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Behavior General topics or questions concerning the way your cornsnake may be acting.

She bit me! Did I hurt her?
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Old 05-08-2015, 08:01 PM   #1
D'n'D
She bit me! Did I hurt her?

I was trying today to help my daughter feed Elsa. She had the fuzzy in the thongs, but was not reaching in front of Elsa. So Elsa got in this feeding frenzy and not knowing the nice food smell is coming from she stroke the closest she saw around, meaning my finger. I reacted by getting startled and pulled my hand, together with Elsa, out of her feeding box. Thankfully the box was on the floor so she didn't fall or anything. She let go, and I saw 4-5 tiny blood spots. I threw a little towel over her head so she can't strike again, picked her up, back in the feeding box and she took her fuzzy as usual. Now my only concern is about her, I hope I didn't hurt her, or her teeth when I jerked my hand back. I could not control myself (BTW, I still jump out of my skin when I hear/see garter snakes in our garden) and now I'm worried.

She seemed fine, but I'm still worried that I may have hurt her. She acts crazy when she's in her feeding box. She stroke at me a few weeks ago and has become more frenzied with every feeding. Never stroke at me while in the viv, but that box turns her into a feeding machine.
 
Old 05-08-2015, 09:07 PM   #2
Zombiegirl
I've been tagged by my ball python twice (both times my fault, normally he's very sweet), and my bloodred corn would love to tag me every time (one of said times she got ahold of me so thoroughly I had to pry her off) ...she's a real pain...my tiny lavender is a monster and bites me every time I take him out of his feeding bin (he thinks I'm teh food)...they are pretty hardy, I doubt you injured her...I jerk every damned time and I've come to expect it from the corns lol.
 
Old 05-09-2015, 12:41 AM   #3
Ravenessa
This is why I don't feed in the box.. box = food...
I feed in the cage, however you can get the same response there if you only handle when feeding. I handle mine and go in and spot clean almost every day. So when I lift the lid its more a chance to explore than eat since only once a week it's food. So they don't get conditioned to it. HOWEVER if I open twice in one day and there is mouse smell in the air like tonight, I have to watch out because now hunger beast is out in most of my adult snakes. Even my sweetest butter who's a snuggle bug will rattle his tail in food excitement and he hasn't yet but Im sure if I moved a finger in front of him he'd strike at it.. (love tongs)

But yeah I doubt you hurt her.. They are hardy and I am sure they get worse response in nature.. keep an eye on her and you will see..
 
Old 05-09-2015, 09:24 AM   #4
joann42
I sent my sand boa flying across the room once when he grabbed me instead of the mouse. I hate those knee jerk reactions. I always always jerk away fast and cant for the life of me control it. If I holding the snake and it bites me I dont have that reaction.
Anyway he was okay, they pretty tough.
I use hemostats most the time but couldnt find them that day.
LOL
 
Old 05-09-2015, 10:54 AM   #5
Zombiegirl
I don't feed in their enclosures. My ball comes flying out of his viv when I take the lid off...that's how I got tagged the first time...same with my blood red...easier for me to remove them to feed so I can clean and whatnot without them chasing me around...my lavender is the same way.....my nice snakes I don't have to worry but they srmtilk get fed in separate bins.
 
Old 05-09-2015, 11:05 AM   #6
D'n'D
Thanks, everyone. I think she is fine, just that she seems so fragile. And was reading somewhere that I should not pull my hand if the snake bite. I will never be able to control my startle reaction, so ... if she ever bites again, she'll be sent flying again ...
 
Old 05-09-2015, 11:09 AM   #7
DuxorW
I have a couple biters that are totally predictable, so I don't flinch when they nail me. But today one of my most docile animals lunged at me and I was so startled he got flung up in the air and almost hit the ceiling!

I guess the lesson I learned is to try and expect a bite so that it's less likely to happen again.
 
Old 05-09-2015, 03:47 PM   #8
Zeina
Yeah when it comes to the feeding box- THEY KNOW.
And they go batshit crazy!

I have a box that is enclosed with a little trap door on the top that I open and put the tongs with the mouse through- I have never been bitten by them in their tank or feeding box... However I handle them almost every day, save for when they've just eaten or are in shed.
I am afraid to feed in the tank because I don't want them to swallow their bedding- they really love their feeding box and I feel that they are more comfortable and willing to eat when they are in their box... I don't want them to associate my hand in their tank as food and get excited and strike at me when I go to hold them...
So I put them in their box and they never see my hand, only the chopsticks with the mouse- when they're ready to go back in their tank I just pop the lid off and slide them gently into their homes...

I have a feeling though that I'll get tagged one of these days, it's bound to happen on accident lol these snakes are stronger than they look :P
 
Old 05-09-2015, 05:51 PM   #9
jamestosetti
I think the only concern is if the tiny red spots were on you or the snakes mouth. Sometimes when a snake bites a person they lose teeth, and infection is a potential issue. I've never seen a snake get an infection from this, but I have read about it. When you are bitten, if possible, try not to pull whatever was bitten from the snakes mouth, but instead to convince it to let go.
 
Old 05-15-2015, 09:40 PM   #10
Kenzie'sGrampa
You know, I must have lucked out with my Amel, Peaches. I've fed her both live, as well as frozen, "Gourmet" mice, right in her enclosure, holding the thawed ones by the tail with my fingers, and she's only ever struck at the mouse, and not me. (I have since found a high-sided cardboard box to feed her in, and I'm going to try that for a while.) Here's the thing: I know that if I were to open her enclosure and stick my hand inside her fake turtle shell hide, she'd bite me. I've seen her do it to others. But, I get her out for HOURS every night. I have a thin baby blanket that I've tied up at the ends like a bundle, and my old Harley Davidson helmet. When I'm done handling her, I let her go into the blanket and get small. I pick the bundle up and put it into the upturned helmet, but I leave an access flap in the blanket for my hand. I can get up and do some chore or another, for any length of time, and come back and, with no warning, put my hand in there and wrap my fingers lightly around her and she doesn't strike me. In fact, occasionally, she'll circle around and put her head in the cup of my fingers.
Here's a question (after a short setup): Peaches' enclosure is a 55 gallon former aquarium. Her hide is on the far left hand side of the tank. When she has to poop, she ALWAYS goes to the farthest point in the tank from her hide. And I mean right to very corner! Every time. Has anyone else noticed this cleanliness trait in their corns?
Sorry about the rambling, but I love talking about her, and like-minded individuals only exacerbate things.
 

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