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Posted by kerry on December 26, 2002 at 18:11:14:
In Reply to: Gila Bite posted by VenomousKeeper on December 25, 2002 at 09:48:25:
......Your "first hand" account (sorry, I just couldn't resist) is just the sort of thing people need to see and hear with the growing popularity of the general public's desire to keep these animals as pets. They truly are NEVER to be taken for granted or completely trusted.
Your reaction sounds as though it was a bit different than mine. When I was bitten on the left index finger I felt almost immediate pain which grew to the unbearable level within about a half-hour. Unfortunately due to the circumstances it was necessary for me to yank the animal off which resulted in a few deep lacerations with some broken teeth being left behind and some temporarily profuse bleeding. The other symptoms were the same except that after about 6-7 hours the pain began to subside to the point that I no longer needed roll back-and-forth in the bed or on the ground in order to cope (yes, it really was that bad). I more or less regained the use of my left hand within about two weeks, but could still feel I wasn't quite right for three or four.
By comparison, I know of a former Science Professor at a college in west Phoenix who's experince was quite different. He was handling the animal carelessly during a lecture when he recieved his bite. Rather than yank the animal off he stuggled for many minutes before finally managing to remove it. He ended up in an "iron lung" and wasn't "right" again for a couple of months. To date his is one the most serious documented cases on record.
Being bitten by a Gila Monster was definitely the most painful experience of my life, and since then, even though I love 'em, I've never quite been able to look at one the same way again.
