Snake owners, especially beginners, have concerns about the possibility of their snake pet biting them. Ball pythons are known to be pretty docile, but if they feel irritated or cornered, they might attack you. Do ball pythons have teeth that can wound you, and does their bite hurt?
Ball pythons have several rows of tiny teeth in their mouths but no fangs. They are not aggressive and not very likely to attack you, but they can bite when they are irritated or nervous. Their bite can hurt, especially if the snake doesn’t let go immediately after biting you.
Read below if you want to know more about ball python bites. I will explain more about their teeth and the type of wound they could inflict on you. Moreover, I will briefly cover everything you need to do if you get bitten by a ball python.
Do Ball Pythons Have Fangs?
Before I dive into the not-so-pleasant details regarding ball python bites, I should remind you that these snakes rarely attack. Ball pythons are pretty calm and very rarely get aggressive; even when they are scared of a potential predator, they would rather hide than attack at the spot. Nevertheless, in the rare cases when they bite, they can inflict some damage.
Like most non-venomous snakes, ball pythons don’t have fangs. However, they have 4 rows of teeth in their upper jaw and 2 rows in their lower jaw, amounting to around 150 teeth. The teeth are quite small, 0.4 inches (1 cm) at most, and curved inwards, designed to trap the prey while strangling it.
Does a Ball Python Bite Hurt?
A ball python may bite when it feels threatened or to catch prey. In the first case, the bite will be just a warning, meaning the snake will bite quickly and then retreat immediately. In the second case, the snake will sink its teeth and not let go.
A ball python bite hurts, especially when the snake keeps the jaw locked into the bite, refusing to let go. The bite area will also hurt after the snake lets go, as it will be punctured and bruised. You may also experience inflammation, swelling, and a tingling feeling in your extremities.
What To Do if You Get Bitten by a Ball Python
Ball pythons are non-venomous, so their bite is not fatal, but it can still inflict a lot of damage on your tissue and can also cause bacterial infections that could get serious.
If your pet ball python bites you, you should first wash your wound carefully with water and soap to minimize the chance of infection and try to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding stops, bandage your wound and call a doctor to ensure nothing is wrong.
If your ball python is latched onto you and is not letting go, you should stay calm and give your pet some time to realize that you are not prey. You should not move fast or try to remove your snake because it will only bite harder. If it’s still not letting go, try pouring water or alcohol over the bite to make the snake let go.
Small bites that can’t cause a lot of damage don’t require much more than what I described above. However, if your wound keeps bleeding or you feel intense pain, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Ball pythons are known as calm and docile snakes that attack very rarely. They are also non-venomous, which makes them even less dangerous. However, they can bite when they think you are prey or feel cornered or irritated.
These snakes have around 150 teeth, and their bite can hurt a lot, especially if your ball python doesn’t let go immediately. If you’re bleeding profusely and experiencing a lot of pain after being bit, you should contact a doctor immediately.
