Over confident snake handlers??

[planner]

Everyone here seems to be bitten by their snake every now and then, as if it's to be expected. What I don't understand is how snake handlers at zoo's/reptile parks can be so confident wrapping 6ft pythons around tourists and children for photos, etc. How can they be so sure that these huge pythons wont snap/constrict and do some damage? Especially considering the tourists are likely to be very inexperienced handlers........

 

[-Peter]

snakes in those situations are chosen for their temperament.

 

[Cheyne_Jones]

Spend enough time around a particular snake and you will be able to judge its mood fairly well, its all about risk management and being able to judge when a particular animal has had enough. Those snakes will only be out for a certain amount of time in contact with the public, its not like they put in a 12 hour day of being passed around.

 

[Misha]

I can tell when my snakes are in a good or bad mood. If in a good mood, I am 100% confident I can put one of my snakes over anyone and they will not bite. If not threatened, they really have no reason to be aggressive.

 

[Scleropages]

I have always wonderd what would happen if the kid had been handling mice or rats then has a olive placed around his/her neck... 0.o

 

[Misha]

I have always wonderd what would happen if the kid had been handling mice or rats then has a olive placed around his/her neck... 0.o

Hopefully there would be a lot of strong keepers around at the time!!!

 

[Kurto]

I can tell when my snakes are in a good or bad mood. If in a good mood, I am 100% confident I can put one of my snakes over anyone and they will not bite. If not threatened, they really have no reason to be aggressive.

Its a foolish mistake to be 100% confident that your snake will never have a go, for be it a faint smell of food or otherwise.

The most nasty bite I ever received was off the most placid python I have. Although I had just had my hand in a bucket of warm rats!

 

[Misha]

Its a foolish mistake to be 100% confident that your snake will never have a go, for be it a faint smell of food or otherwise.

You're a monster.

 

[beeman]

You're a monster.

No he isnt a monster he is a realist!
No one can guarantee 100% that thier snake wont bite, this is a foolish statement to say the least.

 

[Misha]

Kurto is a friend of mine...

But righto Beeman...whatever you say.

 

[BARRAMUNDI]

Having worked in Zoos for the past 10 years I can confidently say that you never 100% trust any snake in any situation. The hardest thing to deal with and control is the guests, sometimes they are scared and hesitant and almost drop or throw the snake if it moves in their hands. Other times they may have just eaten chicken and the snakes occasionally switch onto a food response. The handlers have to very observant, confident and good at dealing with people.

And yes bites do sometimes occur, mainly due to guests not listening to instructions given by the keeper..... ie waving hands around or trying to kiss the snakes face....

 

[snakehandler]

We wrap large snakes around people all the time, they are selected for their temperament and working with them all the time you can judge what the animal is going to do, but as has been said, never trust them 100%. Bites can happen all the time, we ensure that we are always with the person holding the animal. We never let people hold our animals unless under direct supervision, we must be with them and making sure that the head is always safe!

 

[Kristy_07]

When I was in a Sth African rep park, I was given a sizeable burmese to play with (around 8-9ft), and she was agitated! Then, all the park guys walked off to go do something else, and left me alone with the snake. I was lucky - when she did bite me, it was to my arm, and she sunk her teeth in and constricted, but only my arm, and I had her tail in my other hand. I had to walk around the park with a constricted python on my arm for awhile before I found a staff member, who proceed beat the snake to make it let go. I got the guy to stop with the beating, and found a tap and ran water over the snake's head for a few mins and she let go. I was lucky with the bite; clean, no stitches. But a good story!

The way they handled this was stupid, but I don't see how having dogs or horses on display to the public is any different than a snake - all about knowing the animal's temperament, supervision, and calculated risk.

 

[BARRAMUNDI]

lol pretty funny story, sorry but I always find bites funny. Glad this ended well though, could have been alot worse

 

[fritzi2009]

I agree with what a few other people have said, if you spend a fair amount of time with your snake/s you will get to learn when they have had enough, or when things might turn ugly.

If my friends or relatives ask to handle my snakes, I first get them out myself. If they seem okay with me, I'll then warn whoever wants to hold them that THEY CAN AND WILL BITE if they want to. If they don't mind, I'll hand them over.
Although some people get a little carried away... I had a friend get super excited to hold my Stimson (who is stil shy of 2 foot), and then as soon as he moved in her hands, she squealed and almost dropped him...

I feel more confident letting my 6 year old cousin handle my snakes than my 18 year old friends to be honest lol....

 

[Sabrinnadancer]

I've been bitten when I was feeding my pythons and was careless about my own safety by holding the tongs too low - silly me! Another time, I woke my snake up - she's was in such a bad mood after that. Again, my fault! The only other time was when one was a baby and he bit me over and over again. He couldn't break the skin because he was too little, so I held my hand in front of him and let him get it out of his system. He exhausted himself and never bit again after that. I believe, that he thinks his bite is ineffective on me I still have 2 snakes out of 5 that have never bitten me, not by accident or on purpose. I'd say, that with calm breeds, usually if you get bitten it's because you didn't pay close enough attention. With other breeds or a snappy temperament it's a different set of rules.

 

[Addam]

I also agree, Coastals are known as being quite and most are (mine is) but at times he just dosen't want anything to do with me and he'll tell me off with a hiss. Jungles known as snappy and most are (mine is) so when my mates are around and want to handle one, which one do i give them? the one i trust and the one i know will be less likely *key words are less likely* to bite.

Just think of it this way, dogs attack people right. why do owners let people pat their dogs? they know the temperament of the dog and they trust it, simple yeah?

 

[dylan-rocks]

the first time i got bit was when i first got my new big coastal intergrade which was my first snake.
so i got it out for a first handle and the minute she got out she rapped around my arms pulling them together and continously biting me on the ends of my hands lol
but that all was my own fualt not the snakes i had here temp pretty high and she just woke up and fed 3 days ago

 

[redbellybite]

In all those zoo/rep parks ,the public that get involved with any animal interaction are at risk.
Regardless of temprement and how many times a day etc that these animals are on show ...Its not a matter of if.... its a matter of when and anyone that thinks otherwise has their head in a place they deserve ....I have seen little kids at the petting zoo get bitten by wee baby goats and one kid copped a beauty of a bite from a piglet...I know this cause it was my kid

 

[caustichumor]

Don't the results usually end up on "funniest video shows" or "when animals attack" type shows? (depending on bite location and severity)