had this happen to me, but as it was explained to me bacardi or other high proof booze tipped into the mouth carefully (only enough to ruin their appetite) can do the trick. I think I would opt for briefly putting the snakes head running under cold water which I am told is equally effective. If the running water works I would wonder if a squirt bottle would be as effective and safer.



			
				Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> Is there a chance the snake would eventually have understood it can't possibly swollow me or would it have tried to turn towards the stump end and swollow it? Would it have let go eventually if I hadn't done anything?


To add my own question to this - What is the point of no return for a snake swallowing something? At what point can they not let go without risking mouth damage?


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## danread (Feb 2, 2005)

Hi Cirith Ungol,

I'm guessing the reason you were bit is that the smake mistook your fingers for food. I used to have a problem getting my corn out of his tank in the evenings as his first response was to look alert and try and track my fingers. Thge trick is to try and touch the tail or another part of the body first. I found that if you do this the snake immediately realises that you are not food and will stop looking so alert. So in answer to your question, try not to hold your fingers in front of the snake, approach it form the side or behind with your hand. You'll find that once out of the tank there is almost zero percent chance of being bit, corns are one of the least aggrssive snakes and will very very rarely bite in defence.

Once a corn has bit on to your hand, they will almost defintiely let go almost instanty, as they will realise you are not food very quickly. You don't need ot worry about how to try and remove a snake from your fingers, it wont try and eat them!

i don't think holding a corn by the neck is necessary at all, as it will only stress it. The TV programs you see where they are holding the snake by the neck usually involve hots or particuarly aggressive wild snakes. It is best to let your corn move aorund of it's own accord, gently redirecting it's head with your hands to make it go where you want.

P.s they are beauties! I hope you begin to feel comfortable holding them again soon. They really are great starter snakes, never refuse food and have a great temprement.

Cheers,


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

My corn snakes never tried to eat me (as yet) But i will say this it is very very determined once it has started to swallow something even it is way to big the snake is unlickly to give up i have to specificaly size the prey to prevent it eating something way to big 

How did it try to eat you? i didnt think corns even had teeth? did it just open wide an take ur finger in one go or what?

Btw how did you get it back off just incase i ever need this knowledge lol


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

Thanks a LOT for your answers!

Pouring water over the head is a very clever idea. I was about to say that I'm gonna try that next time   ... but I hope there won't be one!

That I held my fingers separated in front of the snakes head was during handling when I helt it with my hands/between my fingers. I don't leave my fingers exposed at the moment when I pick them up because I understand that they are most likely to have a food response then. What I do instead is that I clutch my fist and hold it infront of them so that they can smell and see it. I hope every time that they realize it's "just that guy again!" After that I touch their bodies at the mid section. I don't like touching the tail because they seem to get most nervous about that bodypart and might twitch violently. I don't want them to hit something with the back end tail when they have that twitch response.

Luckily I don't smoke, and I never handle my pets when I've had some alcohol. Alcohol doesn't make me braver when it comes to my animals but rather more concerned because I might f something up when drunk. So I never do that. 

My flat has only one room and I have a cat. The cat is absolutly bored by the snakes and doesn't react to them other than glancing at them for a few seconds. I would be more concerned about the snake getting freaked out by the cat so I always keep them at safe distance from one another. That poses no problem, since the snake is in my hands and the cat doesn't care and stays put whereever it is. If by chance the cat descides to walk past I usually turn arround so the snake can't see the cat until it's moved away again.



> danread:
> You'll find that once out of the tank there is almost zero percent chance of being bit...


I was bit out of tank after about 5 minutes of handling. But I saw it turn into feeding mode and realized what was gonna happen about a second before she struck. I guess it is a bit my own fault that it ended up like that because I had just about the time to move the fingers out of the way. But I believed nothing was gonna happen so I didn't move. As I said, neither was damage done, nor offense taken, just a bit of dinted trust so to speak and that will heal in time I am sure. I like them too much to be kinda angry (which I'm not anyway since it's my own fault).

You are right about the neck holding - it was all hot species ofcourse and shouldn't be nessessary here.

I guess I have to get the bitey one out tonight and reform "the relationship".   The other has to stay in, he's a bit too hungry at the moment. He had a delay in his feeding scheme due to moulting.

Thanks again guys!
Cirith


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

> mimic58  	My corn snakes never tried to eat me (as yet) But i will say this it is very very determined once it has started to swallow something even it is way to big the snake is unlickly to give up i have to specificaly size the prey to prevent it eating something way to big
> 
> How did it try to eat you? i didnt think corns even had teeth? did it just open wide an take ur finger in one go or what?
> 
> Btw how did you get it back off just incase i ever need this knowledge lol


The female corn that bit me took the fourth finger from the side, right behind the nail - just as if it was holding on to the neck of a mouse or something. It just held on to it for a second and I didn't hesitate long at all to pull the finger away, by that scratching myself even more ofcourse. I hope I didn't pull too many of the snakes teeth out in the process. I had never thought it would come to this and had not spent a thought at any "what if" scenarios. So pulling my finger away forcefully enough to free myself was the only option I had at that time. I didn't either know what the snake was gonna do next and just in case, I didn't want it to go on eating. Comming here to the forum and ask how to remove it while having the snake dangling from my finger wasn't really anything I considered   . Good thing tho that the teeth get replaced every so often. They have a double row of teeth in top and bottom jaw (I think - it was that clearly visible) and they are just like the very tips of very sharp needles.


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

Yikes lol , did it hurt much ? i will bear this in mind when i next handle mine I had never considered it to be a risk till now


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

> did it hurt much?


Hm... dunno. How much is much? If you know what it feels like if you hold your cat and it doesn't wanna be held anymore and it jumps out of your grip by kicking away with its hind legs against your chest, claws out, then you could say you scream louder when the cat jumps than when the snake bites. 

The difference between snake and cat in this regard is that the cat is allready gone when you realize your injury. The snake on the other hand will have it's mouth full and looks forward to meal, so there is the secondary problem of making it let go.

So... nope. It didn't hurt that much. Just like a bunch of tiny needles that pierce through your skin. I'd actually be more willing to have my snakes bite me than my cat claw me like that. It's just that I am still rather unexperienced and unsure of what to do with the snakes once they ejoy your taste   That's the only reason that makes me think twice whom I want to be injured by


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> I am still rather unexperienced and unsure of what to do with the snakes once they ejoy your taste   That's the only reason that makes me think twice whom I want to be injured by


I tell you what id do , Id cover my hand in chillie source and get it to bite me again , I bet after that it wont be so keen on eating your hand , and will certanly remember that hot taste,,, i have used this method a few times it definatly works very well


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

> i have used this method a few times it definatly works very well


Do you mean you've had your snake bite you with chilli sauce on your finger? Or do you mean it didn't wanna bite you because you had that on your finger?

Because when I've washed my hands with lots of soap and hold them right in front of the snakes they turn away their heads rather quickly, which is a sign to me that they don't like that smell at all. And if you try it yourself you can see why - just take a bar of soap, hold it right under your nose and take a big whiff. It's a bit unpleasant if you ask me    So don't you go waste any more good chilli sauce young man!!


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## danread (Feb 2, 2005)

I am suprised that it decided to try and bite you once it was being handled! I hope that it was just an one-off and wont happen again. I think the best thing to do is handle them daily and let them get used to you. Maybe it was a new smell on your hands, but since you said you wash your hands before and after handling, maybe not.


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

danread:

The time she bit me was the first and last time ever that I hadn't washed my hands prior to handling... So it's not hard to figure out really why it happened, plus that she was hungry and I held my finger right infront of her. So a lot of things came together, including the snakes mouth with my finger


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

Just remembered a curiosity question. It will be a bit silly because I'm 99.99999% sure what the answer will be (-> No <-), but I wanna know   

Unless in self defense there will be no reason why the snake would ever bite my arm, right?


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> Do you mean you've had your snake bite you with chilli sauce on your finger? Or do you mean it didn't wanna bite you because you had that on your finger?


Its a learned responce Reptiles birds and mamals remember when something tastes bad so the idea is to get biten whilst there is something Foul tasting on your skin, They will remember for along time that your hand tasted Bad  

Iv not used this method for a snake yet, But other reptiles and animals There is one expetion and that is a parot DO NOT use chillie for one of them trust me its a Truely bad idea Parots love Chillie!!! ,For thoughs u must use mustard powder or black peper Ususlay once the animal has bitten you it remembers and doesnt do it again


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

When I was bit I had just prepared tea earlier. Not washed my hands after that. That sounds a bit lika parrot vs chilli to me


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

indead if it smelt something meaty and tasty on your fingers,,,, as i say if it persists to try an eat your hand cover it in tabasco or chille waggel it in there and let it bite you (trust me it will let go this time quickly) and i bet you anything after that it wont ever bite/try eat your hand again


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## pategirl (Feb 2, 2005)

I've had a few corns that were bitey, one was a wildcaught male miami corn that would "chew" on my arm when I held it, didn't even have to do anything. He didn't assume any sort of strike pose either, he'd just nuzzle my arm and latch on. I don't think most will try biting for no reason, mine was just an oddball. I miss that snake


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

pategirl... I guess I sound a bit deranged when I say your bitey corn sounds almost cute...   

Did it die?


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## pategirl (Feb 2, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> pategirl... I guess I sound a bit deranged when I say your bitey corn sounds almost cute...
> 
> Did it die?


Yeah, he died due to an accident that was my own fault, I'd rather not go into it. I don't know what his issue with biting was, but here's what he looked like:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=23372


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

I'm sorry for your loss!

A beautiful snake it was! Especially the grey zig-zag pattern. Is that a trademark of the miami corn?


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## pategirl (Feb 2, 2005)

The picture wasn't showing for me, so I fixed it, Miami corns normally have a grey background and red saddles, I don't think that appearing on him was a trademark, just another spot


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## NightCrawler27 (Feb 2, 2005)

being a owner of a few different snakes.1 ball python ...2 burm pythons...1 african rock python ...and 2 corn snakes....my female rock python is a biter...i think she has bite me and all my brothers...if your worried about your corn  wear some latex gloves while you hold her they (any snake) hates the taste of the gloves and lets go immediatly .this is what i did for about 2 months and now my african rock doesnt bite any more i guess she assumes i i have gloves on ...give this a try i know lots of snake handlers and this is what they all told me to do with mine and it worked great...its 1 of many methods to use to get a snake not to bite any more....hope this will come in handy for you next time..


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

Thanks NC!


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## galeogirl (Feb 2, 2005)

I used to carry a small spritz bottle of vodka in my pocket when I handled tokay geckos, asian ratsnakes, and large skinks a lot.  Worked really well for me.


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## Wade (Feb 2, 2005)

For you guys using vodka, rum or whatever to get snakes to release, shame on you for wasting perfectly good booze! 

Ordinary rubbing alcohol works just as good (probably better). I soak a paper tpwel with it and hold it over the snakes head, mouth nostrils and all. The fumes make most snakes release quickly.

Snakes are many things, but "smart" isn't one of them. If they're hungry and something reminds them of food, they'll go for it. I've had it happen with kingsnakes and with pythons. Although they EVENTUALLY will realize you aren't food, it might take them awhile, and in the meantime you'll be very uncomfortable. If it's a really big python though, it could be a lot worse!

My 14 foot burm latched onto my hand recently, and I found a slight variation on this theme. I wasn't able to drag her 100 lb+ bulk over to the cabinet where the alcohol was, but I was able to get to a bottle of hand sanitizer, which is just alcohol in a glycerin base. I smeared this all over her mouth and nose, and sure enough she let go. It also probably helped disinfect my bleeding hand!

To illustrate how hard-wired snakes are, I once had an outer banks king latch onto itself! It had been placed in a container while it's cage was being cleaned. Since the container had recntley held annother snake, the scent may have been there and he decided to latch onto whatever was around...his own back end. Again, the alcohol got him to release.

Wade


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

wade , what an earth where you doing handling a 14ft boid whilst alone, You know better than that!!! ,8ft is the recognised Safe limit for one person. a good few People have actualy been killed by pet berms....


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## galeogirl (Feb 2, 2005)

Wade, I wasn't giving them the good stuff.


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

galeogirl said:
			
		

> I wasn't giving them the good stuff.


Hahaha i Guess cheap alchohol is to much for anything to stand (even large snakes)


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 2, 2005)

mimic58 said:
			
		

> Hahaha i Guess cheap alchohol is to much for anything to stand (even large snakes)



  That sounds very logic! If you were to start using Famous Grouse Malt Whisky I bet ya they'd start going for your arms and fingers every time you come close enough! I know I would!!   I'd latch on to about anything that has those juices sprayed on them


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> That sounds very logic! If you were to start using Famous Grouse Malt Whisky I bet ya they'd start going for your arms and fingers every time you come close enough! I know I would!!   I'd latch on to about anything that has those juices sprayed on them


LOL I had been considering a large snake i was going to get just a common boa, the women in the shop tells me it will be  6 to 9 ft so i think Ok i should be able to manage that (Just about) but decide i best do some reading first, Infact this was coblers they can often reach upto 14Feet an regularly do people dilibratly starve them hopeing to reduce there end size but ofcorse u just get a hungry snake....

I still want one but i just cant risk something that large im sure i could get it off with a tazer if need be But its more my litle sister and my pet dog an escape is just to much of a risk ,

Full Respect to Wade for keeping a berm, im not dising him for handling it alone i know they can be very tame, But after having had to help get one of a freind that was trying to constrict him i take the 8ft rule very seriously, im not sure if it was panic or a feeding responce ,But i can say this It took myself an 2 other fairly well built blokes to get it off him it was incredably powerfull and had he been alone i truely beleive it would of killed him he was unable to breath an turning red while we litrely wrestled this thing off.


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## Wade (Feb 2, 2005)

Well, having help when handling large snakes is always a good idea, but I wasn't handling it. I was feeding her, and I thought she took the rat off the long tongs, but she had dropped it and grabbed the next available thing...my hand! If I had been carrying the snake around my neck or something stupid at the time, I would have been in real trouble. As it was, it was just painful. If I had been new to it I would have been freaked out, but I've had this snake for close to 17 years.

Wade


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## mimic58 (Feb 2, 2005)

damn unlucky dude , i take it imidiatly pulled back for all it was worth trying to drag you in , that musta hurt like a $&#&$&@* glad you got it off


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## MilkmanWes (Feb 2, 2005)

Wade said:
			
		

> For you guys using vodka, rum or whatever to get snakes to release, shame on you for wasting perfectly good booze!
> 
> Ordinary rubbing alcohol works just as good (probably better). I soak a paper tpwel with it and hold it over the snakes head, mouth nostrils and all. The fumes make most snakes release quickly.



Well there is always MD 20/20 or everclear...

My concern on using rubbing vs drinking alchy was that should any get in the mouth and ingested it could be detrimental to their health whereas drinking alchohol could be safely ingested and processed if it was splashed or poured. Is this a valid concern?

Of course this would be minimized by the soaking a paper towel like you mentioned, but should that not be a readily available option.

I imagine a spritzer of viniger might also do the trick.


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## pitbulllady (Feb 2, 2005)

A bite from a big Burm must be painful, but it can't beat a feed-response bite from a big Emerald Tree Boa!  I got nailed by a 6-7-footer a few years ago-typical feed response; snake missed the rat on the tongs and grabbed my hand.  This was the worst non-venomous bite I've ever received.  Those things have HUGE, long switchblade teeth, and I could literally hear those teeth scraping on bone as the snake chewed and constricted.  I was fortunately able to grab the tail and unwind her, but it took some time to get her to let go of my hand, which bled like the proverbial stuck pig!  I didn't even think of pouring rubbing alchohol in her mouth, since THAT would have just hurt ME even more.  I really haven't had much inclination to keep arboreal boids since then, for some reason.

pitbulllady


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## Wade (Feb 3, 2005)

Oh, yeah those tree boas have some wicked teeth, they need them to snatch monkeys and birds and other fast-moving arboreal prey. When I worked for a reptile breeder a co-worker got nailed bad by one and if I remember correctly he required stitches afterwords. Much smaller than a burm, but much bigger teeth!

Wade


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 3, 2005)

I hope you experts don't mind me asking - this question might look a bit odd, but what would you rather be tagged by, a "medium" hot snake or a tree boa or other snake with some really nasty teeth?

From what some have said the bites from such (the later) often turn out to be extremely nasty - wouldn't it then be better to get tagged by a poisonous one? This comparative question only holds if you presume that you get to hospital and that the venom and bite can be treated without any big delay.


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## MilkmanWes (Feb 3, 2005)

I think I would rather take a hognose bite than a large boid bite. But that comes from not having been bitten by either before.


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## Crotalus (Feb 3, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> I hope you experts don't mind me asking - this question might look a bit odd, but what would you rather be tagged by, a "medium" hot snake or a tree boa or other snake with some really nasty teeth?
> 
> From what some have said the bites from such (the later) often turn out to be extremely nasty - wouldn't it then be better to get tagged by a poisonous one? This comparative question only holds if you presume that you get to hospital and that the venom and bite can be treated without any big delay.


It depends on the size of the boid, if its for example a large retic i would probably lean toward the mildly venomous one due to the massive mechanical injury a retic bite have (a friend got tagged by a massive one, and the doc thought hes hand was caught in a machine of somekind...). A treeboa bite is not much in comparison even if they got long teeth. 
But my choice is not to be bitten at all.

/Lelle


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## bagheera (Feb 3, 2005)

*Eastern Garter Eats Childs Finger :evil:*

When I was 10 years old (give or take, d@mn, over 30 y ago!) I caught a garter snake in the woods near the house. Not only did the snake take my middle finger as something to eat, he hit so hard and fast that by the time i realized what was going down 
(my middle finger) he was half way to the joint. the teeth would not allow removal and the muscled in the jaw just kept him moveing. I remember not being able to even slow him! It was horrifying! By this age i had already caught everything out there, including 40-50 copperheads and maybe a dozen rattlers, even timbers!  At the knuckle he stopped. Of course. I didn't want to hurt him. At the time there were no parental units about....   After some thought, as things were now, static.. I submerged my whole hand in a pot of water until he relaxed (half drowned) I was then able to open his mouth and work him off. He left many teeth in my finger. I was a bloody mess. I used antibiotic on both my finger and his mouth. Since i released him, i don't know the outcome... I hope he was ok. One of several reasons to leave garters alone!


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 3, 2005)

> Crotalus: But my choice is not to be bitten at all.


Yes, absolutely no question there!! My point was just the theoretic comparison.


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## Wade (Feb 3, 2005)

There's so many variables, I couldn't answer other than to say I agree with Lelle that it's best to not get bitten!

The KIND of bite is almost as important as the kind of snake. Generally, a feeding response (where they hold on) is worse than a defensive response (where they bite and release imediately). Some big pythons, however (retics in particular), are known for "slashing" defensive bites where they seem to be trying to deliberately inflict as much damage as they can. These can be very bad and can result in deep gashes and uncontrolled bleeding.

How you react to a feeding bite can also effect the severity of the wound. When a snake latches onto your hand, your first instict is to try to wrench free whatever it takes, but this can actually make matters worse. Snakes teeth are like needles, often bites from even big snakes end up being little more than a series of punture wounds, but if a snake is latched on and you jerk away, those teeth can cut trough tissue and and you can do some serious damage. When I was bit, my biggest problem was getting to the alcohol gel without pulling hard on my hand. I used my free hand to grip the snake at a lower point so I wasn't putting pressure there. Afterwards, I had two U-shapped red dot formations accross the palm of my hand and a simmilar one on the back of my hand. These healed up nicely and now I can only see the faintest outline where the teeth went in. If I had wrenched free, however, I could have lost the use of the hand for it could have torn muscles and ligaments.

Venom is wierd, different people  react to different ways, so in some ways I lean towards the non-venomous bites as being prefrable, simple because venom, even mild venom, is such an unknown quantity once it's in your system.

Wade


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 3, 2005)

Ok. Thanks Wade and all you others for your responses. I'm always interested in "new" info and its background!

 :worship: 

I for one am happy with my corn snakes and I doubt I will get other snakes at some point. It's not that I need relatively cuddly snakes. Seen from a beauty standpoint only size would make me say no to some. But I just wanna be able to feel comfortable arround them whether things are going good or bad. As this thread proves - It's hard for me to even do that with my corns right now. 

But I don't wanna sound as if I don't really enjoy them, because I do and admire them deeply for what they are! I wouldn't wanna be without them now!    ...and all that... bet you know what I feel


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## galeogirl (Feb 3, 2005)

I've been bitten by a medium-sized retic and a large burmese, got off fairly lightly both times.  The only reason the bite from the big girl didn't go deeply into my calf was that I was wearing heavy workpants with leggings under them.  I think the heavy canvas helped deflect some of the teeth.  Got a baseball-sized bruise and several shallow slashes, but none that required stitching.  Needed stitches in the retic bite to my upper arm.

If I had to choose between another large constrictor bite and medium hot (hopefully rear-fanged), I'd probably choose the constrictor bite since I have some experience dealing with them.


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## pitbulllady (Feb 3, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> I hope you experts don't mind me asking - this question might look a bit odd, but what would you rather be tagged by, a "medium" hot snake or a tree boa or other snake with some really nasty teeth?
> 
> From what some have said the bites from such (the later) often turn out to be extremely nasty - wouldn't it then be better to get tagged by a poisonous one? This comparative question only holds if you presume that you get to hospital and that the venom and bite can be treated without any big delay.



I've been bitten by a Southern Copperhead, which most people would consider a "medium" in terms of venom potency, "hotter", than say, a Mangrove Snake, but much less in terms of potential for damage that, say, a Canebrake rattler or a Puff Adder.  While not the worst experience I've been through, medically speaking, it is NOT something I'd wish to repeat!  I'd still take the bite from the big Emerald over that, since even though the Emmy bite hurt like hell and bled freely, I was pretty much over the effects in a few days.  I knew to keep my cool, and not snatch my hand away, which would no doubt have resulting in a worse injury.  With the Copperhead bite, though, I was sick as a dog for a couple of weeks, and the pain lasted throughout that time, like someone had injected my hand with the strongest Habenero hot sauce they could find!  It wasn't life-threatening, but it was  pretty rough.

pitbulllady


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## ingas866 (Feb 4, 2005)

I use to breed corns. They well bit if you do not hold them alot. If they do bite and stay DO NOT PUT ALCIHOL IN THE MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!   put it under water they will let go. I have been biten so many times i lost count and i never had i problem from it.


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## reptillian (Feb 7, 2005)

snakes usually bite if you have a smell of an item it calls prey. So probably it smelt a prey item on your hands. when you said your fingers were seperated it shouldnt of made any difference. my corn has tried to bite me once that was when i first bought it. it is about one year old now. but when it tried to bite me i think it was because it was very hungry.


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 7, 2005)

My female is a bit egdy now - she told me that. Sunday evening I fed the two. I put her into her feeding box and she wanted out and see the world. I gently but firmly pushed her upper body back over the container using the styrofoam lid. That's when she struck the lid with a surprisingly fast defensive bite.

I wonder what's going on. I mean, I can't believe it's me... I've done the same thing to her loads of times, obviously every time she wants out of the box. Another thing that preceeds it is also that she freaked me out a bit when I tried to pick her up so I could put her in the box. The evening before I had handled her and done nothing special and everything was fine, when feeding time approached the day after (and I hadn't even taken out the mice yet) she got quite nervous, but not in a feeding mode kinda way. As I said she freaked me out - every time I wanted to pick her up she rushed back towards my hands in a striking pose to check out what the heck was going on. She didn't seem to like the "picking up" idea at all. I've never seen her like that before. 

I've decided she's to stay in the tank from now on and I pick up the male and put him in the box instead. He is the calm one. Even when he is eating it seems as if he has all the time in the world. The female is the opposite one, she'll sniff out the mouse, hover above it from a hands length away and then strike suddenly. He on the other hand always presses his snout onto the mouse and slowly and very deliberatly opens his mouth to grip the mouse. No way I'd be feeding-mode-bitten by him. I'd see such a bite comming from lightyears away.

I wonder if the female was a bit more nervous because he couldn't hold on to himself and tried to court her a few times the last week. But then I wonder why would she let me pick her up like that the day before feeding?

*I don't understand you girl*


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## roach dude (Feb 13, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> Hi...
> 
> 
> Why the "don't laugh" comment? Well, these questions, seen in relation to issues about copperhead snakes, spitting cobras or boas can seem pretty comical. But the question has arisen and I have no way to make it go away by ignoring it so I have to jump in the fire now and ask 'em:
> ...


never put a snake ur to ur eye coz it will strike you eyes!!! and omg would that hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     

(yo joel!)


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