Could my Avic have done THIS?

Yesterday I was brave/stupid enough to coax out my beautiful A. Avic because I was determine to handle her. On my first attempt "Blue" wanted NO part of my hand, so after taking a time-out I ventured out and tried again 10 minutes later. When I finally had her on my hand I was exstatic! The second I sit down with her my kids came running down the stairs, totally unaware where I was (dining room) or what I was doing (playing with big T). Before I could say a word my 12-year old opened the door to let one of my monster dogs inside who, of course, came gallopping over to me right away.

By the time my kids noticed the dilemma and had managed to put the dog back out, Blue was in my neck. It all happened SO fast, and I do remember Blue shooting up my arm when the dog came flying over to me and resting on the sleeve of my T-shirt, but I didn't feel a thing, and never even thought anything had happened other than having a big blue thing under my hair in my neck. My 12-year old helped me get Blue back into his enclosure and the excitement was over.....or so I thought.

When everything was calm in the house last night I felt that my upper arm was kind of warm and itchy, but I didn't bother looking. Before taking a shower last night I caught a first glimpse of my arm. I saw 2 puncture wounds, and a bluish ring around them (sort of like a black and blue mark). Today the area is still warmer than the rest of my arm, but there is no real pain or any other ill effects that I'm aware of.

So now I wonder: Could it be possible that Blue tagged me when he was on my sleeve without me feeling it? Please remember that my heart was going 100miles/hour anyway when I was handling her for the first time, but when the dog came over, the kids were screaming and all, it only raised my blood pressure a notch or two, and I don't think I would have noticed an earthquake at that particular moment.

(I didn't want to put this thread in the "Bite" forum just because I'm not even sure if that's what it is, but if it belongs in there, I apologize.)

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Wendy
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What is the distance between the two punctures? Does it look to be about the same distance apart as the fangs?

Dan

Dan,
The distance is between 1/4 - 1/2 inch, and when looking at Blue (Avic), the distance seems to match. :8o
I do feel like such an idiot about this.

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Wendy
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Could be then..from what I understand most T bites are dry, and I have cut myself several times while working on something and didnt realize what had happened until I saw the blood.

...on the other hand, maybe you have a vampire in the house.

Dan

I'm not sure, it dont look as bad as most T bites but it is rather odd it appeared where u were holding him/her, dont feel stupid about it, u made a mistake so y not learn from it? Best of luck to you Wendy

Regards,
Steve

Socrates said:

So now I wonder: Could it be possible that Blue tagged me when he was on my sleeve without me feeling it?

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I've never heard of someone getting bittin like that but I guess theres a first time for everything, and yes those are definately puncture marks from fangs. If they didn't swell up then it was a dry bite

Maybe that was a warining..."Mom dont pick me up again please, cuz it could be worse next time." ....dont feel bad, I think we have ll been there once or twice.

I'm quite sure that it's a bite as well, the coincidence is just too perfect.

It's very plausible that you didn't feel it at all mainly because you were already experiencing an adrenaline rush from handling and then the following events just compounded that. Adrenaline and most likely endorphins as well coursing through your body at the time along with all the distractions would easily result in you not feeling the bite at all.

Well, I guess now you kinda know how if feels like.. Um I guess not! lol Now you can say that you've experienced a bite from this species and relay how benign the results were

Pixie

jesses said:

I've never heard of someone getting bittin like that but I guess theres a first time for everything, and yes those are definately puncture marks from fangs. If they didn't swell up then it was a dry bite

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Well here's what I don't understand... If your Avic was just walking on the ground and someone scared it, would it bite the ground? If it was walking on your arm and bit your arm when it got scared, how did it know that your arm was even bitable? It shouldn't know that it can bite you since it doesn't know what it's walking on isn't the ground or a giant tree...

Thats not to say that it didn't happen, I just don't understand how the Avic knew it was on a biteable surface :?

jesses said:

Thats not to say that it didn't happen, I just don't understand how the Avic knew it was on a biteable surface :?

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Are you asking me? Because I am absolutely clueless. Like I said, I didn't feel a thing. Now this is going to sound totally ridiculous, but I checked the sleeve of the T-shirt I was wearing. It is a very light blue T-shirt. I was hoping to find "something", but since the shirt is overall a bit dirty <another moment of total embarassement> I couldn't tell for sure what I thought I saw were in fact tiny holes.

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Wendy
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jesses said:

Well here's what I don't understand... If your Avic was just walking on the ground and someone scared it, would it bite the ground? If it was walking on your arm and bit your arm when it got scared, how did it know that your arm was even bitable? It shouldn't know that it can bite you since it doesn't know what it's walking on isn't the ground or a giant tree...

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Lots of conjecture there about what it does and doesn't know, isn't there?

Chris

Because its warm and moving and possibly "smells"?

I know FA about spiders but those seem like no brainers...

Avic bite is no biggy IME but I think you would have felt the fangs the more, there's a good chance that’s were hairs landed/ or were the spiders tarsal claws have broke the skin (that can happen when handling larger insects too)

Was it a short sleeved shirt? Is it possible that Blue started to lose her grip while running up your arm and used her fangs to prevent a fall? That would explain why it would be a dry bite, and why she would bite a surface that could be a tree for all she knew. Course I don't actually own any T's yet myself and I'm just looking at this from my own point of view.

Could it be possible that Blue used her fangs not to bite, but to help her get a more secure grip onyour arm as she was climbing. I have seen and heard of many T's using their fangs almost as if they were additional legs.

It might have been a bite, but not a "bite" bite... I mean Ts quite often use their fangs like another set of legs as they improve the hold on the object, or maybe in this case the strange moving thing it was climbing. And your nerves added along with everything else that was going on, was quick, fast, and painless. One of the best ways to get bitten if you are going to be bitten IMHO

First of all, congrads on the first time handling with Blue... although I hope you aren't being put off by this. AFAIK, A.avics don't try to bite our hands very much, so you must've been really lucky, or as other suggested, she was just trying to get a grip because the "tree" was shaking?

Let me share with you another thing. My 1st ever T is an A.avic called Pinkie (yeah the common pinktoe name). Before his last molt he used to come out and explore my arms whenever I open his cage. Now whenever he touches my skin, he turns around... maybe he doesn't like my smell anymore!

So I would suggest that if Blue isn't willing to touch you, leave it be for the time being. You will have plenty of time for that later. And don't forget, a molt can change everything!

Ron_K said:

Could it be possible that Blue used her fangs not to bite, but to help her get a more secure grip onyour arm as she was climbing. I have seen and heard of many T's using their fangs almost as if they were additional legs.

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That's exactly what I thought Wendy when I first read this, and Ron saw the same thing. For sure it's a puncture wound, but like a couple others have said, dry. You'd have seen significant swelling with venom. But don't feel stupid by the whole thing! I'm proud of you for handling her. How's she like her new digs, btw?

WayneT said:

That's exactly what I thought Wendy when I first read this, and Ron saw the same thing. For sure it's a puncture wound, but like a couple others have said, dry. You'd have seen significant swelling with venom. But don't feel stupid by the whole thing! I'm proud of you for handling her. How's she like her new digs, btw?

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Thanks for ALL the kind replies, and even though I still feel somewhat like a dummy for not being responsible enough to know my kids (and dog) are unpredictable, I'll leave Blue be for now, at least until the kids are back in school so I know I have quiet and privacy.

Even though I've never heard of a T using their fangs to get a better grip, it does make perfect sense. I mean she was climbing from my (hairy) arm onto the sleeve of my soft cotton T-Shirt, and with me shaking and all, it's probably the best bet to assume that's exactly what she did.

Wayne, I'm taking a chance here of sounding stupid AGAIN, but you asked how Blue likes her new "digs", and I have NO clue what "digs" is. Assuming it means her new enclosure, well, she LOVES IT! She has even began webbing a bit in 2 spots already. She will stay in the dining room as the "centerpiece".

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Wendy
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Socrates said:

Are you asking me? Because I am absolutely clueless.

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I'm wondering out loud