Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok. I hope I don't get flamed for this, but I also don't mind constructive criticism.

I thought I would be smart a couple of weeks ago. I decided I would "train" my Cal. King to "eat from my hand" (after seeing a friend of mine do it with his ball python). This was almost a grave mistake. The Cal. King ALMOST ate my finger instead of the mouse. The Cal. King is 15 inches and about the diameter of my pinky finger..maybe a LITTLE bigger.

Well, every since then, I've been really curious to know what it would feel like to be bit by her. I've been tempted to hold a mouse and then pick up my King, but afraid it will hurt like hell. At what time in life do they start really developing teeth? Is it painful for a young King of this size to bite? I'd really like to try this just to see what it feels like.

I'm not using her as a "toy." SHe is well taken care of...and I do not "play" with her. I'm just overly curious now...

This is her so you can see size...

I never heard anyone say they WANTED to get bitten.

Anyway, I can't really think of a good reason to do it, but I can think of lots of reasons not to. First, the chance the snake will get hurt..loose teeth, get an infection...

then there's the chance you'll get hurt....get an infection....

Whenever I get bit by any of my snakes, I am worried about hurting THEM. I sort of laughed today when I checked in on one of my week-old hatchlings... it was so cute, coiled up in the most aggressive stance and lashing out at me. But I let it strike at me a few times, I figure that it is better to train a snake from the beginning that snapping at human hands has no response and gets the snake nowhere.

I've been bit a few times by a few of my larger (adult) snakes, and it's not that exciting. Sometimes they latch on and start to "chew". the worst bite I had was when one nabbed my thumb and the teeth were right in the cuticle! Ouch.

At the moment I'm trying to teach my yearling Jungle Carpet Python that I'm not a threat. I must say it's daunting to have this python in my hands and she notices if you blink, so suddenly this huge gaping mouth is flying straight towards my eyeballs.

Best to NOT encourage your snakes to bite. As oldherper pointed out, it's bad for the snake's health, bad for your health, and accomplishes nothing. On the other hand, let them learn when they are little snakelings that biting does no good, because you DON'T want to learn while an adult snake is doing its best to chew your hand off!
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~Sasheena

uahhh dude, it will happen sooner or later anyway,but
that's cool that you homeboy does that though........

>>uahhh dude, it will happen sooner or later anyway,but
>>that's cool that you homeboy does that though........

A little about me...

34 years old
high school math teacher
Female, married
2.4.8 cal kings
1.1 blotched kings (with 8 eggs incubating)
1.2 corn snakes
1.0 rosy boa
0.1 Tiger rat
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
7 sonora semiannulata

I'm not a dude or a homeboy

Just thought I'd introduce myself.
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~Sasheena

A little about me...

34 years old
high school math teacher
Female, married
2.4.8 cal kings
1.1 blotched kings (with 8 eggs incubating)
1.2 corn snakes
1.0 rosy boa
0.1 Tiger rat
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
7 sonora semiannulata

I'm not a dude or a homeboy

Just thought I'd introduce myself.
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~Sasheena

BY THE WAY I WAS TALKING TO "NEWHERPER", HIS BUDDY FEED'S
HIS PYTHON OUT OF HIS HAND, THAT WAS THE HOMIE , DO YOU OFTEN
PREJUDGE PEOPLE FOR THEIR PLAYFULNESS? PLEASE DON'T PASS PREJUDICE ON TO OUR KIDS NOR THE HOLIER THAN THOU ATTITUDE.

>>BY THE WAY I WAS TALKING TO "NEWHERPER", HIS BUDDY FEED'S
>>HIS PYTHON OUT OF HIS HAND, THAT WAS THE HOMIE , DO YOU OFTEN
>>PREJUDGE PEOPLE FOR THEIR PLAYFULNESS? PLEASE DON'T PASS PREJUDICE ON TO OUR KIDS NOR THE HOLIER THAN THOU ATTITUDE.
>>

My deepest apologies. I didn't realize that by introducing myself, I was projecting an "holier than thou" attitude. As a matter of fact, my response was meant to be playful too.

What prejudice would I be passing on to my students? I really truly wish you would stop and explain. Twice you responded to MY posts with "dude" and I often JOKE with my students that I am not a DUDE.

It's hard in this electronic medium to know a persons meaning due to the lack of tonality and expression and emphasis on what is said. It's easy to think you know what a person is saying. THAT is why I decided to point out that I was female, therefore NOT a dude, and Not a homeboy. I also said a little about myself to alleviate any sort of harshness and to SHOW I was not taking it deeply and personally.

By the way, TYPING WITH ALL CAPS = shouting. Please don't shout, my ears hurt.
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~Sasheena

Yes, your right , I’m sorry -that is a HUGE problem with
e-mail’s also -I always use the phone when dealing with money ,
if they won't speak with me on the phone, I don't deal.
and I often request a buyer to contact me.
any way’s sorry fo the misunderstanding ,I thought you were
attacking or being a smarty pants, either way it's squashed.
"beep beep who got the key's to the jeep? voom....... voom...."

If you meant the message to be for Old Herper then put the post THERE. You DID respond it to Sasheena's post. So please take some time to learn how to use the forums.

Kerby...

I didn't say anything about "dudes" or "homeboys".....

I already knew Sasheena was a girl and has a bunch of cool snakes..

NEW Herper...not oldherper.

We need a "middle-aged herper", too..and maybe a "BabyHerper"...

he he he he ha ha ha ha snort, snort, snort,
i'm gonna change mine to "twentysomethingherper"
or maybe "teenagemillionairherper"
or possibaly "sexandthecityherper"
what about "Dr.philherper"
"oldbaldrepublicanherper"
"ididnothavesexualrelationswiththatwomanherper"-Bill clinton
O.K. i'll stop before some gets mad,
but it's still alittle funny?

I like it!! Especially the Bill Clinton one.

Let's stop before it escapes from the internet and starts eating people...

LOL! Don't forget Oprahherper.

It's extremely underwhelming. With a snake that size, you'd be lucky if it drew blood. I got nipped by a 3-4 foot JCP last week and I've had worse mosquito bites. Keep in mind, though, that a snake trying to eat you always hurts more than a snake defending itself.

P.S. I'm very sensitive to mosquito bites, they really itch!

Snakes always have teeth. It's not an age thing. It all grows proportionately.

If it will stop you from provoking your snake to bite you, it feels like a bunch of very small needles all at once. A defensive bite is not usually hard or long enough to break skin. The snake knows that a bite won't hurt you; scaring you is the idea, not harming you. A feeding-response bite isn't pleasant. It won't hurt as in excruciating pain, but it isn't fun. The snake will chew, and you'll be left with a lot of little pin-prick holes on your finger, and a snake that now considers you food. Getting a snake off that's biting you in a feeding-reponse isn't always easy, especially if the snake REALLY thinks you're food. It doesn't think it's holding on to you, it thinks you're trying to take away its food for the week.

Besides the obvious stress on the snake, breaking its teeth, etc., curiousity about what it feels like is not worth possibly teaching an otherwise tame snake to bite, IMO.

Thank you to all of you who responded to this. I apologize if I conveyed the idea that I am going to provoke my King to bite me. I was merely curious what it was like...and honestly the curiosity is killing me. I am not however, going to try and get her to bite me. That would not be rspectful to the snake.

I do apologize, but I think I give you guys the wrong idea.

I have at least a dozen non-venomous snakes that would be perfectly willing to help you experience a snake bite. And you wouldn't even have to rub any rodent smell on your hands !

Some of them are little tykes like yours, and some will leave a more lasting impression!
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Chris Harrison

It will happen sooner or later. When it does every hair on the back of your neck will stand up, youll freak out, look around to see if anyone saw your reaction or heard your wimper, and laugh at yourself afterward cuz it didnt hurt after all. SKINNER

Hhonestly, I know exactly what you are talking about. When I got my first snake I was dying to get bit just to know what it feels like. It happened all on its own and trust me... you can't keep snakes without getting bit so just be patient.
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International Snakes Meetup

I know they always have teeth, but very tiny snakes don't break the skin with defensive bites. My 3 foot king nabbed me the other day and it barely barely bled. When baby sand boas bite, I wouldn't know anything happened unless I saw it.
(I hope I interpreted what you said right, if not, disregard)

I've only been bitten by a snake once in my life. And it was an albino California king roughly the same size as yours. It must have been hungry, because I was looking for snakes at the pet store and when the guy handed it to me, he grabbed and constricted my finger. He only let go with a small amount of alcohol dropped in his mouth. Then he promptly bit and constricted my OTHER finger. lol. I got him off with some running water. It didn't hurt that much but it wasn't pleasant either. It was prickly and just barely broke the skin. If you really want to get bitten, go for it, but don't jerk your hand unless you want to injure your snake. If he won't let go, run his head under warm water. That should do the trick. But it's probably not the smartest idea in the world.
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-Andy