Rays on a budget- My (somewhat long) story w/pics

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I was able to experience firsthand what it feels like to do something stupid and get "hit".

One of my imports had slipped off it's little tube protecting the barb...So I instantly thought it would be a good idea to try to wiggle the tube loose from the other import...

I know that the next barb grows underneath the one with the tube on it, but I stuck my fingertip onto it anyways.

WOW. Just a small dose. It didn't penetrate enough to get to the jagged part of anything, but BOY...Now I know what a pain level of 10 is. I made it to the sink where I held it under scalding hot water for a good bit....Fortunately my wife had some Lydicain here with some insulin needles...So over the next 2 hours I had constant hot water and about 7 shots of Lydocain in the tip of my finger.

Today it's fine. A little numb, and wife is going to bring home some antibiotics just in case.

So- We know 2 things now-

1) That thing IS real and it IS loaded.
2) A pain level of 10 is now higher than I had previously encountered. Broken back must be a 9 or so, because I never had the blurred vision or nausea when I broke my back...nor did I consider amputating my spine even for just a second.

Have a great day, stay tuned for more excitement!

Mike
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Matteus
haha jesus mike, comeon dont pull a stever irwin on us, especially now that your buisness is starting to take off.... ever see that show fatal attractions on animal planet? i hope i dont see you on there.
 
i keep waiting to see the episode when a guy falls in his fishtanks and is eaten by his RTC or wels, or when a guy gets his arm bit off by an african tiger fish, or dies from a stingray sting to the juggular. haha they have people who die from their snakes and big cats and wolves all the times but i have yet to see a fish death, im waiting though. ive decided that if there isnt an episode in the next year ill just get a ray and let him sting me, bringing me close to death without actually killing me, and then there will be an episode.
 
I would recommend getting some good pain meds first. Take them ahead of time.

I think I'd rather have my arm bitten off by a gator....but then again, my finger is just a little numb this morning...the arm wouldn't grow back.


Mike
 
haha well atleast you didnt lose the finger. other than not touching the stingers again, have you thought of any other ways to prevent something like this from happening in the future? can you milk stingray venom like they do snakes? is there an antivenom?
 
The venom is in the membrane that coats the barb- similar to thin skin. The membrane tears as the barb enters the wound, so there is no way to get rid of it without removing the barb. The membrane can remain intact for a year or so after the barb is shed also.

There is no anti-venom or anything.

The preventive measue will be to simply not do that again. I'm not scared of them ever stinging me intentionally- it is only me that I fear...

Mike
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matteus
gotcha gotcha
 
apisto;4939800; said:
wear a butcher's chain mail glove if you attempt anything like that again. Problem sorted
Click to expand...


Excellent Idea. I may actually look for something like that since I constantly am exploring the danger zone.

Mike
 
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