Merlin's idea of rubbing alcohol isn't bad, but I think instead of rubbing alcohol, try tequila or ron-rico 120 proof rum. If the snake doesn't let go with that in his nose, well.....you can always still still until he's finished and pour yourself a shot to dull the pain.

Just kidding though, I saw a program on TV once where a man in England kept large snakes. When he went to go feed one of them, with a friend of his nearby, the snake lunged at him and wrapped around his neck squeezing him tightly.

The only thing his friend could think of was running for the liquor cabinet for a strong whiskey or rum to pour over the snake's mouth hoping to have the snake release the other man.

It worked and the snake released his intended victim. No harm came to his friend who was nearly strangled.

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bob/stano40

Drinking alcohol will serve the same purpose as rubbing alcohol.
If you are in fact dealing with a large constrictor I would have suggested the drinking type because as you said you can pour it in the snake's mouth without too much worry. In that instance it is not an inconveience but a life threatening situation.
For something no bigger than a kingsnake I would still use rubbing alchol and save the good stuff for myself!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

note to self. Don't let Passion4pythons come field herping with me
don't feel like carrying pillow cases and body bags.

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hahaha well I like the non-veno type...

=D

Your describing a feeding response when you pick up your animal. that isnt normal. is there any common denominator during these instances? does it happen more often before feedings (ie, not to be over obvious, but when you have been handling food items?)

try washing your hands real well before handling the snake and see if that changes his behavior some.

Its actually more common than you would think!
There are a number of things that can trigger an unexpected feeding strike. The very scent of rodents thawing preparatory to feeding, the scent of fuzzy or bird pets in the household in the air, an aggressive feeder registering the movement and heat of your hand. Or they were just plain hungrier than you thought they were.
Snakes are pretty primitive minded creatures and if something keys them that there is food present they go into feeding mode. Its at this time that they are running on pure instinct can be their most unpredictable and dangerous.

I know several people who have Cal kings, myself included, that take great delight in chomping on anything that is warm, including the owner's hand. I have on more than one occassion removed ours from my wife's hand.

I had an associate on another group who actually stood and snapped a sequence of pictures as her's (named Chomper by the way) proceeded to swallow her finger all the way up to where it joined the hand and then waited till it realized it wasn't going any further and backed itself off, with her snapping pictures all the way!
Talk about being dedicated to getting pictures!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

my friend took pictures of a cal king eating itself from the tail upwards! will scratch around...

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Don't be jealous the voices only speak to me...

www.herprecon.org

i hadnt heard of this. I still think a good washing of the hands will deter this.

is it more common with kings? none of the corns or larger snakes ive handles have ever tried to feed on anything they didnt think was actually going down.

Any snake can experience this if the right situation arises. Granted it is often the fault of a careless keeper (SFE) but not always. We are still dealing with wild animals after all.
One of my friends, who is quite experienced, had it out with his 12 ft retic who decided he was dinner.
The snake latched onto his FACE barely missing his eye.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

omg! thats crazy

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