Love bite?

Kettennatter · 08-30-13, 12:34 PM

Something slightly odd just happened. I have a female BCI, about 6 ft. in length, which has been extremely docile in the past. Always calm and non-aggressive, even during shed. But, as with most BCIs, she is a very good feeding response.

She messed up her enclosure today, and I took her out, wrapped over my shoulder. After about 10 minutes I felt a light nip on my lower right arm. It took me a second or two to realize what it was. She bit me very lightly, meaning that it doesn't hurt, but I can see teeth marks on my arm.

Now I wonder if she is sick, or what might have triggered the behavior. (There are no other indications of any sickness.) I handled our cat not that long before that, but the BCI never responded to it previously, and was just fed a large rat two days ago.

I guess I'll keep an eye on her, but it is still weird.

marvelfreak · 08-30-13, 01:57 PM

Sounds like it might be time to bump up it's food or it just was having a bad day.

KORBIN5895 · 08-30-13, 02:14 PM

It could've yawned and caught you on mistake.

Kettennatter · 08-30-13, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

It could've yawned and caught you on mistake.

Maybe. Weirder things have happened. But I see teeth marks from both jaws, so maybe I triggered something. The snake seemed calm the whole time, and I figure if a BCI truly wanted to bite me it would have been at least somewhat painful.

smy_749 · 08-30-13, 05:10 PM

They don't usually bite 'lightly' or gently...seems odd. I'll go with korbins theory, though I still feel its highly unlikely. Maybe you were too preoccupied to notice that it really did hurt. Were you drunk ? hahahahah

Kettennatter · 08-31-13, 09:43 AM

No, I wasn't drunk. I was indeed not paying attention on what her head was doing, though. It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened. But it was truly a light bite. In fact, I can't feel it today at all, and you see only rather faint teeth marks. (The paper cut on the hand of the same arm hurts a lot in comparison.

)

I picked her up today, and it seems she is starting to enter shed. She tipped her water bowl and she has become more passive, which is normally a sure sign. (No eye caps yet.)

I do agree, it is odd overall. Not any behavior I would expect, and not anything she had done ever since I've owned her.

InsanityApe · 08-31-13, 10:12 AM

It really could of been just a yawn and it bit you by mistake, my BP usually yawns more when I carry her and close to my face. Just last night she had her head resting on my cheek when I was lying on the bed watching TV, she suddenly moved her head close to my eye and opened, I could see everything inside of her mouth, kind of scary though thought she was going to bit my eye.

sws · 08-31-13, 10:29 AM

my 6ft red tail boo did that on my elbow i know i was bit i watched it happen and felt a slight sting but there was VERy faint marks and no blood at all.

Kettennatter · 08-31-13, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sws

my 6ft red tail boo did that on my elbow i know i was bit i watched it happen and felt a slight sting but there was VERy faint marks and no blood at all.

Yes, that sounds very similar. Any idea what might have triggered that in your case?

sws · 08-31-13, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kettennatter

Yes, that sounds very similar. Any idea what might have triggered that in your case?

Well she wasstress and imoved tofast next to her head

Kettennatter · 09-01-13, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sws

Well she wasstress and imoved tofast next to her head

Interesting. I was wondering if anything had stressed out mine, but I didn't see any changes in her behavior. Thanks for the feedback, btw.

sws · 09-01-13, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kettennatter

Interesting. I was wondering if anything had stressed out mine, but I didn't see any changes in her behavior. Thanks for the feedback, btw.

maybe sense she was close to shed? somethign new in the room or cage?

sws · 09-02-13, 11:20 AM

the only other time i had somethign like this even closly happen was my smaller BP. i was holding her in my bra while i was reading and i felt a tickling sensation and looked down and she was....like slowly chewing on me but only using her lips there was no teeth at all. needless to say she does not go in my ra anymore not a place i want to be bit.

Kettennatter · 09-02-13, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sws

the only other time i had somethign like this even closly happen was my smaller BP. i was holding her in my bra while i was reading and i felt a tickling sensation and looked down and she was....like slowly chewing on me but only using her lips there was no teeth at all. needless to say she does not go in my ra anymore not a place i want to be bit.

Not that I can directly relate, but it doesn't sound like a place to be bit for sure. I've read with my boa on my lap before, but that's an entirely different story.

My female garter hit the tips of my fingers with her head today, but that was just a normal feeding response, as I was dropping in small pieces of salmon.