lemon juice?

[Bryce Masuk]

With balls and corns I would just let them bite me untill they realise they cant eat me... The times you Need to get them to let go are with rock's burm's retic's large female boa's because they can hurt/kill you. anyways if you get bit 90% of the time its not a feeding strike its defencive and feeding strikes are the only ones when a snake wont let go....
Omen the best option could actually be habeno seeds mixed with water in a syringeif you just touch the seeds then touch your eye it stings this may be the best option I highly doubt it would do permanent damage but it would get them to let go Its much stronger then lemon juice and easyer then a piece of lemon

[Pia]

Bryce, have you ever had to use the lemon peel or habeno seed method? If so what was biting you at the time? (morbid curiosity:-). BTW, what is a habano seed and where do get them?

[Bryce Masuk]

I have had my male pinesnake mistake me for food and bit constricted and begin to swollow my 2 fingers I didnt have any lemon at home so i used orange peel he quickly let go afterwards

Habeno is a pepper it is very acidic like lemon peel I have not used it but it seems logical it would work I figure you can get it at any super market its cheap and soooo hot it will make tear come to your eyes even if you like hot food

[Jeff_Favelle]

What do you mean "just not get bit"? I have had my bp for 2 years. And I'm still waiting to get bit. I know I will, it's just a matter of time, and when I do I know it will be my fault. So don't say just don't get bit, because you will one day, and one day you will regret not reading everyone's opinons on how to get a snake to release.

I meant EXACTLY what I said. Sorry you couldn't understand it.

I've owned HUNDREDS of snakes (I own 80 adults and 90 babies right now) and I've been bit EXACTLY 4 times. Once yesterday by a baby Jungle on purpose because I wanted to see what it was like. Once by a 10-foot boa when I was 15 years old (13 years ago!!!). Once by a pueblan milk (10 years ago) that chewed me when Don Patterson was trying to sex it (ha ha), and once by a BP (last year) that was maternally incubating and I was pulling her off the eggs.

Point is, its very very very very easy to NOT get bit. I don't know why you think its inevitable. Weird.

[lordkovacs]

just a question, to me, alcohol that we would have aroudnd the house (molson canadian and the like excluded) is very strong stuff...does this not seem like it would give the snake a skin problem after? I guess if you have a 12 foot retic trying to eat you, you aren't thinking of skin problems though...hahaaha However, for bites from much smaller snakes lemon would seem much safer... then again, I haven't got bit myself so I can't speak from experience...cheers,
MIKE

[lordkovacs]

and I agree with jeff, why would you get bit? as far as I know snakes bite from fear or hunger. So, perhaps it's not a good idea to try to handle him if you've been de-thawing his dinner... simple avoidance. I've owned 3 snakes and 4 lizards over 6 years, and not one bite. I don't think it's inevitable...

[Jeff_Favelle]

lordkovacs, you brought something up that I always wondered about. A snake's head has soooo many nerve endings and sensitive tissues/membranes that I would feel pretty awful pouring 40% alcohol over. I just don't think that the snake should have to suffer like that over something that probably is the owner's fault to begin with!!!

Thank you for bringing that up Mike. I was totally thinking the same thing.

[sapphire_moon]

I don't think it's ALWAYS inevitable. I'm just saying that I know one day I will forget something, or something will happen, and I will get bit....I'm just saying that because some brand new snake owners that have never ever ever had a snake might get bit, and then be like "why did he bite me? I'm not supposed to get bit!". I wasn't saying it to be rude. And I respect your experience in herps. I was just stating how I feel about my own situation....that one day I will forget, and when that day happens, I will be thankfull for all the advice that I find on getting a snake to stop bitting you!!!! Thats all!

[Linds]

Vinegar is also quite effective in releasing a snakes hold

[Bryce Masuk]

Jeff It obviously depends what "species" your dealing with and if they are Cb Or W/c and how much contact you have with the snakes it can be real easy to get bit but with balls and corns its a challange and even when you get bit you jsut shrug it off since it doesnt really hurt

[Linds]

Well technically Jeff is right... you can go your whole life without a bite if you really want to. I personally don't put my all into avoiding bites, I do my best to avoid the ones I know will really hurt, but still I freehandle all my animals and if they are small I just let em chew on me But if you want to avoid a bite you can... look at hot keepers... they have no choice but to avoid bites or it can mean their life.

[Bryce Masuk]

your right but how much fun is it to have a insanely docile snake or a nippy one on a stick I like the nipper's on my arm

[Kara]

I agree with Linds, vinegar works like a charm!

[Colonel SB]

I agree with Jeff, just don't get tagged. It's that easy

[stretch]

Emily maybe he might have a bottle of lemon juice already laying around.