Lovemysnakes
Active Member
Hey Guys,
RBBS are supposed to be one of the lesser venomous snakes eh? I attempted to force feed my poor little Otis as he will only eat live food - I just cant get any food for him now as winter nears. He turn his nose up at live mice etc etc etc. He is always been a reluctant biter, as they say.
Anyway, I put a welding glove on the feeding hand (for obvious reasons) but kept my snake holding hand exposed for a good grip. He started to get angry (very unlike him) and even took a few strikes at the much hated pinkie. I though to myself "Ok, next strike, this food is going down his throat,"
All of a sudden, with a lot more strength than I realised he had in him, he managed to turn and sink one fang into my finger, he would not let go for what seemed like ages - I think it may of been a couple of seconds. Loving little Otis like I do, I didnt want to rip him off as I didnt want to snap his fang off. I shouted "oh ******!" before promptly placing him back into the vivarium. I immediately called my who who came in, promptly unwrapping the snake bite kit.
Then the pain started, ooooh the pain. I had no idea a RBBS bite produced so much localised pain. Ever been stung by a bee? X that by 50! A trickle of blood was making it's way down my finger as the bandage was firstly placed a few times around the finger proceeding up to my shoulder. The pain intensified as my wife (surprisingly calm) drove me to the hospital (we live 3 mins away from Flinders Medical Centre)
My wife dropped me off at Emergency then went off to park the car. I stood in the queue for a bout five minutes before deciding to ask a passing nurse that I had been bitten by a snake and should I continue to queue?
All of a sudden I was shoved on a bed, oxygen, heart monitors, drips, blood tests, snake bite venom tested, five staff buzzing around me!!!
My hand was turning blue - it's amazing how tight you place a bandage on and not realise at the time. They removed the bandage and quickly placed it back on from my wrist upwards and marked the bite site with a marker pen.
A red rash was creeping across my right (bite side) shoulder and down my chest. I was given the maximum allowed dose of morphine which sure helped with the pain (ooooh the pain).
Anyway, cutting a long story short, I was kept in overnight. Approximately 8 hours after the bite, the headache, tum tum cramps and throwing up started. My right hand, arm, shoulder and chest and all glands in that area was killing me (not sure if this is a non intended pun or not).
I now had a rash all over my chest and back and a thick red track was visible from the bite sight right up to my shoulder. You can literally see the route the venom took!
Anyway, blood tests, blood pressure test and constant saline drip for another 12 hours was no joke - talk about being a pin cushion!
I was home the following day in time for my little boys first school sports day. Felt like ****** all day! I still felt sick and my hand was up like a balloon. I have what can only be described as slow pins and needles that went in deep and painful right up my arm. My armpit was so painful that it was making me feel sick. I was really giddy, but tried my hardest to encourage my little boy and egg him on. (He did soooo well - won the big race at the end as well - bless his little five year old cotton socks).
The next day, much the same, no improvement. That evening, I was in so much pain with my arm I started dry reaching. I was taken back to the hospital, more of the same tests and kep in for yet another night. More morphine, blood test every two hours and injected antibiotics. They put it down to a secondary reaction to the venom.
I left hospital yesterday, feed 80% better today (Sunday) The pain in my hand an arm is still bad, cant pick anything up very well, and cant touch the track area up my arm. The arm pit is better though. The bite sight is a deep scratch and a black dot where the fang went in. My finger is now only swollen very slightly, my hand is not swollen at all now. I have strong pain killer and a five day course of antibiotics.
Let me know if you have any question.
PS. I still love my little Otis (RBBS)
RBBS are supposed to be one of the lesser venomous snakes eh? I attempted to force feed my poor little Otis as he will only eat live food - I just cant get any food for him now as winter nears. He turn his nose up at live mice etc etc etc. He is always been a reluctant biter, as they say.
Anyway, I put a welding glove on the feeding hand (for obvious reasons) but kept my snake holding hand exposed for a good grip. He started to get angry (very unlike him) and even took a few strikes at the much hated pinkie. I though to myself "Ok, next strike, this food is going down his throat,"
All of a sudden, with a lot more strength than I realised he had in him, he managed to turn and sink one fang into my finger, he would not let go for what seemed like ages - I think it may of been a couple of seconds. Loving little Otis like I do, I didnt want to rip him off as I didnt want to snap his fang off. I shouted "oh ******!" before promptly placing him back into the vivarium. I immediately called my who who came in, promptly unwrapping the snake bite kit.
Then the pain started, ooooh the pain. I had no idea a RBBS bite produced so much localised pain. Ever been stung by a bee? X that by 50! A trickle of blood was making it's way down my finger as the bandage was firstly placed a few times around the finger proceeding up to my shoulder. The pain intensified as my wife (surprisingly calm) drove me to the hospital (we live 3 mins away from Flinders Medical Centre)
My wife dropped me off at Emergency then went off to park the car. I stood in the queue for a bout five minutes before deciding to ask a passing nurse that I had been bitten by a snake and should I continue to queue?
All of a sudden I was shoved on a bed, oxygen, heart monitors, drips, blood tests, snake bite venom tested, five staff buzzing around me!!!
My hand was turning blue - it's amazing how tight you place a bandage on and not realise at the time. They removed the bandage and quickly placed it back on from my wrist upwards and marked the bite site with a marker pen.
A red rash was creeping across my right (bite side) shoulder and down my chest. I was given the maximum allowed dose of morphine which sure helped with the pain (ooooh the pain).
Anyway, cutting a long story short, I was kept in overnight. Approximately 8 hours after the bite, the headache, tum tum cramps and throwing up started. My right hand, arm, shoulder and chest and all glands in that area was killing me (not sure if this is a non intended pun or not).
I now had a rash all over my chest and back and a thick red track was visible from the bite sight right up to my shoulder. You can literally see the route the venom took!
Anyway, blood tests, blood pressure test and constant saline drip for another 12 hours was no joke - talk about being a pin cushion!
I was home the following day in time for my little boys first school sports day. Felt like ****** all day! I still felt sick and my hand was up like a balloon. I have what can only be described as slow pins and needles that went in deep and painful right up my arm. My armpit was so painful that it was making me feel sick. I was really giddy, but tried my hardest to encourage my little boy and egg him on. (He did soooo well - won the big race at the end as well - bless his little five year old cotton socks).
The next day, much the same, no improvement. That evening, I was in so much pain with my arm I started dry reaching. I was taken back to the hospital, more of the same tests and kep in for yet another night. More morphine, blood test every two hours and injected antibiotics. They put it down to a secondary reaction to the venom.
I left hospital yesterday, feed 80% better today (Sunday) The pain in my hand an arm is still bad, cant pick anything up very well, and cant touch the track area up my arm. The arm pit is better though. The bite sight is a deep scratch and a black dot where the fang went in. My finger is now only swollen very slightly, my hand is not swollen at all now. I have strong pain killer and a five day course of antibiotics.
Let me know if you have any question.
PS. I still love my little Otis (RBBS)
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