The Getting Bitten Reflex

[SerpentLust]

Hahaha I'm proud! Today I went to the pet store and was buying my monthly round of mice. It wasn't too packed so I took my time, going over, as I do as often as I can, their care procedures and cage cleanliness. They're actually doing alot better now that I reported them to the humane society.

So anyways, they had a Ball Python and three different rat snakes. No one was really in the store so I asked him if I could play with one. He brought out two of them, one reletively docile and then one Leucistic Texas Ratsnake that was still young but only like a year old.

As everyone knows I'm getting 1.1 Neonate ATB's lol So I thought, if I still have that getting bitten reflex, I might hurt my new snakes and gave the leucy my hand, it bit me like crazy, and I didn't even flinch.

Hehehe I know it's nothing to be real proud of being as it was just a rat snake. However, I've only been bitten like twice lol

That's my little pathetic story! lol But I'm proud all the same. And it really was a gorgeous snake :D

[Katt]

We all gotta take our little victories.

There are leucy rats in pet stores? Pray tell, what do they charge for them??

[jjnnbns]

Actualy got one here in Fargo, ND for around150 I believe at a local petshop

[Bighead]

I've been bitten about 50 times since I brought home a jungle corn a few days ago. It's still small, but I've never really had a snake that was so keen on hurting me, so it took a while to keep from flinching. Little guy is barely big enough to draw blood. Haha.

[Stockwell]

You guys are all braver than me.. All these years, and I still toss the odd one into the wall.
It's no fun getting bit, and that reflex never goes away, nor should it. If you know its coming its one thing, if you're reaching for the water bowl while looking at the wall clock when they connect, you'll be yankin your hand back at lightning speed, no matter how many thousands of times you've taken it

[Auskan]

I've seen leucacistic rat snakes at pet stores all over Wichita. They usually go for about $60 here.

[Big_V]

Stockwell I have the same problem. I worked in a pet store for like 2 years and even with getting bit a tonne of times I hate it. No matter how hard I try not to pull my hand away I always do it. But im getting better at reading when the snake is gonna strike. But for those surprise strikes I just cant help it either. Like the 6 foot taiwan beauty that learned to fly one day, didnt go far but still was an adventure for us both...because chasing after those guys in a pet store with tonnes of ppl gets interesting. LOL

[M_surinamensis]

I actually find that I flinch a lot less if I don't know it's coming... snake bites (as a generality of course) aren't really that bad for nonvenomous species commonly kept as pets and under about ten feet. The damage is generally done WHEN you yank back, pulling your skin across the teeth and ripping yourself open a bit more. If they bite defensively while I'm not paying attention, half the time I don't even realize I've been tagged until those tiny little blood droplets appear.

I get bit quite a lot though... so maybe the reactions deaden with repetition.

[Classic]

hehe! My adult male Honduran struck at me last night. I almost pulled my arm out of the socket. He's a little love struck as he has never attempted to bite before. I guess he's a little peeved that he has no company at the moment. All the same, its funny how fast your reaction time can be when a 5 1/2 ft snake strikes at you unexpectantly.

Brian
HWH

[BoidKeeper]

All these years, and I still toss the odd one into the wall.
Now that's funny! I still pull away but not as much as before.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Optimus Prime]

Thats good stuping the relfex is a good thing :) Congrats

[SerpentLust]

I actually find that I flinch a lot less if I don't know it's coming

I totally agree.

[snakehunter]

Ive been bit by just about every species of herp in my state with exception to turtles and vens

[Soul_Reaper]

Been tagged 4 times already by my psycho Boa, and i yanked my hand all four times, i just couldn't help it but to yank it. Even though they didn't hurt a lot, it wasn't really a breeze as most people say, she only drew blood the last time though...she's getting bigger. And so are the bites... :(

[Smilts]

i got a bp that strikes when he thinks your going to reach in the cage. So we expect to be bitten and me and my wife yank all the same. even tho he couldnt hit a barn, poor guy cant hit the F/T mice we give him.

[Linds]

I hope I never lose that reflex. LOL... it's saved me from more bites than I care to think about! I know I could never consciously react that fast :o There's been a few times I knew a bite or more was coming from a teeny tiny snake and was able to stifle the reflex, but most of the time I just flinch.

[Matt.B]

I get bitten by a very agresive leo does that count? :)
Matt

[dave68]

It's almost similar to when you're out in the bush herp hunting and you lift up a log or rock specifically looking for a snake or lizard and sure enough there's one there and sure enough I jump back a little.....sure enough the wife and kids laugh.... I think it is so natural to flinch or jerk your hand away, it's a normal reaction.

[YummyCdnMale]

I can tell you this .... I have a 5ft yellow rat and if she bit you and she would! you would'nt hehehehehe... lol I have had her from 12 inch until now about 7 yrs she is my most aggresive snake. They do pack a wallop as they get older but nothing like being bit in the neck by an adult blood python.

[Lrptls]

iv only been bitten by small snakes and one small lizard. the snake bites are kinda fun, they never hurt, one did but only for seconds. now, what makes me jumpy is when i feed snakes. iv been feeding frozen thawd rodents to snakes for almost 3 years but every time i'm holding the rodent up by tongs, i can feel the tension of the snake and i'm waiting for it to strike, i use to jump really bad but now i just feel extremly tense.