Real NOOB question!!

[JRU88]

Ok so after doing a heap of searching, and this may be a dumb question, but, is there any form of shot, tetanus ect, that you need to get from a doctor after recieving a bite from a python or is if just if your python isnt looked after and is diseased and dirty? Stupid question but its one I want to know the answer too none the less as Im trying to find out as much info and research as much as possible before owning a snake so I can give it the care it needs . . . As I couldnt find anything on the net I thought I would resort to asking here . . .

Cheers
Grant

 

[glassless_mind]

If your python lives on soil that you dig up from the garden there might be a reason to get a tetanus shot, as tetanus spores can live in the soil for many decades. Otherwise you're probably alright, animals don't really carry tetanus, it lives more in the environment.
Otherwise, as far as I know, you'd just have to be careful of any other bacteria in case it gets infected... don't know any more than that, sorry!

 

[mozi]

I had a doctor tell me that I had to get a tetnaus shot after I got bitten by a snake but I think he was saying getting it more for my work (always scratching legs in dirty soil areas) so I'm not sure if you solely have to get one for a snake bite. I had been bitten many times before with no tenaus shot and I'm still alive so I wouldn't worry too much

 

[JRU88]

Awesome thanks for clearing that one up for me guys - much appreciated

 

[Fantazmic]

ok the issue is salmonella

snakes have salmonella living in their mouths and pretty much all over them. Now salmonella is a bit of an opportunisitic bacteria...so it gets you if you are sick....so the best thing is to wash hands after handing your snake and never around food.

if youa re bitten there is a risk that salmonella will enter the wound...but again.....it wont get you unless you are extremely run down....

what you need to be careful of is if the snake bites someone else and they have a blood bore disease and then bites you....if the person has Hep C for example and their blood is present in the snakes mouth and then the snake bites you there is a risk you will also contract hep C from the contaminated blood in the snakes mouth....if that makes sense....so be careful about being bitten by snakes that are biting other people

hope that helps

Elizabeth

 

[styxxpython]

what if the perious owner of a python had hep c and has the python has bitten him before, then you purchase this python and get bitten by it 6 months later will you contract hep c still?
or must the blood be in the pythons mouth to contract it?

 

[JRU88]

Thanks Elizabeth - good to know these sorts of things I appreciate your info . . . I also appreciate not being ripped apart by asking a seemingly stupid question Thanks everyone

 

[Fantazmic]

hep C doesnt live long out of the human body so from what I have read...and there isnt much about this out there...it is more if one person is bitten and then straight away the next person is bitten....I would be surprised if hep C could live in the snakes mouth for six months...given that snakes regulate to a different temp than humans do.......