Adult BCI's Bites?

Solid Snake · 08-12-03, 11:41 PM

are they as bad as i think it is? their heads are the size of my fist, maybe bigger (when they're full grown)... i never really thought about my BCI biting me till he hissed at me earlier this morning.

If u've gotten bitten, share plz

Colonel SB · 08-13-03, 08:41 AM

I have never been bitten by a large B.c.i but I have been tagged by some other large constrictors. The biggest for me was a 12ft Retic. When they hit they hit hard it is sooo different then a large colubrid bite...Boids have much more power and strength behind thier bites so there is more brusing.

08-13-03, 08:54 AM

I had the SFE twice, first time the boa released immediately and I only bled like a stuck pig from about 60 holes in my hand. Second time she got my wrist in her mouth and coiled twice, along with all the blood was an afternoon in surgery repairing ligaments, polishing cartilage, and 6 weeks of rehabilitation. You wouldn't think something so large could move so fast, I was 5 feet away and saw her coming but could not move fast enough.

08-13-03, 08:56 AM

BTW this was the same boa that was used for educational purposes. Sweet and never hisses, friendly and was well trusted around children until I decided she had become too strong to be safe around the first graders.

wyz · 08-13-03, 09:28 AM

Make you think huh ?

I'm really glad you shared this experience Rev and made that point, cause I was never really Okay with people bringing large snake when doing presentations to kids. They will all say, oh sure she's big but she's sooo sweet and very calm, but they are still wild animals.

Imagine if your snake had done that to a kid.. You would have been in deep SH.. T and herps would of gotten the bad rep. we're use to.

I know it's not as spectacular to bring a cornsnake on small ball python, but it's much safer.. not 100% safer, these are still wild animals too.

WYZ

Linds · 08-13-03, 10:36 AM

The largest B.C. ssp. that I've taken a hit from was close to 6'. Wasn't bad at all IMHO. Bled a lot, but didn't really hurt much.

As for the above comments on snakes to powerful to use for shows...

We always used large constrictors in our shows, up to 12' burms. We did shows for children averaging ages 3-12. I don't believe that the snake was too powerful to be used in the show, as 2 people would handle the animal (one at the head). Of course children aren't gong to be allowed to handle these animals, usually the children were to come up one at a time and touch the snake in the middle. Never were these kids at risk of a hit or anything. Its all in how the situation is handled, not necessarily the animal itself IMHO.

wyz · 08-13-03, 10:42 AM

It's true, does depend alot of the situation AND the handler.

I know some people who give presentation that like to make it a bit too spectacular for my taste. Maybe I saw too many hot heads giving presentation.

WYZ

Scales Zoo · 08-13-03, 11:11 AM

We use a few large snakes for presentations, and all are proven socially (we have several social outcasts as well we would never include, even as display animals). It takes time to build confidence in a certain snakes disposition, and at every moment you have to expect the best, and be prepared for the worst. It only takes one incident to spoil the event, and cause bad press and more justification to put restrictions on our exotics.

We do not even let anyone hold the turtles or tortoises, because when they pee all over a kid, they usually shove them away or have the potential to drop them. Unpleasant for everybody, including the poor turtle.

As long as the handlers are familiar with the reptiles, and there is crowd control and decorum among the spectators, the show can proceed incident free. But when there are large numbers of people and children mobbing the snake, and activity gets out of hand, that the situation can escalate to disaster.

Sheila

08-13-03, 11:53 AM

I never had an accident, I always had a back-up person, I never let children around an animal unsupervised. I retired her for my own peace of mind. I never planned to be in a car wreck either, but the word accident implies catastrophic unplanned occurance. I made a decision based on 'what IF somehow this animal 'accidently' got into a situation with a child?'. I decided that even with all the precautions no child would be put in that situation with Cocoa, both my 8ft+ Bco still go but both are under 30lbs. An angry 50lb+ Bci can cause 2 adults some strain handling an in a situation involving a child 'time' may mean everything, I chose to be responsible.

Linds · 08-13-03, 07:21 PM

I wouldn't compare them to being in a car wreck...

If the animals are handled responsibly, and as Scales said, the situation is controlled, there isn't room for any significant accidents to happen. If this were the case, nobody would be doing shows due to both the undesirable accidents, as well as legal and insurance issues. I consider myself a responsible herper. I do not consider myself irresponsible because I have used giant pythons, small caimans, monkeys, or little lions in the shows. These type of animals simply require extra safety measures and the children cannot be as interactive as they can with say a cornsnake or leopard gecko.

TheRedDragon · 08-13-03, 07:37 PM

I saw a clip on "Stupid Behaviour Caught On Tape" and this guy had an 8ft female BCI out and was passing it around (draping it around people's necks) at a party that had a huge amount of people there. Well, the snake was placed on one particular woman and the owner started weaving back and forth in front of the snake while she was holding the critter. Well, the snake proceeded to tag him right between the eyes and he bled like a stuck pig. Serves him right.

Solid Snake · 08-13-03, 08:34 PM

hey red dragon i saw that one a few days ago on RealTV. Yea it was stupid for him to make a birthday party for the snake. In return for the party he gives him a nice kiss between the eyes heh.

gloss0rz · 08-27-03, 04:06 AM

My brothers 2 foot ball python bit me one time, because I was teasing her with the mouse she was about to be fed that was still in the box. To be completely honest.. I felt a sensation because I have always wanted her to take a charge at me to see what it feels like. I don't want MY ball python doing that to anyone, but I like pain in a sorta sane\insane manner but I don't think i would like an adult BCC to attack me. They are a bit larger and have a head like a small dog. But that's just me

Piers · 08-27-03, 08:52 AM

My view or outlook on keeping any type of animal is not "if" but "when" in regards to getting bitten. Getting bitten by a snake is almost allways the handlers falt and no one is perfect, we all will make mistakes, Ive made a few painful ones in my day.
Yea they hurt, and yea there is a lot of blood but usually thats it
they are mostly miner, now having said this you can get bad infections and bites needing stitches, so be aware of the snake and its mood.
Piers

Invictus · 08-27-03, 02:47 PM

So far, the worst thing I've been bitten by is my neonate Vietnamese Blue Beauty. And it was a laughable bite. More of a warning shot.