Garter Snake

[Bottomfeeder]

Your my hero!!! i got bit by a fuull grown racer heres how it happened. i LOVE snakes so i was looking for them in some woods. and i see a tree fallen down. the branches held it up a little and there was like 2 feet from the trunk to the ground. any way under it i spy a big black tail. my addrenaline was going crazy. any way i tried to creep up on it but it saw me so i ran up (it wasnt going very fast. i pounced and grabbed it about 6 inches behind the head. man that think went crazy and grabbed my hand with its mouth and shook its head back and forth tugging really hard. i was so surprized i let it go. it stood its ground and did this weird movement were its coils start rotating. any way i got it again a little more cautiously this time. yep i got bit plenty of times but still it was fun. the but doesnt hurt too much as the teeth are super sharp.
sorry for the long boring and rather random story but i just had to brag a little

Ooh Black Racers are aggressive. I saw one n Florida, me and my Dad were walking and this big thing is zipping thru the bushes. I see it's a snake, either a Coachwhip or a Black Racer, not a Snake i would mess with (well yeah I would but before last summer I wasnt allowed to)
Anyway, it just reared up (almost) and stared at us, then took off. Beautiful Snake, its like chrome black like on a car. I also saw a snake in Fla that was small and black, but wasnt a Racer. I only saw the back 1/2. Common or Pilot Black, maybe?

 

[likestofish]

I do not claim to be an expert on Snakes. But, in the past, I have "handled" animals (mostly fish) that can put a Garter Snake's nite to shame if the fish is handled carelessly. I got shredded by a Bluefish, ALMOST shredded by a Dogtooth Snapper (Whoever named it wasnt kidding) a, Oyster Toadfish (a venomous fish) and a few times got stabbed by the backward-pointing head spines on a Searobin. I also used to be immune to a jellyfish (cant remember the species. Its a coolwater species with long, purple trailing tentacles and a muddy red bell) but then I got a sting that lasted for a day and a scar that lasted for a few months. Im still immune to Moon Jellies
So, I'm not bragging here, I'm just sayin that I've been close to worse that a bite by a small Colubrid like a Garter/Ribbon Snake. I understand the risks. And I accept them. OK?

wow questions were you trying to lip them or something? Didnt you see the canines on the fish. Also oyster toadfish are called that because they eat oysters so i think you got lucky with that one. ONe last think try gill covers of a snapper of grouper worse than a surgical saw.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

it's not the point. don't try and be steve irwan and try and pick up wild snakes. you don't know how they're going to react. their saliva might have bacteria that may be deadly to us. blah blah blah it's just common sense you don't pick up wild snakes or animals.

I coulnt agree more

 

[Bottomfeeder]

wow questions were you trying to lip them or something? Didnt you see the canines on the fish. Also oyster toadfish are called that because they eat oysters so i think you got lucky with that one. ONe last think try gill covers of a snapper of grouper worse than a surgical saw.

No no not lipping them. The Bluefish, I was removing the hook. The Snapper...yeah I was trying to lip it/
The Toadfish was about 6'', so I was more worried about the venomous spines on the dorsal/anal fins. And there are no spines on the gills of Dogtooth Snapper, but there are on Grouper and Ive made the mistake of holding them by the gill cover (carefully so I dont damage the fish, but I still damaged my self.) Here's the Grouper species, if youre wondering: Black Seabass

 

[2004exrider]

Man, everyone talks like handling a non venomous animal is the end of the world. Most of you are still kids, live a little, if nature's your thing go out and have fun. Catch as many snakes, frogs, bugs, etc as you can and get bit more times than you can count lol. Just make sure to know what animals in your area are safe to handle.

Jimmy

 

[badisbadis101]

Garter snakes will bite and can break the skin - trust me

As for handling wild animals - i do it quite a bit, but mostly for reason (relocating snakese, etc). The key is to be careful and aware, and realize that there is a high chance of being bitten, no matter what you are handling. If you arent 100% sure it isnt poisonous, dont handle it. And always wash your hands afterwards. I spent my childhood catching frogs, toads, snakes, turtles, etc, and never had anything bad happen, but eventually got bitten by nearly everything i handled - from anoles to snakes. Finally, keep the well being of the animal in mind. Catch it, handle it for a bit, and release it.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

Man, everyone talks like handling a non venomous animal is the end of the world. Most of you are still kids, live a little, if nature's your thing go out and have fun. Catch as many snakes, frogs, bugs, etc as you can and get bit more times than you can count lol. Just make sure to know what animals in your area are safe to handle.

Jimmy

I agree, thank you. And pretty much everything has bitten/stung/cut me.
And someone add Skate Ray to my above list of creatures who have put me in pain??

Garter snakes will bite and can break the skin - trust me

As for handling wild animals - i do it quite a bit, but mostly for reason (relocating snakese, etc). The key is to be careful and aware, and realize that there is a high chance of being bitten, no matter what you are handling. If you arent 100% sure it isnt poisonous, dont handle it. And always wash your hands afterwards. I spent my childhood catching frogs, toads, snakes, turtles, etc, and never had anything bad happen, but eventually got bitten by nearly everything i handled - from anoles to snakes. Finally, keep the well being of the animal in mind. Catch it, handle it for a bit, and release it.

Yep, I always am careful to not hurt the animals. I remember doing surgery one on a P-Seed to remove a hook that got caught in its eye. I didnt wanna pull out the barb, so I cut the leader and passed the hook and leader thru the eye, which hopefully caused less damage than reversing the barb.

 

[Passionate 4 pikes]

Keep a lookout for one of my threads on herps in the lounge ther will be SOOOO many pictures of things that i cought during the trip to the united states that you computer will explode!!!!