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The closest call I ever want to have!!
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by Ptk on May 26, 2009
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So, it's that time again and I am cleaning cages (sound familiar yet?). I just put one of my favorite snakes in a "safe" box while I worked on her enclosure. She is a Canebrake RS about 7-8 years old. Usually very cooperative, rides a hook really well, good predictable eater - you know the kind, just been a real easy keep.
I moved her now empty enclosure to a table opposite end of the room near a trash can. Removed the water dish, hide box and dumped the substrate. As I am leaning over wiping down the inside, I feel that unmistakable feeling of scales to skin on the back of my calf.
I froze, my heart leaps into my throat and my brain fires off about a 1000 thoughts all at once!
"How did she get out of the "safe" box?" - "How bad is this really going to hurt?" - "Could my wife hear me if I yelled for help?" - "Where's the closest hook?",................
As seconds pass like hours, and I continue to feel the snake crawling up and over the back of my leg - I am thinking perhaps if I dont move she will just keep crawling right on by and find another hiding place, as if I could be that lucky?
Fear is replaced by the innate drive to survive. I looked down to get an idea of where she is and see the undeniable black chevron markings sliding over my skin.
God must love me!! Upon closer inspection I realize that I am standing on one end of her shed. I had tossed it aside saving it for the little boy that cuts our lawn. It would appear that when the A/C cut on, the opposite end was caught in the wind stream of the floor vent and was dancing round my leg.
ha ha jokes on me!!
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RE: The closest call I ever want to have!!
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by LarryDFishel on May 26, 2009
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I know that feeling. The first or possibly second time I handled a black mamba alone, I got her onto the hooks to remove her from the cage, lifted her and backed up...and felt snake scales against the side of my neck! I had backed up into a shed, hanging from a decorative branch mounted high on the wall.. For about a hundredth of a second, I was ready to throw the hooks and run. :)
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RE: The closest call I ever want to have!!
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by AquaHerp on May 26, 2009
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When I was setting up the Jameson's mamba enclosure at the Abilene Zoo we had been working for over 30 hours strait to bring the exhibit in on deadline. It was about 2 am and I was working in the enclosure to make last minute preparations when out of the corner of my eye....a little green head with a big eye eased up over the top of a branch and cocked down at me just next to my head. So.....for what seemed like hours I debated on how fast I should move....IF I should move and how bad was this going to be...a bite in the face? Moreover, I was wondering who the hell put the mamba in the enclosure without saying so! Maybe it was me....I don't know, I was pretty tired and we were working quite fast. Finally I got the guts and quickly recoiled back and damn near hit the floor, the little green head watched the comedy unfold. After a moment of checking my pants, my pulse, and my immenent anger; I looked back up at the little beast. It seems we had thrown a small iguana in the exhibit to hold while we had worked another cage and forgot to move him back.! My life flashed before me....for an iguana! Another stellar herping moment that's almost to embarassing to reveal. :)
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RE: The closest call I ever want to have!!
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by Ptk on May 27, 2009
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It's nice to know I am in such good company!!
I dont have a mamba but with their speed, I am not sure if it wouldn't be better just to let it decide whether or not to strike vs pulling away quickly and provoking one??
Either way..... you wont be wearing those pants again!!
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