Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How many of you have actually been bitten by your hogs? Has anyone been bitten in defense? I haven't but I'm curous as to how many have.

I've been bitten by my Mad. giant hog,however I feel that it was her voracious feeding response.My easterns just hiss & strike closed mouthed. jeff

Hey cochran, did you have any kind of reaction to the Mad. hog? As far as my experiences, no i've never been bitten. They have done nothing more than put on amusing shows for me.
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2.2 Eastern Hogs
0.1 Southern Hog
0.1 Corns

The bite area just itched a little. jeff

I've kept western hogs for years and in my experience it is nearly impossible to get bit by a western. They are showy, strike a lot when they get showy, but they strike with their mouth closed. They mostly just hit the side of the box, or your hand, or feeding tongs with their nose. I have a couple of females that are very aggressive feeders, especially at this time of year. When they see me feeding, they get real active and showy. As soon as I open their box they are coming out with their mouths wide open. I already have a mouse on the tongs and my hand well out of the way. Still never been bit. Even if they did get my hand or a finger, they are rear fanged so it's not likely that I would get wounded. I believe you have to let them chew on your finger for a moment before they can sink their fangs into you. If it ever did happen to me, I would definitely post pics and share the info.
Others may not agree with this post. Just my opinion based on my experience.

I have been chewed on for a few seconds, but never from a defensive strike. There were 2-3 time when she was younger that she would just latch on to my finger and start chewing. I could feel the little "fangs" but it didnt hurt or anything. I got her off as soon as I could and never had any adverse reactions to it. My ex's little brother also got chewed on by this girl and had no reactions. I assume she thought I was food. I started using hand sanitizer BEFORE I held her, and its been a couple of years with no assaults.

ep
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Occupants not paying rent:
1.1. balls
1.1 corns
1 everglades rat
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2.1 cats

The only bite report, that ive ever seen is From Joe Monahan http://www.herpnet.net/bite/, and that whas during a feeding, that he let the little bugger, chew on him for a few minutes.

Ive been working with hognose snakes for about 3 years and have never been bit....yet
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Thanks and best regards

Mark

I'm beginning to think that Joe Monahan's bite is getting way too much press in proportion to the people who have not been bitten, or even had a more realistic SFE that was stopped before the snake got his drool in there. I AM however, interested in hearing from those who have experienced the bites first hand to learn from. My little western hoggy has never even hissed, much less play dead or pretend he's a cobra. He is very active when he gets hungry and seems to like being handled. I have been careful to wash hands before and after (and my 8,6 and 5-year old girls do to) handling him. The thing I worry about is the possibility of him having a sniff of a nice small finger and latching on, but I can't imagine it happening with this guy.

One said she had to hold the snake (simus) under water for three minutes and she also said she could feel something (venomn) beeing pumped into her hand and it swelled up good too. the other also simus bit a guy and he said his finger swelled up too. JB

i was....but not by a captive hog.i was handling one found in the field(an eastern hog) that immediately went into his death feigning act....in the process-it seemed accidental-one of the rear fangs scraped/sliced my skin on my wrist;not very deep,but enough to draw blood.i had no symptoms i could feel,pretty much just looked i'd scraped against a thorn,etc..
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld