ok, I got a nice Cali King that is about 8 months old an I'll try to handle him about once or twice a day, but every now and then i'll dig him up (got bark bedding) and he'll get into the striking position and snap at me or poop (i can understand the pooping part) on me. now this happens every 1/3 times i'll try to get him. does your guy's kings do this?
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little too agressive?
crash1522
Jan 14, 2007 04:27 PM
Replies (3)
Patton
Jan 14, 2007 04:46 PM
It's doing what nature designed it to do. Handling a snake a couple times a day is putting it under an extreme amount of undue stress. In nature an 18" Cal King is food for everything
and it's only defence is to musk and strike. I only handle my small kings about once a week, when I'm feeding and cleaning their shoeboxes. Most kings will calm down with age, but I still wouldn't handle them daily. It has been said on this forum before, snakes are not "pets" in the normal sence of the word. They are NOT domesticated animals, no matter how much we try to fool ourselves that they are. They will always retain their natural instincts to eat, breed, and defend themselves.
Sound like you have a nice normal healthy acting Cal King.
-Phil
jparker
Jan 14, 2007 04:49 PM
My cal does that too. He's fine just picking him up or even picking up the hide when he's under it. If I dig him out when he's burrowed under the aspen he gets a little upset. I think he just doesn't want to be dug up when he's hiding under there.
crash1522
Jan 14, 2007 05:23 PM
he's 8 months old, about 23/25 inches long buy about the size of a dime girth wise. is this the normal size for them at this age?
