I need immediate answers please

Tonya/Michael · #1 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:13 PM

Ok, I had a very dumb moment which didn't end to cool. I have a 5 1/2 - 6 foot red tail boa, have had it for 2 years and have only had one other problem with it. Okay, for some stupid reason I decided to show him I had his food and let him smell the rat in the box, before switching him to his feeding cage. DUH!! So, I killed the rat and dumped it in the feeding cage, I am sure I had smell on my hand. another duh!! I went back to his cage reached in to get him out and he struck me or bit me. Okay, Okay I know this was dumb and I have never done this before, so you don't have to tell me this. I don't know what I was thinking. Any ways I freaked, pulled my hand away and pulled 2 of his teeth out. I have at least a dozen puncture wounds on my hand. Is my snake going to be okay after losing teeth????? Do I need a shot or anything??? Please answer asap.. thanks

telefrag · #2 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:21 PM

snakes loose teeth all the time.

as long as it wasnt too jarring on the snake , im sure he/she is fine.

najaboy · #3 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:21 PM

The snake should be just fine, along with you as well. Personally, I'd do nothing more than watch the snake to make sure it doesn't develop an oral infection. As telefrag has said, it's not anything unusual for a snake to loose a tooth or two in an incident like this.

Your hand can be treated like any other minor cut... clean it, bandage it (if necessary), and call it good.

Ravnos · #4 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:23 PM

Snakes shed and regrow teeth all the time. Just check in his mouth to make sure the wounds aren't bleeding profusely and check in a few days to make sure they aren't getting infected. He should be fine though.

As for you... aside from having an up-to-date tetanus shot, which everyone should have, thats about it. Put some antibiotic cream like Neosporin on the punctures, they'll heal up fast enough. Sometimes snakes have a nasty way of hitting a nerve in your hand, and it can make your hand stiff for a while, but generally I'm sure you'd know it by now if you were really seriously injured.

Rav

ecwredtail · #5 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:23 PM

welcome to rtb dont know whether or not his teeth will grow back forsure but I think they will just as if it happened in nature as far you needing a shot NO lots of us have been bit some more than othrs I am sure you and him will be fine

trinitywolf · #6 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:23 PM

LOL...welcome to the club man...everyone has been bitten at sometime or another. There really is no need to worry. You don't need a shot. Just wash the bite with some antibacterial soap and keep it clean as you normally would any other wound.
Your boa should be fine as well. It would probably be a good idea to look at the inside of his mouth just to make sure, but the teeth will grow back. Boas replace teeth all the time. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

JuliusSqueezer · #7 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:27 PM

pssst this the python forum

Tonya/Michael · #8 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 09:31 PM

thanks guys. I am not looking in his mouth at this time. I am a little gun shy of him right now. This is my son's snake and he is going to be mad at his mom for a few days over this. I think the snake is okay. He stretched his mouth a few minutes afterwards and there was no blood. At least not on his part, just on mine. Anyway he is eating right now, so I guess he is okay

again thanks

Wrasse · #9 (**permalink**) 03-27-2004, 02:35 AM

Why on earth should your son be mad?
You are handling snakes, situation normal. If anything, YOU could take a stab at being mad at your son for expecting you to feed HIS snake and possibly putting yourself in danger.

As for gun shy, this happened due to the rat smell on your hands. Just make sure you wash all stink off them before handling the snake in future and you should be fine.

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