lemon juice?

[Pia]

Omen, just read a post from about 2 wks ago "Bite...wrap...lemon juice" Is lemon juice good for getting a biting snake to let go?

[Zoe]

the scent/taste of lemon or grapefruit will often insight a monitor or snake to let go, yes.

[Pixie]

Rubbing alcohol or any type of alcohol is supposed to be a really good way to get biting/coiling snake to let go of it's grip. Apparently, hot water works too.

Pixie

[Emily-Fisher]

Yes, lemon juice works but by the time that you get to the kitchen, cut open a lemon and squeeze the juice out of it, I am pretty sure that the snake would of already let go ;)

[Invictus]

LOL Emily... great point. :) Yes, the acids from lemon juice really annoy snakes. If you don't happen to have the time frame that Emily described above (*still laughing*), dunking its head under water works too.

[Pia]

Yeah, my kitchen is a looooong way from the snake's room. Maybe I can prepare a snake bite kit: alcohol, lemon juice and a bottle of water (all 3 just to make sure I'm covered:-). Maybe I could sell them on the internet! haha.

[Jeff_Favelle]

OR, you could just NOT get bit. ???

[The_Omen]

Hehehe..
It's actually a lot simpler than running to the kitchen and slicing a lemon :)

Easy trick -

Keep several loaded syringes (lemon juice), sans needle, in the fridge.
Have them on a lanyard or a necklace type of carry system.
Prior to handling any snakes or other critters, get one out and put it on. Hang an extra on a cage or on a nail in the wall as well, can't be too prepared. ;)
If using the common sense rules of handling 8 + boids, have your spotters carry one also, just in case you can't get yours in place to use.

As for alcohol, rubbing alcohol is a no no for reptiles in this fasion, while it will work to get you unstuck, it can permanently injure the jacobsons organ. However, human life takes presedence.
Drinking alcohol is the type of alcohol, if you go that way vs. lemon juice.
Lemon juice is cheaper and besides.. who wants to waste a perfectly shaken martini?

Hot water?
Nah.. too long to warm it up and if too hot, now you are talking about some potentially serious injuries to not just the animal, but also to you.
Cold water?
Sometimes works.. but just how long does it take to get a sink or a tub full enough?
And just how long can most reptiles hold their breath if the water doesn't immediately intice a release?

Keep a lemon shooter with you and you will save precious seconds and save yourself some blood and skin, by having the animal release a lot sooner.

[Bryce Masuk]

Actually the peel juice works the best its VERY bitter orange lemon or grapefruit

[The_Omen]

Actually the peel juice works the best its VERY bitter orange lemon or grapefruit

May be so.. BUT..

Can you buy peel juice in the same large quantities as regular lemon juice?

I have no idea, unless lemon extract is the same thing, but, I don't know that either.

Having enough to penetrate a tightly closed mouth is the key, which equals quantity instead of quality to me.


Yes, lemon juice works but by the time that you get to the kitchen, cut open a lemon and squeeze the juice out of it, I am pretty sure that the snake would of already let go

Not really.. if it was a simple bite, yes, it would be over and done with before you realized it had happened.

In a full blown feeding response wrap.. ya got plenty of time to figure out what made the SFE occur.. so much time in fact that if you lose track of the time, then the animal wrapping you may try to start swallowing you ;)

[Bryce Masuk]

Omen When you squeese the piece of citrus fruit you direct the peel juice towards the animal that bit you the juice can be effective but not always the peel almost always is

One method the works that is 100% effective but its the last option is A blade either cut the head off or push it through the spine If I had large boid's I would always carry a 11" fairbarne stykes along with my EDC

[The_Omen]

Omen When you squeese the piece of citrus fruit you direct the peel juice towards the animal that bit you the juice can be effective but not always the peel almost always is

You missed one of my points.
Not every bite will have the mouth open enough to squirt a few droplets of spray from the lemon peel into the mouth effectively.

The syringe allows you to get into the mouth when it is closed tightly around a part of you.

Also, it is easier to keep loaded syringes available than to slice off lemon peels every time you handle the snakes.
The lemon juice also last longer than a lemon will in the fridge, more for less money as well.

'Quantity' is the key word.
Quantity lets you get a good amount into the snakes mouth, especially when mechanically directed into the mouth when it is biting too tightly to otherwise get spray droplets from a peel in.
Sufficient quantity also allows the juice to become highly effective.
Especially when directed into the mouth mechanically.

[The_Omen]

Here's a silly example of quantity that just struck me and made me giggle.. :)

I aim a lemon peel at you and it gets a few drops in your eyes.. ow for about a split second..

Now I take the syringe, the super soaker of the lemon world and squirt it in your eyes, with the force being sufficient to get really deep under your eyelids and washes out any and all of your natural tears.
Now you say OWWWIEEEE!!! for a lot longer.
:) :D :)

[reptile boi]

LOL that last part just made my day omen :D

[sapphire_moon]

What do you mean "just not get bit"? I have had my bp for 2 years. And I'm still waiting to get bit. I know I will, it's just a matter of time, and when I do I know it will be my fault. So don't say just don't get bit, because you will one day, and one day you will regret not reading everyone's opinons on how to get a snake to release.

[Bryce Masuk]

With balls and corns I would just let them bite me untill they realise they cant eat me... The times you Need to get them to let go are with rock's burm's retic's large female boa's because they can hurt/kill you. anyways if you get bit 90% of the time its not a feeding strike its defencive and feeding strikes are the only ones when a snake wont let go....
Omen the best option could actually be habeno seeds mixed with water in a syringeif you just touch the seeds then touch your eye it stings this may be the best option I highly doubt it would do permanent damage but it would get them to let go Its much stronger then lemon juice and easyer then a piece of lemon

[Pia]

Bryce, have you ever had to use the lemon peel or habeno seed method? If so what was biting you at the time? (morbid curiosity:-). BTW, what is a habano seed and where do get them?

[Bryce Masuk]

I have had my male pinesnake mistake me for food and bit constricted and begin to swollow my 2 fingers I didnt have any lemon at home so i used orange peel he quickly let go afterwards

Habeno is a pepper it is very acidic like lemon peel I have not used it but it seems logical it would work I figure you can get it at any super market its cheap and soooo hot it will make tear come to your eyes even if you like hot food

[Jeff_Favelle]

What do you mean "just not get bit"? I have had my bp for 2 years. And I'm still waiting to get bit. I know I will, it's just a matter of time, and when I do I know it will be my fault. So don't say just don't get bit, because you will one day, and one day you will regret not reading everyone's opinons on how to get a snake to release.

I meant EXACTLY what I said. Sorry you couldn't understand it.

I've owned HUNDREDS of snakes (I own 80 adults and 90 babies right now) and I've been bit EXACTLY 4 times. Once yesterday by a baby Jungle on purpose because I wanted to see what it was like. Once by a 10-foot boa when I was 15 years old (13 years ago!!!). Once by a pueblan milk (10 years ago) that chewed me when Don Patterson was trying to sex it (ha ha), and once by a BP (last year) that was maternally incubating and I was pulling her off the eggs.

Point is, its very very very very easy to NOT get bit. I don't know why you think its inevitable. Weird.

[lordkovacs]

just a question, to me, alcohol that we would have aroudnd the house (molson canadian and the like excluded) is very strong stuff...does this not seem like it would give the snake a skin problem after? I guess if you have a 12 foot retic trying to eat you, you aren't thinking of skin problems though...hahaaha However, for bites from much smaller snakes lemon would seem much safer... then again, I haven't got bit myself so I can't speak from experience...cheers,
MIKE

[lordkovacs]

and I agree with jeff, why would you get bit? as far as I know snakes bite from fear or hunger. So, perhaps it's not a good idea to try to handle him if you've been de-thawing his dinner... simple avoidance. I've owned 3 snakes and 4 lizards over 6 years, and not one bite. I don't think it's inevitable...

[Jeff_Favelle]

lordkovacs, you brought something up that I always wondered about. A snake's head has soooo many nerve endings and sensitive tissues/membranes that I would feel pretty awful pouring 40% alcohol over. I just don't think that the snake should have to suffer like that over something that probably is the owner's fault to begin with!!!

Thank you for bringing that up Mike. I was totally thinking the same thing.

[sapphire_moon]

I don't think it's ALWAYS inevitable. I'm just saying that I know one day I will forget something, or something will happen, and I will get bit....I'm just saying that because some brand new snake owners that have never ever ever had a snake might get bit, and then be like "why did he bite me? I'm not supposed to get bit!". I wasn't saying it to be rude. And I respect your experience in herps. I was just stating how I feel about my own situation....that one day I will forget, and when that day happens, I will be thankfull for all the advice that I find on getting a snake to stop bitting you!!!! Thats all!

[Linds]

Vinegar is also quite effective in releasing a snakes hold ;)

[Bryce Masuk]

Jeff It obviously depends what "species" your dealing with and if they are Cb Or W/c and how much contact you have with the snakes it can be real easy to get bit but with balls and corns its a challange and even when you get bit you jsut shrug it off since it doesnt really hurt

[Linds]

Well technically Jeff is right... you can go your whole life without a bite if you really want to. I personally don't put my all into avoiding bites, I do my best to avoid the ones I know will really hurt, but still I freehandle all my animals and if they are small I just let em chew on me :p But if you want to avoid a bite you can... look at hot keepers... they have no choice but to avoid bites or it can mean their life.

[Bryce Masuk]

your right but how much fun is it to have a insanely docile snake or a nippy one on a stick I like the nipper's on my arm

[Kara]

I agree with Linds, vinegar works like a charm!

[Colonel SB]

I agree with Jeff, just don't get tagged. It's that easy :)

[stretch]

Emily maybe he might have a bottle of lemon juice already laying around.

[Simon R. Sansom]

Hi folks,
I don't usually post on this forum, but I figured I'd share my experience...

I was bitten ("bitten" is the CORRECT term by the way, not "bit") and wrapped by a VERY hefty 13 foot male Burmese Python in a feeding accident. Yeah , I know, don't get bitten in the first
place, blah, blah, blah.

This was my first large snake and I made a dumb mistake. He grabbed me by the left forearm and proceeded to coil around my arm and upper body. Luckily, my fiancee was nearby and I told her to get some rubbing alcohol and pour it on the snake's face. BINGO! Snake released, and none the worse for wear. I on the other hand, was picking teeth out of my arm for several months and I was black and blue from wrist to arm-pit. Very painful indeed.

Interestingly, I was subsequently speaking to Dave Barker about big snake bites and he mentioned that he's tried rubbing alcohol in similar situations and it didn't work for him.

Cheers.

Simon

[Jo060]

what about whiskey?!:):):):)