Benign reptile bites

[columbidae]

Hello!

I am curious in knowing which reptiles would be least likely to draw blood and cause pain.
I'm pretty sure all Leopard geckos, Bearded dragons, corn snakes and pythons can draw blood... but certainly not all reptiles... I would think logically small lizards, small snakes and egg eating snakes would do the least damage.
What do you guys think? Can you name some species? Please tell me your experience!

(p.s I also would think feeder lizards would probably have to be slightly harmless or else wouldn't they seriously hurt the other reptiles(S) in the tank? That wouldn't be good for the seller or the buyer)

I appreciate all of your replies!

[simpleyork]

Rubber boa, good luck trying to get one to bite you

nightsnakes are quite docile, shovel nose snakes, variable groundsnakes . . . most of the tiny snakes i've worked with have never tried to bite.

[Jim Smith]

I agree that most of the small snakes would have a difficult time drawing blood on a bite, but sometimes they can surprise you. When I was a young man, I was working on a farm with a guy that was afraid of all snakes. When we spotted an 18 inch garter snake, I stopped and picked it up to show him that the snakes we saw in that part of the US couldn't really hurt you. I held the snake and tapped it's nose to get it to bite me just to show him that it was harmless. I held my hand flat, palm out towards the snake and when it struck, I instinctively pulled my hand away. When it bit me, a tooth hooked into the fleshy skin by the folds on the thumb where it meets the palm. The tooth must have hooked into a small artery, because that little bite bled like a stuck pig. I actually cupped my hands together and almost filled them with blood twice. No pain, just lots of blood. Well if my coworker was afraid of snakes before, now he was terrified. All that's to say small snakes like Brown Dekay's snakes, ground snakes etc. are completely harmless and even if they did bite you, it shouldn't draw any blood.

[columbidae]

Oh Jim, that is terrible! Wow I got bit by a garter snake maybe once or twice before it didn't hurt but yes the blood comes out like nobodies business, in your case especially
Interesting, Though venomous, Brown Dekays rarely bite and their teeth are unlikely to break the skin. Thanks for the information Jim and Simple york. Anyone else willing to share their experience?

[SnoopySnake]

Originally Posted by columbidae

Interesting, Though venomous, Brown Dekays rarely bite and their teeth are unlikely to break the skin.

As far as I know Storeria Dekayi is non-venomous.

[sharthun]

Like SimplyYork mentioned, I handled numerous wild variable ground snakes,night snakes, ringnecks, worm snakes without so much as an attempt to bite at all. Also, I would add that the Black Milk Snake is one of the most docile larger colubrids you could keep.

[columbidae]

SnoopySnake, I read some info on the internet, a herpetologist said they were non venomous and I understood that they were. My bad Thanks for the correction!

[millertime89]

Green anoles and crested geckos, been bit by both and no blood. I've got a little stimpson's python that is cage defensive and even at ~6 inches she's drawn blood. Anything with teeth can, never underestimate the little ones.

[columbidae]

Thank you Steve, I think while I was on my search for more docile reptiles species I found Black Milk Snake in many of your very numerous previous posts I would like to add to this list: green snakes (also rough green snakes and smooth green snakes) they eat a soft type of food as do worm snakes and other snakes on this list (insects, annelids, ect)
Powerful jaws and large teeth would be in most cases unnessesary unless it needed it as a defense if the prey is easily killed (or soft). I have a small hunch that most reptiles that have a sort of harmless defense mechanism like...warning colors, playing dead, rolling into a ball ect are actually less likely to bite or draw blood then others with none.( Sorry if this is obvious or incorrect)

Great link for those who are interested in this topic: Orianne society - will that snake bite me ? (type this in google to get the webpage, sorry didn't post actual link....I suppose new members are limited on the URLS they can post)

As for reptiles in general I believe by bite strength and teeth (not venom/poison) it would go something like this....most dangerous to least dangerous: Crocodilians, Lizards, turtles, snakes...first three fabulous PSI (also depending on species) Saltwater Crocodile record breaking highest PSI, Alligator Snapping Turtle almost 7 times less powerfull bite but still in the top strongest bites in the world...Some lizards can take down large animals by slowly 'nipping' at their legs for days...Snakes PSI may not be that impressive compared to other reptiles listed but they have other means....as for just the 'bite' and not constriction, venom or poison I would say they are pretty harmless.

I was surprised to see how dangerous a Knight anole can be...I saw a picture of a bite and it took close to a fourth of a persons finger off! I would say their size is comparable to a blue tongued skink but I highly doubt a blue tongued skink could do something like this.

[Zoo Nanny]

I agree that a Blue Tongue Skink may not be able to break bone. They can deliver a very nasty bite, biting deeply into soft tissue.

[columbidae]

Thank you everyone so much, I've enjoyed reading all of your posts!