Baby snake bites

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Kichie

New Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2017
Messages
10
Reaction score
4
Hey all.. Just curious if baby snake bites hurt at all? I'm still waiting for my first bite from my first snake! I still get nervous handling it due to the fact that thinking the bite will be painful, give me your guys experience on them :) Cheers!
 
Depends a defensive nip may not even draw blood. A food response bite where they mistake your finger for dinner doesnt really hurt much either. (At least from a hatchy) what type of snake is it?
 
I've only had one bite, from a very determined young Woma who decided that the knuckle on my little finger was lunch (she was on my hand at the time, exploring). Didn't hurt, just like a pin prick, a tiny speck of blood. Can't say I'd enjoy a bite from an adult carpet, or one from my RSP. Yikes.
 
I got bitten heaps by my Coastal hatchlings this season
I tend to find the more bitey the hatchie is the better a feeder it is ;)
They didn't start drawing blood from bites till they where about 3-4 mths old
And now at 8mths old they leave little bloody pinpricks in my hands occasionally but there also no where near as bitey now and are pretty relaxed most of the time
This usually happens as they get bigger :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Ya I don't think it would hurt at this age but just the whole fact that its a snake and i've never been bitten makes me nervous! hah. his feisty to. The breed is coastal cross Jag
 
Only one way to find out :p as I have said in a previous post (can't remember which) sometimes purposely getting bit will remove that fear! I know I was nervous with my coastal and used a massive hook everytime to get him out, he has bitten me twice though as an adult and the adults do hurt quite a bit (both along my middle knuckles. Ouch! It aches for days)

But yea at your age it will feel funny more than hurt and you should get used to it as early as possible :p
 
Defensive bites from small snakes are painless and the worst thing you can do is react by pulling your hand away as you risk ripping out the snakes teeth, not good for you or the little snake.
Defensive bites even from large snakes are usually painless, you are not sure you have been bitten till you see the blood.
Food response bites are different as they bite hard and hang on usually wrapping coils as well, you will bleed a lot and if you are alone it can be difficult to remove a snake that is in feeding mode and won't let go. long teeth species like GTP's and RSP's are worse as the teeth can go in to the bone and break off, again the worst thing you can do is react by pulling your hand away as you will do serious damage to the snakes teeth and tear your flesh.
Alcohol is the only thing that will get them to release, (wash the snakes mouth and eyes after) keep a bottle of vodka handy. Holding them under water rarely works.
I regularly get bites from hatchlings but just ignore it, never had an infection. No adult bites since I stopped keeping jungles and coastals, use long tongs with GTP's and other aggressive feeders.
 
Cheers for the replies guys appreciate it.. I'll just keep holding him till he bites me, haha.. I think its more the psychological part than the actual pain.
 
My Coastal at about 5 months old has made several defensive bites at me, mostly due to my inexperience I think.
I often used to move too suddenly near it, or just try to pick up it from above.
They don't hurt at all, more surprise factor for mine.
Now I open the container slowly and let it chill for several minutes before trying to handle it (still don't the know sex yet).
Slow and steady seems the best for me.
 
You learn to read the signs and when you do the only time you will get bitten is when you become complacent.
As YT said above
the worst thing you can do is react by pulling your hand away as you will do serious damage to the snakes teeth and tear your flesh.
I still have a fragment of BHP tooth in one finger that has been there for 3 years now. My own fault of course....bit complacent and she let me know.
You have to expect the unexpected and condition yourself not to pull away once the bite comes, difficult to do if they catch you unaware. Big animals have big teeth and can do a lot of damage......there are plenty of pics around of experienced keepers who became complacent and took a hit.

On the up side hatchies don't hurt, not even a pin prick. While they are young you get to know their temperaments, feeding responses etc and learn how to work around any potential snappy incidents.
 
I've only had one bite, from a very determined young Woma who decided that the knuckle on my little finger was lunch (she was on my hand at the time, exploring). Didn't hurt, just like a pin prick, a tiny speck of blood...

Haahaa, Me too... It wasn't a snap at me but more a smell and try to eat:eek:
 
Last edited:
Well my first ever bite was from an approximately 3 year old Jungle Carpet Python who was a very decent size, well on the way to full grown. She was my first snake and I was new to handling. Anyway I let her snake her way across my bed and then gently put a hand under her about a foot away from her tail. Her head turned around and very quickly went to strike me from about 1.5 + metres away. It took all of half a second for her to get to me and no word of a lie, bit me right on my FACE over my lips!
Fortunately this snake only gave warning bites but this left me borderline traumatised for .. well a few days ha ha.
So your first bite probably can't get any worse than my experience! I wouldn't be worried at all about a hatchling [emoji3]
It will scare you more than it will hurt you.
Enjoy!

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk
 
The first time I handled my first RSP, he flailed from side to side biting me 8 times because he thought I was going to eat him. None of the bites hurt and I just ended up with 16 little puncture marks in my hands. He never bit me again after that. I have however never been bitten by an adult snake.
 
When i got my 2 Spotties as 12 week olds 5 years ago the male was Godzilla like and would spring sometimes up to 8 inches to try and get hold of my finger whether it held a fuzzy or i was trying to get it out for cleaning, i did all the right things when i got them i.e. no touch for 14 days, put in quiet place etc, but it made no difference to him, this only lasted about 6 months and since then not even a strike at me. The female on the other hand was a sweetheart from day 1 and has continued to be so, in fact she was so good she helped alleviate the fear of snakes a few friends harboured with her beautiful nature. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) -ronhalling
 
i was put in hospital from a bite from a baby.....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top