Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When feeding my two ball pythons the other day, I carelessly had my pinky finger sticking out. My male mistook it for the mouse because he still had a cap from his last shed over one eye. I post this in case anyone doesn't know what to do if it happens to you. I saw a program on Animal Planet that told what to do, other wise I wouldn't have known. I ran some hot water and put my finger, with snake firmly attached, under it. Not too hot as I didn't what to scald him. The program also said that you could use anything with alcohol in it. Rubbing or booze.

Wow...
I had them bite before, but never like they were interested in eating my finger...lol

bet that left a mark...don't forget the neosporin.

When traveling with the carnival I was bitten by by our 9 foot Burmese. He grabbed my arm. Little bugger. To get him off, we slid a popsicle stick into his mouth and gently wiggled it. He let go pretty fast and then I ran it under very hot water and kept it clean with rubbing alcohol. The stick method seemed to work, and I believe it just made him nervous and did nothing to hurt him. Our boss on the show said that was an "old" way of getting a snake to let go. Well,,, it worked.

Circusfan

It can cause some serious respiratory problems for the snake! Use listerine, either flavor, much better for the snake.

Just curious, why not use rubbing alcohol? I know you said it will cause serious respiratory problems for the snake, but if you get bitten, you are putting the alcohol on yourself. Not on the snake. And I'm pretty sure that when you get bitten, you're not going to handle the little bugger within the next half an hour or so after cleaning the wound. Rubbing alcohol vapors dissapear in a very short time. Just look at what everyone says to use when handling snakes: Hand Sanitizer. That is alcohol based. I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything like that, but I would like to know you're thoughts. If you're not handling the snake immediately after cleaning your wound, what's the harm in rubbing alcohol?

Circusfan

Some snakes, especially the larger ones won't let go if they are in feeding mode when they bite. THese things people are suggesting are to make the lil buggar let go.

CIRCUS, I think they thought you were pouring in the snakes mouth to make it let go. Thanks david
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1.0 Pied(04)(RDR)
1.0 Albino(04)(RDR)
0.1 Spider(04)(RDR)
3.2 Pastels(03's)(04's)(ASF,Graziani,Bell lines)
0.1 Yellow belly(unproven)(04)
1.3 Yellow belly(unproven)(02,03,04's)
2.0 100% HET CLOWN(04's)(MHMR)
3.3 100% het albinos(03's)(high contrast bell line)
0.1 poss Het Albino(03's)
2.0 100% het pieds(03's)(Vin Russo,CRE)
0.2 100% het pieds(03's)(04's)(RDR,TWL)
1.2 Poss het pieds(03's)(PETE KAHL)
2.1 Poss het pieds(00's)(01's) hoping to get PIEDS this year(Vin Russo, Pete Kahl)
25 Normal adult females
60 04 females
15 normal mixed 03's
20 Assorted weird ball pythons 04's

Whoa........ Sorry if that's how it came out. That's not what I meant. Sorry for any confusion. I meant to use it only for cleaning a bite wound.

Circusfan

Yep, that's what I meant. People have been told to pour rubbing alcohol in the snake's mouth to detach the snake from them, but this will cause injury to the snake. A drop of listerine will usually do the trick. By all means, clean the wound with the alcohol!

The show I refered to on Animal Planet was dealing with some very large snakes. Snakes that would have ended up killing the peron they were biting on to. If one found themselves in that kind of predicament, concern for the snakes resperatory system would, I'm sure, be the last thing on thier mind. But with a smaller snake, a little hot water would be the way to go so as not to cause the snake injury.

Just putting the open bottle to the snake's nose and letting it experience the fumes will work with rubbing alcohol, no need to dump it in the mouth. Or do fumes cause the respiratory problems?

The sure fire way to get a snake to release is to pour alcohol (drinking kind only) into it's mouth. Do not use rubbing alcohol and hot water often does not work and you may cause injury to the snake if it's too hot. Your best bet is to pop open your favorite beer (wine or Jack Daniels if thats your preferance) and offer your newly attached friend a shot! And for those minors out there Listerine will work just as well you don't need to try and convince Mom that the 12 pack stashed under your bed is in case of a snake bite! Of course if its a 20 ft anaconda the health of the snake may fall into lesser consideration in which case use whatever you'd like!
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

if its a 20 footer, would the urine running down my leg work???

LMAO!!! Probably not.

That depends on how much alcohol you've had to drink...lol

If it's a 20 footer, something other than urine would be running down my leg.......lol

Louis Kirkland

I'd say yes; that would be the equivalent of warm water...

Rob Reiding.

When I get bitten I used anti bacterial hadwash. It allways seems to do the trick. Yesterday I was cleaning out and put one of my big females in an empty middle draw in my rack. As I stood up she nailed me right on the lips!! Shes usually placid. I DONT think she was kissing me either!

Ouch, bet that hurt. You said "when" you get bitten. Jezz, how many times has that happened to you?

Over the years been bitten plenty!! Snakes eh!!