Ever been bitten?

[Hunter9]

Today as i picked up my male eastern newt (red spotted) so i could put him in the feeding dish, he bit me! He got in this awquard position where his tail draped over my pinky, he wraped his back legs in a death-grip around my ring finger and bit the center part of my pointer finger. *chucles* it didn't hurt of corse. i believe what happend is it was feeding time and as i was cutting worms i got the scent of them on my hands and as i pulled out a few newts before him the scent got into the water. so he just got excited and bit the most worm-like thing he saw; my finger! so if u have ever been bitten tell me about it! i want lotsa funny stories. make sure you include the species that bit you, what you think caused the newt to bite (ex. feeding frenzy, you made it angry, ect.) and did it hurt?

 

[Otterwoman]

Not many species cause wounds, but see this thread:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...avortium-spp-etc/54775-tiger-draws-blood.html

 

[Hunter9]

Thanks for the link otterwoman . It seems to prove my theroy-- a response to food causes most bites. and wow i knew newt teeth were more like sandpapper, but i had no idea that they could possibly even cut some one

 

[DeCypher]

My male eastern newt has never done that! That's kind if strange/interesting...was your newt really hungry when he bit you?

 

[Kaysie]

I wonder if it wasn't more of a territorial/breeding thing versus hunger. Especially with a male Noto, and you said he wrapped his legs around your finger: that's a breeding/aggression posture. Maybe he saw you as a rival, and tried to scare you off.

 

[DeCypher]

Wait are N. v. viridescens territorial? Mine have never acted territorial in any way...

 

[Kaysie]

They can be. And males are extremely aggressive breeders.

 

[Hunter9]

@ psychopathic963, yes it has been a little longer than normal since i have fed them last. about a week not the 3-4 days they are used to. thats why i think he was so excited. @ kaysie, now that you say it the back legs are part of their mateing position and this male has been with at least 1 female this season so that is a possibility.... he isnt even agressive to the other 4 females or 5 males he is with so i dont think it was territorial. but mateing agression is another possibility.

 

[Kaysie]

Then maybe he was trying to woo you

 

[Molch]

I pretty much get gummed to death every time I feed the monsters (Aka fire bellies). In fact, my preferred way of lifting them from the tank if I have to clean etc, is to stick a finger in the water and "hook" them one by one.

 

[Hunter9]

that sounds like fun molch, i will have 2 try that sometime haha

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I've only been bitten by a newt once, a male Triturus karelinii. He bit me as I was transfering him from his tank to a shipping container so needless to say, I think he was mad at me. It didn't hurt but boy did it surprise me.

 

[allegoriest]

My tiger tries to bite me all the time. His teeth feel sorta scratchy, like just touching a slightly serrated knife, but they haven't cut. (And everytime I see that link, I get terrified, even though its not THAT bad.) I think he does it to try and escape, since I'd take my hand, with him out since it was uncomfortable keeping it in his tank. Now he bites, I remove him and he lets go and starts running around. Hrm.

His tongue is also REALLY sticky, and I think I enjoy that the least. He seems to think he's a frog. :frog:

Most the time, he'll bite me, and he'll be hanging there, attached by mouth, and I'm going AHHHH and he's going AHHHH and its just bad.

 

[caleb]

I've had feeding bites from Triturus karelinii (mine would always bite when I cleaned them out), Triturus carnifex and Triturus/Lissotriton helveticus. If you know how small helveticus are, you'll appreciate how ridiculous this is.