A dumb question about sting-rays and their stings

dirtsurfer

dirtsurfer

Guest
Can someone tell me how a sting ray manages to stab its stinger into the foot of it's unsuspecting victim? I have heard that the ray whips its tail over but smaller rays just don't appear to have the physical size to hit people on the top of the foot, although they obviously do. I was stung out in the middle of Cholla Bay many years ago and the stinger went through the top of my foot near the edge and came out the side.
 
mexicoruss

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
The sting is a reaction the ray being stepped on. It's like it is spring loaded. The bigger the ray the longer the tail so the more of an ark will be produced when you step on him. It also matters where you step on him too. By the way there are no dumb questions
 
Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Basically, you are correct. The ray whips its tail (and bends its body when stepped on), causing the barb to pierce in a downward direction. The size of the ray makes no difference. Both times I've been stung were in the hand - once trying to unhook a very small ray I caught at La Pinta. I was holding it (so I thought) so that it couldn't hit me while I unhooked it to release it. Wrong. Got me right in the tip of the finger, which swelled up like a bratwurst. Other sting was while snorkeling in Punta Chivato. Had just started swimming along in shallow water and my hand brushed over a ray buried in the sand. Got me smack in the middle of the hand, even with a set of leather gloves on.

These days, when I catch a ray, the very FIRST thing I do is cut its barb off with my pliers before unhooking and releasing it. Live and learn!
 
mexicoruss

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
The only time I got hit by a ray was on the side of my foot in the Estero Morua. It took 2 - 3 days for the swelling to go down...lesson learned here too!
 
dirtsurfer

dirtsurfer

Guest
So a ray flips its tail upwards and bends its body to sting so most people get hit on the top of their foot? Does wearing a pair of shoes help to defray a sting?
 
hammockpilot

hammockpilot

Guest
got hit twice on the same foot last august off encanto, boom boom double tap between the toes and below the ankle..two rays ? 3 feet of water.. " I WAS shuffling!". the tide pools were hot and the tequila was cold and I got better. still have the barb buried below my ankle. more cautious now.. I make my wife walk ahead of me..and wear my high tops.
 
Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Depends, but generally anything you're gonna wear in the water is not going to stop it (sneakers, canvas, rubber, etc.). They do make special boots and guards that will stop a snakebite or stingray barb. These are popular with wade fisherman in Texas, Florida, etc. because they have plenty of stingrays there, too. Some pics below.
reefboots.jpgray.jpgnewsnakeguards.jpg
 
dirtsurfer

dirtsurfer

Guest
My wound became infected and my doc treated it with antibiotics ( of course, at the time I was stung I treated the wound internally and externally with tequila).
I really don't want to wear special shoes so will take hammockpilot's idea and get my wife or kids to walk in front of me :)
 
playaperro

playaperro

El Pirata
Got me good in low tide and shallow water, so much pain ended up at red cross, Thank You red cross, one shot and I was good to stay....
 
dmcauley

dmcauley

Guest
On my first trrip to RP in 1982 I was told to shuffle my feet when walking in the water and to this day have not been stung. Knock on wood.
 
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