Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last night, my albino male decided he wanted to sample my hand for dinner! Fortunately he is still small at 7' (1.5 year old). Here's what happened:
I went to my bedroom to go to bed but noticed my male left a large "present" for me. I mean he really took a massive dump for such a relatively small snake. Anyway, I always clean up immediately regardless of situation. He is a bit high strung, loves to hiss and all but hasnt bitten at all since a baby. I did notice he was more high strung than usual (tipoff!) when he basically shot out of the top of the cage when I opened it (he's in a 50 gal. right now, going to his new 4x3 this weekend). He wasnt actually coming out on his own so I reached in to get him out (remember he has not struck since a baby so Im semi-comfortable around him). Next thing I know, he CLAMPS down with every last tooth he has, right into the meat at the base of my thumb! OUCH! Now that f'in hurts! I was shocked of course but figured he would let go immediately. Well, he didnt. In fact, he started trying to pull my hand into his hidebox (where he eats incidentally) and was trying to constrict my arm! Oh sh!t! Remember, he is still a little guy so I knew I wasnt in any real danger but it still hurt like a mofo. I kept him from pulling my hand in and grabbed the spray bottle I keep with his cage. Spraying did NOTHING! I even DUMPED the contents of the bottle on his head. No dice. He wasnt letting go. I then tried the "dead prey" manuever by going totally limp for a couple of minutes. The adrenaline was seriously pumping and he was still feeling my pulse so that didnt work either, I guess. By then, its been about 10 minutes with this snake latched onto me. I decided the only way I was going to get him off was to take him off. With my free hand I maneuvered his lower jaw off me and then worked the top jaw away (with a bit of flesh tearing I might add). As soon as I got him off, here came the blood. ALOT of blood. He hit me with at least 5 teeth right in that fat vein by the thumb. I closed his cage back up and washed up. It still hurts like a mofo!!!
This was the first time I have ever been constricted and it was a good reminder to me about these animals. Never get complacent. Fortunately it was the little male, not my 11' female.
I did some post-analysis and figured that he was irritated by the condition of his cage and was very hungry after dumping off all his food. He saw my hand as dinner for some reason. I had been playing video games for several hours before going to bed so I dont think I smelled like anything. Just one of those surprise situations I guess.
Anyway, just thought Id share with everyone as a reminder to always be vigilant around your animals.

(PS - yes I still cleaned his cage after that....with a leather jacket and gloves on, though! I still love the little b@stard!
Strangely he was completely normal right afterward?

Just what was in the spray bottle you dumped on him?

Weak mixture of alcohol and water. He didnt even flinch.

I had a close call not too long ago (it was actually minor, but as you know, startling). I used mouth wash for the same purpose. It worked like a charm. I'll tell you one thing - snakes do NOT like to have fresh breath.

It only took him a minute or so after I freshend him up before he was back to his rambunctious self (which I kinda' like).

- Mark

Thats not a bad idea. Its better than keepin a bottle of Jim Beam handy . What happened with your close call?

(Especially with a 7 year old child around the house)

Well, luckily my burm (about 8' now) didn't get a hold of me. One night, about two months ago, I went to feed him. As usual I opened the small feeding door on the side of his cage to offer his dinner - I have a small door cutout on one end of the cage that I strictly use only for feeding. A slight distraction at the time kept me from noticing that he had made his way to that end of his cage and was at the door, ready to strike, waiting on the other side. The moment I opened the door he came flying out at lightning speed, as it seems when snakes strike. He missed me by a hair, thankfully. That left him flailing about excitedly looking for what he was expecting to be dinner, his mouth open all the while in his hyper-active feeding mode (his feeding response is incredible).

In a hasty decision I grabbed a nearby bath towel and covered his head with it. It almost got comical at this point, as he promptly bit the towel and began constricting it. I admit, at that moment I did laugh a bit at the site of him trying to eat the towel, even as my heart was still pounding from being startled in the first place. Once I had my fill of a quick chuckle I made for serious business and moved to get the towel free. This was no easy ordeal - and that is a great understatement. It came to the point that he had the towel and one of my hands bound. It wasn't funny anymore. I looked on the counter next to me, saw the mouthwash and thought, yes, that will do just fine. I gave him a tiny splash of it and he was off in less than a moment's notice.

No damage to me, the snake, or the poor bath towel. I did have a spray bottle of alcohol there for just such an incidence, but given my location at the moment the mouthwash wash very close and handy - and it worked perfectly, I presume in great part due to the alcohol content of the mouthwash.

Now I actually keep a few small bottles of mouthwash strategically located in the room with him. I know I could setup alcohol bottles just as well, but the mouthwash worked so well, and seemed to have such minimal after effect on him that I feel it's just as well that I use that - if ever I have to again.

- Mark

Here are some suggestions the next time, I hope not you get the big squeeze. I did get this info from that show. They say pour some warm water on its head, if that does not work poor al key hol, like jack or jim not rubbing, the last thing is to take it by its tail and bent the tail up. They say these should work, sorry to hear about the bit.

A stupid error on my part for not paying attention to the movement and attitude of my little male. (he was 8' at the time)

He grabbed onto my hand, between the thumb and the first finger. That HURTS, tender area when 989758975 teeth are driving themselves into it (Well not THAT many.. but it felt like it! )

He wouldn't let go either... The Warm water trick worked great. My boyfriend was around at the time, so he ran to the sink and got a big bowl of warm-hot water and dumped it on the burm for me. He let go immedietly.

It hurt -.-
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Randilyn -;,-
Desolate Gray: Reptiles

>>A stupid error on my part for not paying attention to the movement and attitude of my little male. (he was 8' at the time)
>>
>>He grabbed onto my hand, between the thumb and the first finger. That HURTS, tender area when 989758975 teeth are driving themselves into it (Well not THAT many.. but it felt like it! )
>>
>>He wouldn't let go either... The Warm water trick worked great. My boyfriend was around at the time, so he ran to the sink and got a big bowl of warm-hot water and dumped it on the burm for me. He let go immedietly.
>>
>>It hurt -.-
>>-----
>>Randilyn -;,-
>>Desolate Gray: Reptiles
>>
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The fastest way to achieve great wealth is by living more poorly for much longer.

Consider yourself lucky. I October of 2001 my male (11 feet at the time) albino grabbed my left hand as I was reaching in for his water bowl. Ths is something I had done numerous times before, without incident. He wouldn't let go, and in fact used my hnd as an anchor and pulled half of his body out of his cage. I finally got his mouth off (with my other hand), and ten came lots an lots of blood. nd yes, it HURT LIKE HELL. And it resulted in 21 stitches to my fingers, knuckles, and thumb, and a tooth that didn't come out until the following March! Long story with that...

I learned my lesson. Just be careful.

Joe