Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What should one do if one's overgrown pet gets a wild hair feeding response and takes a serious wrap on you? Keep a whiskey bottle handy to pour on their head? Smelling salts? What?

I know you are supposed to have a "person available per 4 foot of snake" but who has that?

a spray bottle with crown royal saved me once when a 14ft african rock grabbed me when I was younger when I was dumber, lol. anything harsh like that will work. Also I've heard knives work well too, just make sure you don't fall on it. I can see the headlines already.

GIRL GETS STABBED BY KILLER PYTHON: more at 8pm.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

"a spray bottle with crown royal saved me once..."

I tried Jack Daniels once but the snake still had me when I finished drinking it. Maybe I should've shared it with the snake. Ha! Ha!

Nah, I've never had an incident, yet (knocks on wood), but I keep a bottle of Listerene (original flavor) nearby to pour in their mouth, just in case.

I haven't heard the "person available per 4 foot of snake," but I always try to stress the importance of having someone else around when handling anything over 8ft. Of course, I've broken that rule a few times with the ones I've had since they were hatchlings, but I've drawn a solid line for any 10 - 12 footers and haven't crossed it, yet. I have a lot of respect for what these big snakes can do. If you've ever tried to unwrap one from your leg or arm I believe it'll make you stop & think.

Have a good one!
Mike
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

I haven't heard about the 4 foot per person rule either, but I agree that you need someone there for anything over 8-10 feet. That person also needs to know what to do if anything happens, not simply a person.

I got bit in my left hand by a 14 foot burm years ago. The guy that was with me freaked out and wanted to go get me a towel, in the mean time the burm was trying to wrap around my waist, her cage was waist high. I told him to keep her off me while I dealt with the head. Once she let go of my hand, after about 5 minutes, I grabbed her head. He let go of the snake, to go get a towel. Now I have a 14 foot snake by the head and she's not too happy, but he wants to get a towel to clean up the blood. I convinced him to help me get the snake back in the cage first, then we cleaned up the mess.

It's funny now, but I realized the importance of having someone there that knows what to do and not freak out.
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Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

I keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol by the Big snake cages just in case. I have heard the one person per 4 ft rule, but I don't follow that one. In our house, we do have no kids (they're 12 and 14) can open the big snake cages, and two people have to be in the house to deal with the big snakes. That way one person is available in case I get bit or wrapped. I go over the plan with my girls periodically so they don't freak out on me like Randy's friend.

Yeah someone freaking out just makes the situation worse.I,ve had a handful of "bad" bites over the years some when I was alone some when others were ariund and the worst that could happen is when one person starts running around acting all crazy. You should always have an action plan for if you get bit and a back up plan on top of that and a plan for if you are alone or with someone. When you get bit the best thing to do is just stay calm half the time the snake lets go almost instantily. If they don't let go start your plan weather it be alchol, hot water, trying to unwrap it manualy if its a smaller snake or even as a last resort a knife but stay calm bites do happen use it as a learning experence and move on and don't make the same mistake twice.
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"Create then surpass your expectations"

I agree that you always need a backup plan, I only have one 13-14' burm that I took on as a rescue when it was 10'. I never handle her alone or have I ever, I wont handle anything over 8-10' on my own, whenever we have her out we have the hose on, we have Listerine always open and ready, we also have a knife that is long enough to injure the snake but not long enough to go all the way through to stab the person being "attacked".

Zack
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Zack Greens Reptiles

What is the purpose of the hose?