Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey there! My california kingsnake that i have had for almost 2 years has been a wonderful pet! she crawls on me, crawls on the floor and 'inspects' stuff when i take her out for a stretch. she has NEVER attacked me and has been the most docile snake. I would let ANYONE touch her, pick her up/ let her crawl on them. That was up until about 1 month ago. now...she's crazy. she darts at the glass in her cage, strikes at anything, goes into a defensive position if you walk past her tank, and has even latched onto my finger to the point of sucking the blood out of my finger. now i'm afraid to even go near her tank in the fear that she will hurt herself from darting at the glass or at the top of the cage. She ate 3 adult mice on thursday and here we are at wednesday and she's now eating her 6th one. 6 mice in less than a week!? i handle her now with thick ski gloves so she can't smell me or bite me. Does ANYONE out there know what's going on with her?!?!? What am I to do?! i'm ready to give her up for adoption if she doesn't cut it out! HELP!!

Interesting. That's highly abnormal behavior for most kingsnakes. I'd say that the change in attitude is an indication that the snake is stressing out big time on something, although the voracious appetite may be an indication that there's more to it.

Has there been any notable change to the snake's environment in the last month or so? Have temperature, humidity, lighting, accessories, hiding places, water dishes, etc. been changed? Has the enclosure been moved? Has there been any change in the "technique" you use when handling the snake (aside from the gloves)? Do you feed live mice, and if so, could she have had an "ugly" encounter with a feisty mouse? (In fact, are you sure she's a she?) Has there been an increased level of activity in your home lately? Any other new pets recently? Is her container close to an AC unit or something that might create a lot of vibration? Sounds like she's sensing something she doesn't like - something that wasn't there before, but is there now.

Here are some ideas: One, DO NOT even attempt to handle the snake within a couple days after eating. Gloves or no gloves, the snake needs at least that much time to kick back and digest the food; any disturbance or source of stress at this time could lead to regurgitation, and possibly even harm the snake. Two, toss a temporary cover over the enclosure to give her some extra privacy. If she's stressed out from some external stimulus, that might help settle her down. Three, watch her closely on a daily basis, and if you can do it without being overly intrusive, inspect her for any physiological changes that might indicate illness or disease. Four, get rid of the gloves. They'll only add to the snake's already elevated stress levels. Finally, continue to try handling the snake at proper times (not after a meal, and not during shedding cycle) - gently, without restricting her movement, letting her move freely between your hands/fingers, no sudden movements but keep everything slow, soft and gradual. The idea is to regain her trust, let her know that you're not a threat, and minimize any and all sources of stress.

Mope this helps. Keep us posted, michaelb

Thanks for all the info!! I will try to be brave and not use the gloves. The only change in her environment that I can think of is that the heat has increased quite a bit b/c of the summertime. The same cage, waterbowl, hidebox, substrate, and everything are the same. I only handle her after a meal to put her back in her tank. she's calmed down since last night and is just digesting right now. i'll see what happens when she comes out in a few days. Thanks again!
~Julie

The higher temperature is very probably a part of it, although I don't think that would trigger the feeding frenzy. I myself sometimes get cranky when it's really hot. Try to keep it at 75-85 in the enclosure, and if possible set up a temperature gradient within the enclosure to allow her to find her own "comfort zone."; anything approaching or exceeding 90 is probably too warm. Good luck, michaelb