Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Today a man came round to fix my gas. When he expressed horror at my “slimy” snakes I offered to show him that they were not, in fact, slimy but lovely and smooth.

With hindsight, I realised exactly what I did wrong. First I showed the gas man my Beardies, then the Leopard Gecko and then the Corn snake. Last, but by no means least, I got out HarriParri who thought about it and then decided my little finger was lunch! It didn’t hurt at all but unfortunately he wouldn’t let go and curled himself round my arm and was really trying to eat me.

The poor man was in a dreadful state and was offering all sorts of bizarre suggestions. As this had never happened to me before I wasn’t sure what to do and in the end had to show him out with HarriParri still attached to my hand and arm. It was actually a very funny and embarrassing moment but did nothing for the popularity of snakes I’m afraid.

Ten minutes passed and I was still being eaten alive. I really didn’t have a clue what I should do and I didn’t want to hurt my snake. Then I remembered the mail-order man that I get my herp equipment from and rang him – he lives a few hundred miles away. He said I should put my hand in tepid water and cover his head so he couldn't breath. I wasn't at all happy about doing it but didn't seem to have any other option. Thankfully it worked and HarriParri is none the worse for wear in spite of my stupidity and my finger only has four holes in it! Lesson learned!

Colleen

My 6 foot Taiwan beauty did that to me twice last week. A slightly better way to get them off is to soak a kleenex in rubbing alcohol and kind of waft it at their face. The smell makes them drop you pretty quick.
-----
Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Thanks for that tip although I'm not sure how I would have managed to get the top off with only one hand! lol

Colleen

A big male Eastern Indigo did almost exactly the same thing to me about 25 years ago in almost the same circumstances. He lacerated my thumb to the bone and all I could do was stand there explaining to these horrified people that it wasn't his fault while I dripped blood all over the floor.

One thing I used to do when I kept Gilas (notorious for hanging on for a long time) was to keep Ammonia Inhalers handy..if something grabs you and won't let go, just break one and hold it in front of the animal's nose for a second...it'll let go.

haha, sorry bro I had to laugh just thinking about how that man looked. I could just see it happening, "Yeah I've never been bitten by this bloke...you say, "oh dont worry about it hes not venemous and he'll let go without causing too much damage. But youre thinking "AHHHHHHHH GET THIS DAMN THING OFF MY HAND". The mans eyes wide with horror as you show him out

When I first brought my girlfriend home to see my snake...(hmm you know some things just sound better in your head)..anyway when i brought her over to see my snakes I always start with the smallest...(hmm another one of those better sounding in your head type things). I get to my boa constrictors cage and take her out and explain how she is a gentle giant, then she bites my thigh and doesnt want to let go, my girlfriend screams bloody murder and runs out the door. I get up go to my spray bottle spray the snake it lets go and everyones happy....only now my girlfriend hates snakes even more lol.
-----
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." -Charles Darwin

"I am turned into a sort of machine for observing facts & grinding out conclusions"-Charles Darwin

"Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system- with all these exalted powers- Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin." -Charles Darwin

"A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, -- a mere heart of stone" -Charles Darwin

"The fact of evolution is the backbone of biology, and biology is thus in the peculiar position of being a science founded on an improved theory, is it then a science or faith?" -Charles Darwin

I keep a box of alcohol swabs in those little foil packets in my herp room for this purpose. They open quite nicely with one hand and your teeth!