Ouchies!!

[PimmsPythons]

nice one! at least you got photos.Listerine is a quick way to get them to let go,i always have a bottle on hand.
cheers
simon

 

[LizardLady]

Oh dear Kathy! That sure looks painful!
Hope it all heals well and quickly, and everything else improves for you too. Shame you "had" to part with your babies... We all know how much they mean to you.
Sending healing vibes your way!
Best,
Carolyn

PS: I had a very similar experience with my two MD's the other night - fed them both at the same time, as usual, with tongs, as usual, BUT they were using the same hide... One went one way, and the other went the other way... Unfortunately, they both decided to let go of their meal at the same time and try the others'... Well, I donned a pair of bike gloves (only thing I could find!) and literally had to pull them apart. She (hopefully gravid, pre-lay Oct 31st) "attacked" him, he started constricting her... Then I was on their hit list - just glad I had the gloves on, or I might have lost my thumb completely!

 

[juggalette]

My goodness me!! I had a similar experience with my coastal last week. Although I was lucky enough to have no biting.
I was holding onto her (she likes to do the bolt when she gets on the ground) and when I went to give her her rat with the tongs (every bit the same as I always feed her) she took the rat, but then let go of it and wrapped around my hand and wrist...
Every twitch I made the tighter she'd go it was cool and scary at the same time...she went all "trance-like" and it took me ages to work the courage up to unwrap her from me because I didn't want to be bitten lol.
I eventually got her off my wrist and she ate her rat...the naughty girl...

 

[beatlloydy]

"I really learnt something today" ...I am a relative newb and I am still wanting to keep feeding outside the enclosure (basically so he doesnt associate the enclosure with food)...dont know if this is good/bad....only time will tell.

However, from your experience Kath....I will modify my practice to :
a)get snake out first and place in large click clack ready for feeding
b) defrost rat
c) feed snake
d) place click clack back in enclosure when snake finished and let him climb out when ready.

(before today I would defrost rat first) :lol:

I am starting to notice "p%%ed off" behaviour patterns in my young 'un already
a) first thing in morning before heating gets back up to 30 degrees..dont go near him
b) when making noise etc around him in morning..e.g putting up/removing cage furniture
c) directly after a feed

I just try and avoid him then...with the click clack after the feed I just remove the lid using the lid as a shield...he is still only young and doesnt really hurt but dont want to get him in habit of biting.

 

[50pence]

Sorry but I lol'ed at the first pics
Got you good!

 

[Serpentes]

Ouch! That's a nasty bruise- they hit so much harder than they appear capable of!

Most snakes will have a feed response wherever there are, whenever they are hungry. I am not sure why people remove their snakes from the cage prior to feeding unless there is more than one snake in there? The only person in the world to breed Oenpelli pythons housed and fed them together in the same cage. I do this with a couple of species too, with no problems, although
I certainly would have problems if I was not careful. Some snakes just go off food when out of their familiar environs, such as in a feeding tub/bin, which is another consideration.

 

[stretch101]

good god kath!!!! lucky the kiddies were on hand hey?! that would give me a huge scare, specially being as big as he is... (not a fan of blood). they are some pretty spectacular pictures tho. so sad to hear about u having to sell your olives, but they will alwys be yours as u said... i hope things improve for u, i really do

 

[moosenoose]

Wow!!! You really got slammed! :lol: Big snake and a big bite!

 

[mysnakesau]

Thank you for sharing your stories.

Lizardlady you were very lucky to get them apart. That would have been a moment of stress for you. Sorry but I had laugh at your words, "Then I was on their hit list....". Thankfully you and them all came out unharmed.

juggalette when they contsrict you at feed time always gets the adrenilin pumping. Wondering and waiting for their mouth to latch on which often happens. I have found the wooden spoon to be very effective. Still have to wait for them to shift their teeth but when they go to chomp they can't if something is in the corners of their mouth. I used no pressure on his mouth, just held the spoon there, waiting for the next chomp which made him let go. But they will look for another spot to latch on so having their food ready to dump into their mouth can help, then you should be able to unwind them. Now I understand why friends freak when they see me kissing my snakes or letting them near my face. If Abony had latched on to my face, his would have wrapped himself around my neck. The most gentle snake you can guarantee would never bite, can turn. They are capable of it, and you won't know when.

Its alright 50cents it does look funny, now. I'll get my chance to laugh at you, I am sure of it.

Thank you for your thoughts stretch101. That is kind. There are some really nice people here.

Serps I have two in the one enclosure. I use to leave them together but one day they both dropped their rats and went wandering to the other. I feared they'd do what Lizardlady's MDs did, so have separated them since. She is not eating and this was his first since warming up.

 

[pythons73]

You certaintly got nailed Kath,hows your hand and arm now,hopefully on the mend to recovery.By the looks of things you lossed a bit of claret,looks like a crime scene....Getting biten by 6feet python doesnt tickle either,their teeth a razor sharp,most people pull away also which is the worst thing to do...I hope all is good,and your hand and arm recovers quickly....MARK

 

[absinthe_616]

wow thats a serious battle wound! I hope when my jungle gets that big I won't accidentally aggravate her around dinner time :shock:

I feed Minato outside her enclosure as well, but I only do this because she has a bad habit of getting aspen caught in her mouth and around the rat, and I don;t need her getting sick from swallowing that stuff.

Good luck with the healing! I'd suggest Paw Paw ointment, it works wonders!

 

[pythonmum]

The only snake I feed out of its enclosure is a mac which shares an enclosure with a stimmie. I hook him back to the enclosure after a feed. I used to feed them in the same enclosure, but after breaking up a tussle, decided it was too dangerous. I handle during the day, feed at night. They don't seem at all confused by this and don't associate their enclosures with food. The mac, however, DOES know he's getting fed in the click-clack. He'll nail anything as soon as he gets there. This is definitely not his usual calm personality.

I hope the bruises are fading and you are recovering well. Watch out for infection in case a tooth got stuck in your arm.

 

[Jdsixtyone]

The 5th pic looks like he killed the rat and it is bleeding. Nice lol.

 

[mysnakesau]

:lol: definitely not from the rat. I shoulda told ppl vampires attacked me. Won't be long before ppl start to believe that they exist...lol...

 

[Dipcdame]

The day after..

Hey Noobs, wanna show off a bruise like this, and the back of my hand is still swollen...hehe...Nah, there's nothing to be proud of getting bitten. So don't ever provoke your companions just to show off to your mates. It's not worth the stress on the snake. Abony was ok this morning. Back to his usual, calm self.

WOAH........ now THAT'S what I would call a serious chomp!!!!!

 

[montay]

Thanks for sharing this story - good to keep us on our toes. Getting nipped by my sub adults is nothing, a mere irritation really and hope I didn't hurt their teeth, but as we care for wild pythons also in our other job as wild life carers, occasionally I am bitten by a big wild coastal. No laughing matter when this happens :x

 

[mysnakesau]

....... occasionally I am bitten by a big wild coastal. No laughing matter when this happens :x

Certainly not. Especially if it is a feeding response. A denfensive nip can never be compared to a hungry hold.

Fed the big boy again tonight without any dramas. I still had to pull him out of his tank for feeding - only because he is with another snake. But this time I made sure I washed my hands with soap up to my elbows. No drama pulling him out and safely straight onto a rat. He ended up getting 3 small rats. Then come time to put him away I was much more focused and didn't rush things trying to pick him up. He stretched up my leg to sus me out. Then when he was looking the other way I nudged him with my feet just to see what he would do (I feed him on the floor) and he was calm. So picked him up and popped him away. I have much more respect for him now, thats for sure

While he was feeding, his girl - OPALS - showed absolutely no interest in hers so he got dessert. My other intergrade female also did not eat. She showed interest and even put her mouth on it but then just dropped it and didn't bother. The olives are great garbage disposals They lapped up the left overs.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Love the 1st pic kath, very christmasy.
Kudos to the photographer.
Cheers

 

[serpenttongue]

So, anyway, Kathy, did you scream out loud when you got bit?

 

[mysnakesau]

So, anyway, Kathy, did you scream out loud when you got bit?

When he had my hand I did. My hands and fingers seem to be more sensitive to the needle sharp teeth than my arms, especially when he's maneouvering his jaw to get a more comfortable grip. lol My 16 yr old come running out when she heard me yell (I don't scream like a sissy, I yell...haha) but then decided to stand and watch when she realised I had a snake hanging off my hand.