Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I recently got a young mex mex kingsnake (about 1 yr old). When I handled the snake at the dealer, there was no problem with him. Now that I have him home, he is continuing to get more nasty. I have 3 other snakes and I have not run into this problem yet.

When I try to handle him, he quickly starts the tail wiggle and then coils up in the corner of the cage in the strike position. I can't get my hand in there without this behavior. He has plently of bedding to hide under plus some structures to hide in.

Any help? My wife wants me to find him a new home but I don't want to give up on the snake. He appears to be in great health and is eating well. Oh, and I make sure that I wash my hands before and after handling him and I don't bother him after he eats.

Give him a little time to get used to his new surroundings. It sounds like your providing everything he needs, but everything is new and unfamiliar to him. Once he settles in, I'll bet he calms down. Mex-mex and other mexicana kings are usually quite calm, but there are always exceptions.