Help Guys And Gals..snake Bit The Wife!!

[WHISTLE69]

GOOD SNAKE.....LOL..(4 1/2 foot female).i'm in the dog house......we recently rescued a red tailed boa....the guy we got her from said he had it since it was a baby blah,blah,blah......it had never bit anyone and so forth and so on.....i had it sexed it wasnt a male like he said......it stunk real bad he had no heat or light..NO WATER...or even anything in the cage...it soaked itself for a long while when .......we put it in out boaphile cage and set it up with everything...tried to feed it a rat......it didnt want it the guy said he just fed it the day before we got it.....which i believe cause it had dried blood on it's face.....and after about 5 or 6 hours it didnt seem to be upset or acting shy....so we took it out of the cage and wife was holding it and it was cuddling and just looking around being curious....then she but it to bed.......the next morning....she got it out of the cage....was sitting on the couch holding it and my son walked by and it lunged at him.....so we figured it just senced the heat or he was just too close and spooked it......about 10 mins later.....it swiped at my wifes thumb around it and sunk teeth into top and bottom side by her thumb......thumb was in it;s mouth......and it quickly released but damage was done...i put it back in the cage........after about 2 hours....i decided it had to be something with her....we always make sure we keeop feeders away from the cage at other end of the house and always wash hands and arms throughally before handling any of our snakes.......anyways.....2 housr later i decided it had to be her.....got it out and was handling it......it was like fine.....then got posessed.....and came across my lap and lunged at me....but just niped me...can it be broke or is it a hopless cause.....or what is ur ideas...HELPPPP I'M IN THE DOG HOUSE.....

[Dianne]

GOOD SNAKE.....

If your wife reads the forum, you are REALLY in trouble now! :eek:

I have only had 2 snakes, a Boa and a Ball Python. I had my Boa for years and he was a pussycat. I had just got him and didn't know much about handling snakes when I went to put a live chick in his cage (with my bare hand - STUPID!) He struck the chick right out of my fingers and never touched me (Thank you snake!) but he never stuck at another human being.

I got a BP from a friend a number of years ago and it was plain VICIOUS - it would strike at anything and everything that moved! I think it had been teased and tormented previously. I tried everything I could to calm it, make it feel safe and secure, but I couldn't get it to settle down and ended up giving it back.

Others are much more experienced but I think the snake is still adjusting to its new home and may take awhile to calm down and get used to things.

[ffollett]

The snake just came from a bad situation. Normally when we get in a rescue I will leave it alone for at least a week so it can get use to the new sounds and smells of it's surroundings. Then I will start gradually working with getting it hook trained and getting it out without getting nailed. Once I have it out I don't keep it out long and always keep it away from the kids and other animals.
Once we make progress with this whole process then it is time for her to come out and see everyone for a limited time. The whole time I make sure I am either in control of the head or at least far enough down from the head that if someone is going to get bit it will be me because it can't strike out fully. This doesn't mean holding onto her neck or head but just having your hand in the right place to have some control of her movement if you need it. (I know it is hard to explain).
The primary thing is the animal needs to know it can trust you and its environment. That will take time.

Just to give you an idea of how stressfully the whole new environment process can be for a snake. A friend of mine just sent me a retic. While she was there she was a total sweet heart never bit anyone loved to be handled etc. The second day she was here I went to check out her and I got nailed twice and musked on. Now that she has had some time to get use to me and all the new sights and smells she back to the way she was when he had her.

[PDXErik]

Yep, think of it like a dog that's been abused. It's going to be mistrusting for a wihle. You've got to show it that you're it's (its?) buddy.

How long would it take you to trust anyone after an experience like it's? Figure it's going to take twice as long.

Be good with it. Once it knows that this new comfortable space is actually its own, it will probably calm down a bit. There are those dogs that never come back, but you won't know if that's the case for a while.

Good luck and WTG giving it a better home!

[TailsW/Scales]

I agree with ffollett except with my rescues they are left completely alone for a longer period of time before contact is made. I allow mine a month (3 weeks) before I try any handling. I could be a surgeon with my hemostat and hook skills. lol

[WHISTLE69]

yea....thanks all....i just hadent had this problem....all my other one's are like babys......i'll keep ya updated....and thanks for the help

[Mysteryious]

How is it going with the snake? I took in a rescue boa and he was MEAN at first... hadn't been handled in 2-3 years 'cause the kid who had him got scared of him. He is a lot better now with regular feedings, fresh water and cleaning but when I first take him out I still have to be really cautious! He settles down after a few minutes and is fine. Would NOT let anyone inexperienced handle him, tho!!
Any pix of your new guy?

[WHISTLE69]

he's doing pretty good now.......we handle him a lil at a time.....it's only been 4 days.......he seems alot calmer.....were just gonna take it day by day.......wife said she's gonna conquer the beast......lol.....i'll get some pics in a couple of days....with my luck the flash will go off or something else and it will snap again and get one of us...........lol

[PDXErik]

That's part of the art of owning these things with teeny tiny super sharp blood drawing teeth :B