snake bites

[depressor86]

i work in a pet store, in the reptile department. though i love all the snakes and lizards to pieces i still find myself pretty afraid of being bitten .. just a nervous thing. ive never been hit by a snake before. will this go away with time or should i just let one take a bite on me so i can know what to expect? we have some pretty aggressive rat snakes that are a bugger to take out without getting hit.
thanks :)

[reptiledude21]

well ive been bitten a couple times and it just doesnt seem like nothin after a while, but i heard that snakes can sense if your scared and it might bight u.

[Linds]

I think it will probably take at least one or two (possibly more?) bites to get your brain to realize that it is overreacting. They are more startling than anything, happens so fast you don't usually feel it with a lot of small - medium sized snakes. Its more jsut the action of being bit thats scary, not the bite itself ;) I've been bitten more times than I could possibly count, snake bites aren't bad at all :)

Originally posted by reptiledude21
but i heard that snakes can sense if your scared and it might bight u.

I don't think its so much that they sense your fear, as the fact that when you are scared you hesitate and your nervous movements make the snake nervous. They don't know what on earth your doing :p

[PoiSoNouS]

Snake bites are not that bad, just NEVER pull out your hand when its biting you, you could hurt the snake and hurt you more too.. Just let it go and react after.. lol :)
I know it may be hard to do at first times but youll learn quickly.. :P

[JD@reptiles]

i get bitten all the time, every day... ask anyone i know.. i find it best if you work your way up...lol. the first snake i was bit by was a garter snake (at 4 years old). but, i have grown up getting bitten by snakes. i used to try and doge the bites, but i found that to be hard on the animal, espeshily if they get you, you will take them with you, or just take its teeth out.

The worst bite i have had was from a BCI... That hurt like a SOB!

Jordan

[Smilts]

my four ft bull snake bit me when i got it two weeks ago. I was not looking forward to getting bit after that it doesnt bother me. with him it was like a good pinch.

[NewLineReptile]

You get use to it i could not even tell you how many time's i have taken a bite or two

Brandon

[SCReptiles]

I have been bitten more times then I can count. Most colubrid bites are not that painful and clear up within 3 days. Some bites can be horrific. I have not been tagged by a venomous snake as of yet, but I have many friends who have. My worst bite to date came from a 17’ burm. He swallowed my right hand and tried to pull me into the cage with him. Very painful and quite bloody. Below is an example of a western diamond back bite. Enjoy! =)
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/data/articles/72/atrox_bite3.jpg

[Sean_.E.]

When I first got bitten I jerked like crazy. Now when I get bitten I just kinda jump or flinch. I havn't been bitten by many snakes that actually broke the skin but even those bites used to get my reflexes going...lol

SCReptiles, That is one nasty bite, from what I can see its already starting to rot...errr whats it called...necrosis?
Was that a bite that you actually recieved?

[Lizzy001]

ewwww....mingin!
lol
just think....if they bite u, u can always bite them back harder!!

[reverendsterlin]

2 of my large boas have nailed me during SFE's, the Bco caused wrist surgery and both forced the mop to be brought out to clean up the blood. Colubrids don't faze me and hots are ALWAYS treated under a specific protocol so I haven't experienced that particular horror yet.

[Colonel SB]

THe biggest thing I've been taged by is a 12 foot retic...Now that left a mark.

[Lisa]

My first bite was from a small burm, it was more of a surprise then anything else... since then i've been bitten by colubrids (you don't feel a thing) a viper boa and a small blood. The viper boa hurt.

[fatboy]

No Chuck didn't receive that bite. He has never been bitten by a venomous. You get used to bites pretty quickly. It'll happed sooner or later anyway.

[SCReptiles]

SCReptiles, That is one nasty bite, from what I can see its already starting to rot...errr whats it called...necrosis?

Yes, its called necrosis and its associated with all North American pit vipers. No, that wasn’t me, thanks God. =) That hand and bite belong to Bret Welch of TX. You can read the entire account of the bite, I will provide the link below. I suggest anyone keeping hots for field herping hots take a few minutes to read this.

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/72

[SerpentLust]

I've only been bitten once, and I work in the reptile department and we have an agressive Coastal Carpet...I'm afraid of being tagged too. So you need it more than once. lol

However, I know once I'm tagged I don't care. It's just the fact that when I was tagged I didn't expect it. Whereas you can see this one watching you and waiting to strike if you get near. So it's the anticipation.

Jenn

[Invictus]

I haven't been tagged yet, because my snakes love me. :) My gf got tagged by our Miami Corn, a 3.5 - 4 ft female. It didn't even break skin, and we just sat there going "Awwww... she thinks she's a viper!" hehehe... nothing to be worried about really. However, I wouldn't want to get tagged by a coastal carpet...

[depressor86]

we have a decent sized great plains rat snake, given the chance he would probably bite me 10 times in the couple seconds it takes to transfer him to the feeding container.
im afraid that with him, and some of the other nippy snakes, that because my reactions and being careful not to get bit take time i end up stressing the snake. usually the bigger more aggressive snakes dont eat as well and i feel pretty bad about stressing them out.
should i just bear it by reaching in and grabbing him quickly?

[Lisa]

don't worry about the colubrids, as for handling, don't move too quickly but don't hesitate either. and don't be afraid, snakes like dogs can smell fear.

[snkmn]

they only thing that i dont like about getttng bit besides the pain is that it startles me and i jump. that is the worst part. at least for small snakes. i have never been bitten by a big snake and i would imagine that it hurts really bad.

[burmer]

I've gotten bit a few times. A 13' retic I used to have nailed me on the elbow a few years ago. One of my burms got me across the hand two years ago. They hurt like hell and I never forgot them but I also never worried about getting bit again either. It's almost inevitable in keeping reptiles.