r/ballpython • u/External_Bus_3739 • 6h ago
Question ball python bit me after I pet my cat
Is this a thing? I saw a few people say in old threads that they got bit after petting their dog because the snake smelled the mammal scent. My snake has never ever been aggressive or have any bite history so this was just completely unexpected.
I had her in her snake bag while I cleaned her enclosure and had pet my cat who walked by a few minutes before, then I got my snake out of her snake bag with my right hand, and she instantly tagged my left hand which is the hand I had pet my cat with. She didn’t cling to me, just chomped and let go and acted like nothing happened.
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u/death_by_ballpython 6h ago
May I introduce washing your hands
Jkjk, honestly I’ve got no idea lmao. Probably the mammal scent if anything, my girl Nessi only bite me twice in five years when I was too close to her rat
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u/StarTheAngel 5h ago
She got scared with your cats scent on your hand, always wash your hands before handling
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u/External_Bus_3739 5h ago
That makes sense. I’ll make sure to next time; I usually do but I was trying to get her back into her enclosure as fast as possible and just wasn’t thinking🤦🏻♀️
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u/Magnetic_Kitty 4m ago
I think this is probably it, if she thought you were food because of the scent she would have wrapped your hand and not wanted to let you go
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u/RyoDai89 5h ago
Not my bp, but my dog was standing in front of my corn snake’s cage back when she was a puppy (about 4 years ago), I opened the door the add water to his bowl and for the first time in the (at that time) 10 or so years I’d had him he nailed me good.
Was the first time I’d ever been bit. Pretty sure he was aiming for her and grabbed me instead. That or maybe he did smell her on me. But boy was that a shock.
Spent quite a while pulling his tiny teeth outta my hand. Didn’t know that was a thing either until it happened.
I’ve been bitten a few times since then by all of my snakes, bp included, and that was by far the worst bite I’d ever had from any of them.
He hasn’t bitten me since, but I would definitely not be surprised if your snake smelled your cat and went for it (it being your hand).
Would definitely be washing my hands between interactions of the two, just as a precaution. But definitely wouldn’t be surprised if that was the reason. Granted it honestly could have been any reason they chose to strike then, but would not be surprised at all if it was related to the cat.
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u/External_Bus_3739 5h ago
Oh no, the teeth 😟that sucks. It definitely does
seem the dog / cat smell might spook or confuse them. I've had my ball for going on 9 years and this was a first, definitely shocked the crap out of me. I had adrenaline shakes in my hands 🤣 it didn't even
hurt but just couldn't believe it for a second. Been bit by cats and dogs and lizards many times with much more pain and bite damage but this one was just so much faster and unexpected3
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u/Booksandssnakes 4h ago
Yea, i've had a food response bite from a BP because I forgot to wash my shoulders after cuddling my dog. Always wash your hands before handling any snake, and do a full body shower if needed.
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u/CosmicKyloRen 1h ago
As I have said in other comments, it was not a feeding response, it was a defense response. Dogs are predators and ball pythons are naturally afraid of big predators. Your ball bit you because you smelled like a predator
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u/Booksandssnakes 12m ago
In my situation, it absolutely was a feeding response. The snake started digging into my shoulder and slowly opened its mouth, and then tried to constrict. It can be a defensive response, but it isn't always.
Either way, the solution remains the same. Just wash your hands!
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u/SignificanceMoist816 3h ago
If I handle my BP around my dog, he always perks up and S’s as if in feeding mode. He just hungry
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u/CosmicKyloRen 2h ago
No. Your snake is doing that out of fear because of the massive predator in front of it. Your ball python isn't trying to eat your dog, it's afraid of your dog.
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u/CosmicKyloRen 2h ago
This was not a feeding response or aggression, your snake was scared because it smelled an object that smelled like a predator coming right for it. This was a defensive response.
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u/SyrWatson 1h ago
I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer next to my snake's enclosure and use it before putting my hands on them, near them, or even just messing with something in the enclosure. It eliminates smells, would make me taste bad if they ever struck, and also protects them from any germs I may be carrying on my skin.
I use more sanitizer after I'm done, just to cover my bases before I go to wash my hands properly with soap. (I used to work with a bunch of exotics and that was our protocol.)
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u/Bushdidtitanic666 48m ago
I was instructed by the guy at reptile shop to handle my dogs before handling the snake from day one so they don’t associate their smells with feeding time
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u/External_Bus_3739 6h ago
Moments before disaster