How does a stingray sting stuff?

[Zoodiver]

Rays can get you to two ways.

Actually getting venom into your blood stream. Whether it's a full puncture with the sheathed barb or just a cut from the serrated edges, if the sheath is is tact, it will hurt like crazy.

Dry shot - which happens a lot. The sheath is worn off so there is no toxin, but the barb itself is still very able to cut or puncture the human body.

Covering the barb will usually lead to heath problems down the line. I don't suggest leaving airline used for shipping on them long term.

 

[USMCtanker]

ok thanks, ya i took of the tube on my pups. want them to feel as natural as possible. thats the best thing about keeping things like rays, is respecting the animal an knowing all u can an having a plan for when things go south. bc fact is a animal is still a animal. i see alot of things become illigal in my state when a owner thats not responsible gets hurt bad. they ban it for all of us.

 

[David K. Bradley]

things I found:
When a stingray attacks, it needs to be facing its victim, because all it does is flip its long tail upward over its body so it strikes whatever is in front of it. The ray doesn't have direct control over the sting mechanism, only over the tail. In most cases, when the sting enters a person's body, the pressure causes the protective sheath to tear. When the sheath tears, the sharp, serrated edges of the spine sink in and venom flows into the wound.

­A stingray's venom is not necessarily fatal, but it hurts a lot. It's composed of the enzymes 5-nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin causes smooth muscle to severely contract, and it is this component that makes the venom so painful. The enzymes cause tissue and cell death. If the venom is introduced into an area like the ankle, it can usually be treated. Heat breaks down stingray venom and limits the amount of damage it can do. If not treated quickly enough, amputation might be necessary. But if the venom enters the abdomen or chest cavity, the resulting tissue death can be fatal because of the major organs located in the vicinity. If the spike enters the heart, as is reported to be the case in Steve Irwin's accident, the results are typically fatal.
While a stingray's venom can do serious damage, the most destructive part of the sting mechanism can actually be the barbs on the spine. The sharp tip of the sting enters a person pretty smoothly, but its exit is roughly equivalent to backing up over those "severe tire damage" blades. Remember that the points of the barbs are facing the stingray. Even if venom weren't involved at all, pulling the spike out of a human's chest or abdomen could be enough to cause death from the massive tearing of tissue that results.

Information that's good to know, bcfd144. Now that I have read this bit of informative information, I leave the purchase of rays to those more experienced. FW or SW. They're beautiful, don't get me wrong. I just don't think I'd be to good at raising them.

zoodiver: you mentioned that a ray can get you two ways. You forgot 1] deep & 2] continously. Am I correct?

 

[gazelle]

If you brush up against a stingrays barb and get a papercut like cut, will it hurt (like with venom) or does the ray have to inject it?