A bite from a ratsnake is not painful but it bleeds
like a leaking tap. "Don't worry, Rahul," Rom said cheerfully, "the
venom will not take effect for another half an hour." (Ratsnakes are
non-poisonous.)
Another time I was getting a picture taken of myself with a baby
crocodile when it turned round and bit me. That was quite bad! Imagine
a sawing machine running over your hand. But I was cool, and happy that
I had been bitten by a crocodile!
Then I was dumb enough to try the bite of a wall lizard that Gerry had
caught to feed to his pit vipers. The scar, still on my hand, reminds
me also of the chequered keelback bite I got in Pune (the one which got
so bad that I couldn't wear my watch for a few days).
And on the last day of my stay at Croc Bank the red-eared turtle which
I was taking away as my gift and souvenir from Croc Bank bit me so bad
that I could see my flesh and I could barely use my hand for a few
days.
Now when I look back I think I was collecting bites in much the same
way that some people collect trophies. Although this may appear quite a
foolish thing to do and perhaps it was too (some of the bites were
quite painful), one good thing did come out of all those bites. I have
no paranoid fear of such bites any longer. I am very careful when I
handle reptiles and take all the precautions that I have been taught
but I know that I would not be terror stricken should I get bitten and
would know what remedial steps to take.
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