# Rough-scaled python temperament



## Channaz (Jun 2, 2012)

I know there are plenty of other threads here on rough-scaled pythons, but there is one question that for me remains unresolved.

How would you summarise the temperament of RSP's? I have read so many conflicting pieces of information on this, both here, elsewhere online and from published sources. I know that the temperament of individual snakes can and does vary greatly, but I am curious about how this particular species can be best summed up.

I have read many very positive comments here about RSP's and their "handler-ability". However, for one example, they are described as "tend(ing) to bite with some regularlty" in _An Introduction to Keeping and Breeding Australian Reptiles. _So just how "bitey" would you say they are, in general?


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## girdheinz (Jun 2, 2012)

They can be a little snappy as hatchlings like any other Morelia but settle into puppy dog adults. They are one of the most gentle python I've ever owned. I've bred around 80 of them and been keeping them since 2006

Cheers Gird


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## StellaDoore (Jun 2, 2012)

Like any of the pythons it does come down to individuals. I've worked with some that are super nervous and snappy, while my girl is the sweetest little snake I've ever come across. That's not just me playing favourites because she's mine, she is actually the calmest baby I've encountered.
I've had some people say that I'm brave keeping a roughie, while others have bred hundreds (okay, maybe not _hundreds_​ but a few!) and never copped a bite.
Not wanting to hijack the thread or anything, but has anyone been bitten by a roughie? I've heard they can get you good coz of they're large teeth.


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## girdheinz (Jun 2, 2012)

I'd like to meet the people you say who have bred hundreds lol, that could only be John Weigel. They earnt a reputation for being snappy because of one incident when Brisn Barcyk got torn apart by one at the Wild Expo at Sydney. 

I knew at the time that one incident would change people's opinions of them because it was filmed and publicised. That was really a one off.

Ive had one bad feeding bite when an adult sprang out from a hide cave. It was messy but nothing like a scrubby.


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## Channaz (Jun 2, 2012)

Thanks for this feedback, it's all very interesting.

And by the way, I think they are a fantastic snake. Regardless of temperament, I intend to keep at least one at some point in the not too distant future.


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## Carnelian (Jun 2, 2012)

I don't have much experience with these guys but I do have one little guy that I got last August as an advanced hatchy. He is the sweetest little fella ever & has never bitten or struck since we have had him, hasn't even pulled back into strike stance. In all the research I did, everyone says the same as girdheinz above, a little snappy as hatchies but calm down beautifully.


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## Wild~Touch (Jun 3, 2012)

Be calm and respectful with them and you won't have any upsets 

Exhibitionists give them an undeserved reputation

Cheers
Sandee


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## Channaz (Jun 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone for all of this advice. It's confirmed a few suspicions I had and definitely given me another reason to get a roughie!


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## hrafna (Jun 3, 2012)

i recently got a pair and i was told that i would def get bitten by them as they are hatchies, but they will calm down. well it has been 2 months now and i have yet to get a bite.


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## Renenet (Jun 3, 2012)

The adults I have had the pleasure of handling have been a little nervous, but none have bitten. These particular snakes are very wriggly and fast, wrapping around the nearest object when they don't want to go anywhere. I don't know if they were accustomed to handling or not when they were young 'uns, but I suspect not.

They are a beautiful snake and I would not hesitate to get one myself one day. Their eyes are hypnotising.


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## ingie (Jun 3, 2012)

I have posted this before but this is me after I laid eyes on an adult female RSP for the first time LOL.


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## deebo (Jun 3, 2012)

ive only been bitten by an adult once and that was my fault - i reached in grabbed him while he was asleep and starled him. A couple of hatchies have bitten me but in general very calm, placid animals. I would give my adults to a toddler to handle they are that calm....


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## Sock Puppet (Jun 4, 2012)

Only my girl has ever struck at me (feeding time) & only grazed me. Apart from that, they have been great to handle, calm & no probs at all.

I've found them to be very inquisitive snakes, as soon as there's some action near their enclosures, they have to go & check it out. Or perhaps they are just hoping to get fed, they are quite enthusiastic feeders.


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## cement (Jun 4, 2012)

Hannaz said:


> I know there are plenty of other threads here on rough-scaled pythons, but there is one question that for me remains unresolved.
> 
> How would you summarise the temperament of RSP's? I have read so many conflicting pieces of information on this, both here, elsewhere online and from published sources. I know that the temperament of individual snakes can and does vary greatly, but I am curious about how this particular species can be best summed up.
> 
> I have read many very positive comments here about RSP's and their "handler-ability". However, for one example, they are described as "tend(ing) to bite with some regularlty" in _An Introduction to Keeping and Breeding Australian Reptiles. _So just how "bitey" would you say they are, in general?



There is nothing unresolved at all. Any snake is capable of being either tame or flighty and bitey. This is why you get conflicting reports. When thinking about buying a snake ask youself this... Is it a snake? If the answer is yes then reread my first sentence.

If you get a snake that is flighty and tends to nip, then sell it and try again, or stick it out and work with it keeping in mind that no snake likes to be handled.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

I'm sure there are numerous threads here in which snakes and their proximity to faces is a subject of discussion... NEVER do that... I'd be embarrassed to post that photo...

Jamie


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## myusername (Jun 4, 2012)

My rough scale has developed somewhat of a bad temper because when she was sent to me she was very sick, and so now she's used to getting anti biotic injections every time she is handled. I'm sure if I wasn't stabbing her every 3 days she'd probably have a nicer disposition... on the plus side she's a lot livelier now that she's getting better.


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> I'm sure there are numerous threads here in which snakes and their proximity to faces is a subject of discussion... NEVER do that... I'd be embarrassed to post that photo...
> 
> Jamie



I am not embarrassed at all lol I love that photo. I wasn't kissing the bloody thing it was just a long snake. If I want to "do that", whatever that is, I will. My face, my problem.


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## 53ERX (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> My face, my problem.


Cute face it is too.

Temper or not, I'll definitely be adding one (or a couple) of these to my menagerie as soon as I organise a class 2 license.


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 4, 2012)

53ERX said:


> Cute face it is too.


+1.....You go girl... lol


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## Justdragons (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> I am not embarrassed at all lol I love that photo. I wasn't kissing the bloody thing it was just a long snake. If I want to "do that", whatever that is, I will. My face, my problem.



ha i think its a great photo. Why would anyone be embarrassed? lol id be embarrassed about making that comment Jamie.


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## Rob (Jun 4, 2012)

53ERX said:


> Cute face it is too.



[video=youtube_share;4TYv2PhG89A]http://youtu.be/4TYv2PhG89A[/video]


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

Of course it's absolutely your decision to post photos which clearly show your bad judgement - you can wear it like a badge of honour if you like. But a snake bite to the face indicates poor judgement... if it had got you in the eye, and one of those long, herringbone teeth had broken off in your eyeball, you wouldn't be smiling so proudly... or maybe you would?

Jamie


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> I am not embarrassed at all lol I love that photo. I wasn't kissing the bloody thing




Got a boyfriend? Kiss him and handle him to death ...... and just feed your snake. :lol::lol:


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> Of course it's absolutely your decision to post photos which clearly show your bad judgement - you can wear it like a badge of honour if you like. But a snake bite to the face indicates poor judgement... if it had got you in the eye, and one of those long, herringbone teeth had broken off in your eyeball, you wouldn't be smiling so proudly... or maybe you would?
> 
> Jamie



 Did someone get out of bed on the wrong side today? Have you never in your whole life had something undesirable happen, and then decide to make the best of it with a smile? I will remember the goggles and 1m long handling stick next time.

SNAKES ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS and stuff.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

53ERX said:


> Cute face it is too.
> 
> Temper or not, I'll definitely be adding one (or a couple) of these to my menagerie as soon as I organise a class 2 license.



Demonstrating a very objective assessment there 53ERX .

Jamie


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

Good advice Watterat  Single. Any takers? Haha.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> Did someone get out of bed on the wrong side today? Have you never in your whole life had something undesirable happen, and then decide to make the best of it with a smile? I will remember the goggles and 1m long handling stick next time.
> 
> SNAKES ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS and stuff.



Not at all, and you can be as patronising as you like, but you still show very bad judgement - both for putting youself in a position where that can happen, and then being silly enough to post it here. JMO, no need to responsd defensively... no need to respond at all actually .

Jamie


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> Good advice Watterat  Single. Any takers? Haha.



Try Jamie, since you're getting on so well. LOL


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

:d :d :d


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

Thanks Michael lol! I've already got one... that's enough !

J


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

Hey, mistress on the side and you can join the high executive ranks, it's fashionable (and apparently very costly).

Now, was this thread about RSPs? I don't have one, so no comment.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

Nah - too expensive and too stressful mate. Like most blokes I'm not good at multi-tasking...

I do have Roughies though, and never been bitten, or even struck at actually! JW gave me a pair 2-3 years ago - they're very nice snakes actually. I was working at the WA Museum when Ron Johnstone collected the very first specimen known to science as well, so I have a sentimental connection, to the snakes and the species...

Jamie


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## Striker (Jun 4, 2012)

And once again a seemingly innocent post (such as someone sharing a picture of a bite) turns into an opportunity for an expert with 20/20 hindsight vision to cast judgement on an event that they know nothing about. I don't know about you Jamie but when i handle snakes or have to get them out of a large enclosure, they actually do move around, coil on branches and may not do exactly what i want. Despite taking as much care as i can there are occasionally brief periods when one could potentially bite within range of my face. You don't know exactly what happened in that picture so how about you cut her some slack? It was clearly an accident? No one plans to be bitten on the face by a snake. Just as no one plans to crash a car, trip and fall over, drop something valuable or any other kind of accident. Ever have any of those sorts of things happen to you? The fact it wasn't planned is what makes it an accident and none of these events are any less silly than being bitten on the face by a snake. So how bout you give it a rest cause who knows? Maybe an accident could happen to you one day. You might even fall off that high horse you're on.


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

Jamie would never fall off his high horse, he thinks ahead. Superglue


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## Tobe404 (Jun 4, 2012)

I don't have expirence with RSP's.

But I have a brother and sister MD that are about 4.5 months old.
The girl is placid as and has never bitten me.
The male on the other hand strikes whenever he gets the chance. Although he has hardly been handled... Long story. But I'm working on him.

I will say though. If you make your mind up to handle any sort of Python. Do it and don't hesitate. Whenever I hasitate with the male he goes me. But if I stick to my guns it's like he can sense both scenarios and so reacts accordingly.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

The best way to avoid being bitten by a snake in a large enclosure, Striker, is to roll up just one sheet of newspaper, so it's very light, and if a snake looks like having a crack at you, just gently touch it on the nose once or twice. In 99.999% of cases, the snake will back away and be so distracted you can then do what you like with it.

If you need any more advice, just ask the master 

Oh, and I do fast motorbikes, but not horses, so when I do come to grief, superglue probably won't help very much 

Also oh... don't look too closely into a bag containing a snake either...

Jamie


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

Tobe404 said:


> Whenever I hasitate with the male he goes me. But if I stick to my guns it's like he can sense both scenarios and so reacts accordingly.



I love this thread. 
Do you wear you 45 magnums hang low every time you get close to your snakes? No offence mate, I just had to lough. :lol:


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## Striker (Jun 4, 2012)

i get the neighbours kids to look into the bag and let me know where the sharp end of the snake is before i get em out. This method also works well for me to avoid getting bitten.


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## Tobe404 (Jun 4, 2012)

Waterrat said:


> I love this thread.
> Do you wear you 45 magnums hang low every time you get close to your snakes? No offence mate, I just had to lough. :lol:



None taken. I guess I did kind of set myself up for that one.
You get what I mean though. Lol.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 4, 2012)

Tobe404 said:


> None taken. I guess I did kind of set myself up for that one.
> You get what I mean though. Lol.



I did Tobe404 - if you are decisive when you deal with your snakes, you are less likely to get bitten. Hesitate, let them know what you're up to, and they develop a strategy to get you first...

Jamie


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

I did too Tobe. It's one of the fundamental things when handling venomous snakes, particularly when extracting venom on regular basis.


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## ingie (Jun 4, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> Also oh... don't look too closely into a bag containing a snake either...
> 
> Jamie



Oh you are so clever Jamie! Looking up old threads to get the dirt LOL. 

Yep. I bought the RSP one cool morning and opened the pillow case in the car to have a look and got a nice bite to the face. The world didn't end. 

Believe it or not Jamie I don't need you and your infinite wisdom, to tell me that it was my fault that I got bitten and I could have avoided it completely if I thought about it first. But I didn't. I am still alive, the snake is still alive, and I learnt my lesson. 

You saying that I am silly for letting it happen? Sure, I'll take that. Saying I'm silly for posting it here? Pfft that is ridiculous. Perhaps I have saved some other poor sod from sticking their face in a pillow case on a cool morning with a cranky RSP. Or perhaps I just gave a few people a laugh. Either way I am not embarrassed by my mistake nor do I feel like I should keep the photo locked up never to see the light of day. 

There is no doubt that you are a very knowledgable character Jamie, but a little grace and humility would go a long way.


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## girdheinz (Jun 4, 2012)

Jamie, you out of hibernation again mate? Have a big weekend on the red? I loved the photo, people can learn from it. They have bloody long curved teeth as you know and it shows people that if they do in fact bite, don't let it be your face!! I think the biggest culprit for bringing roughies a bad name was definitely the snakebytes TV episode. That snake had been transported and been in a perspex box all day being gawked at. I'd of bitten the first thing that touched me to.

I have 20 of them at home at the moment and i don't even bat an eyelid when dealing any of them. I'd go as far as to say they would be the best first snake if they werent class 2 and for the sometimes odd feeding preferences. 

Also Ingie's image wasn't nearly as bad as the facial mauling i saw in the news today :shock:


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## myusername (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> ... nor do I feel like I should keep the photo locked up never to see the light of day.



Probably a good thing you don't feel that way because it's well and truly all over the forum now! 
On a serious note though, as long as you learned from your mistake I don't see an issue with having made it. Everyone on here has made mistakes and ended up getting bitten or embarrassing themselves in one way or another, but you just won't find them posting about it. 
Also, how often does being hit on on the forum actually work? Seems to happen to you a lot ingie, you flirt!


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## Skelhorn (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> I have posted this before but this is me after I laid eyes on an adult female RSP for the first time LOL.



Hahaha I love this picture....so happy


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## deanzy (Jun 4, 2012)

You bagging out someone because they put a photo up on a internet site just proves you need a different hobbie to keep you occupied. I enjoyed looking at the photo and I'm glad you uploaded it


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## Waterrat (Jun 4, 2012)

deanzy said:


> You bagging out someone because they put a photo up on a internet site just proves you need a different hobbie to keep you occupied. I enjoyed looking at the photo and I'm glad you uploaded it



deanzy, if you enjoy bloody faces, there is a site called "rotten", google it. You may find it fascinating.


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## Red-Ink (Jun 4, 2012)

Mental note... Do not look into a bag with a cold snake. If you do make sure you have a good sense of humour about it at least


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## euphorion (Jun 4, 2012)

You're a cranky old soul Jamie  have a giggle and get over it.


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## jase75 (Jun 4, 2012)

ingie said:


> I have posted this before but this is me after I laid eyes on an adult female RSP for the first time LOL.



I like the pic (-: 
A little bit of blood, no damage done.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 5, 2012)

OK, OK... you all win... I'm a cranky old sod with no sense of humour ! I LOVE the photo now - although I didn't search for it on other threads, had never seen it before... someone told me how it happened... 

Now gird, it was early yesterday afternoon when I went off the rails - far too early for me to be affected by red wine. I only drink before 5 at funerals. Well, not at the actual funeral, but the wake afterwards... so it was probably a result of my rapidly ageing brain...

I'll try and be nice today ...

Jamie


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## euphorion (Jun 5, 2012)

I'm having a glass of red on your behalf tonight Jamie 
And Ing's, just for good measure...


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## ingie (Jun 5, 2012)

I am glad you love my photo now Jamie  you should see what one of my monitors did to my hand today!!!! Jokes 

Thanks for the happy posts people 

Shoo I am going to have a glass of red for you tonight also, and one for Jamie  Sounds like fun! 

On the topic of rough scaled pythons, I have two gorgeous little hatchlings here and they are very skittish. I don't handle them apart from cleaning time so I haven't given them much of a chance to get used to handling. They just go in a straight line and dart everywhere


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## nagini-baby (Jun 5, 2012)

my little rsp that i got of swampie is a darling so far. very curious and no signs of grumpy pants syndrome.


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## cement (Jun 5, 2012)

I was only bitten when one of mine missed the rat I was holding. Other then that I would almost go as far to say that they don't bite....but I did have one moment when the only reason my photos not up there next to Ingies is because my male ran out of length by 1 inch. I must admit though, the length of the adult teeth does make getting bitten in a food response an exciting time!!


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## Renenet (Jun 5, 2012)

For you folks who have had the pleasure of being christened by an RSP, how do you think the bite compares to one from another snake of a similar size? Do those long teeth make it worse?


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## ingie (Jun 6, 2012)

My bite was over before I realised it had happened. It didn't hurt at all, just felt like a little tap. However, there was a lot of blood compared to other bites I have had, not sure if that was just because it was on my face. After the photo was taken the blood kept coming and it was dripping off my nose and chin for several minutes. I had nothing to wipe it off with apart from my hand LOL.

I don't think an RSP bite would be anything to be more worried than usual about, unless yours decided to hang on!


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 6, 2012)

The bleeding is interesting. I was once bitten on the back of the neck (time for true confessions ) by a 4m scrubby (yes... I wasn't paying attention when changing water tubs...) and it bled for about 20 minutes. The puncture wounds, as opposed to tears in the flesh, left by even large pythons are relatively small, so you would expect quick coagulation, but these things can bleed far in excess of what you would expect. Often accompanied by significant subcutaneous bleeding (bruising) around the site as well.

Does anyone know whether there is an anti-coagulant compnent in a python's saliva?

I had a glass or two of a nice red last night as well...

Jamie


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## girdheinz (Jun 6, 2012)

Of pythons, large scrubbies are the worst, roughies don'y compare. It's the bite force a scrubby can generate that makes it more severe. A large coastal, bredli or diamond is far worse than a roughy any day.

Gird


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## Striker (Jun 6, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> The bleeding is interesting. I was once bitten on the back of the neck (time for true confessions ) by a 4m scrubby (yes... I wasn't paying attention when changing water tubs...) and it bled for about 20 minutes. The puncture wounds, as opposed to tears in the flesh, left by even large pythons are relatively small, so you would expect quick coagulation, but these things can bleed far in excess of what you would expect. Often accompanied by significant subcutaneous bleeding (bruising) around the site as well.
> 
> Does anyone know whether there is an anti-coagulant compnent in a python's saliva?
> 
> ...



Being bitten on the neck demonstrates poor judgement on your part.....

But moving on I have wondered about the anti-coagulant properties as well. I had several wild coastal bites (from the same snake) that bled a ridiculous amount. And as you said above once the bleeding stops you could barely see the wound the puncture marks were so small.


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## Bradchip (Jun 24, 2012)

I picked up my little roughie from Swampie yesterday, and she hasn't showed any signs of aggression towards me...although she did bite my girlfriend this morning when she went to pick her up. She wasn't impressed. Hehe. Besides that one bite, she's been great, and is inquisitive and doesn't seem to mind being handled. 

Beautiful animals.


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## zeke (Jun 24, 2012)

My little fella is not even the slightest bit snappy


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## cement (Jun 24, 2012)

I am not so sure about the anti coagulant thing, I doubt it. Possibly but I doubt it. Only reason is that when ever I am tying steel reinforcement together for a concrete pour and I get cuts or spiked off the nipped ends of the tye wire I bleed like a stuck pig too. Definatly no anti coags in that. I think it may be more the depth of the punctures rather then the size that causes the bleeding.


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## Bradchip (Jun 24, 2012)

zeke said:


> My little fella is not even the slightest bit snappy



I wouldn't say mine is either. I just think my partner was too eager to pick her up first thing this morning, and she didn't do it the way I'd shown her. Whoops


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## ToadCountry (Jun 24, 2012)

Inge, - LOVE the photo.


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## zaphyrr (Jun 26, 2012)

Not sold on the anticoagulant thing either. Elapid venom iscapable of toying with clotting times but as far as I am aware there is nothing in python saliva capable of this. I agree that it's just the type of injury. If I give myself a decent sized graze it manages to stop bleeding within a couple of minutes. But nick myself with the razor or get my finger with a knife and it bleeds for ages. I think it has something to do with the sharpness.... Perhaps it's harder for the body to heal a clean cut/puncture


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