Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I was handling my adult kingsnake--just letting him crawl around a bit on the floor--and he started sniffing my foot. Then he tried to eat my foot! I had to pry his little mouth off. It didn't hurt or anything, but wow, he's got some sharp teeth! Anyway, then he started just going nuts. He started biting himself. I picked him up and put him back his tank and turned the lights off. Has anyone's snake ever done this? I'm thinking my foot smelled like mouse to him.

--Alex

Hmmm smells like rat toes, gotta love it. my hogs will do the same thing including eat them self.

sounds like another starving underfed snake that you may be feeding meals that are to small.

What are the stats on your snake?:

size
age
size food (ex pinkies, fuzzies , mice ect)
frequency of feedings
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I still don't need no spell chack.

I had just fed him a big mouse that afternoon. I feed him mice 2-3 times a week. He's full grown--4 1/2 feet.

I had just fed him a big mouse that afternoon. I feed him mice 2-3 times a week. He's full grown--4 1/2 feet.

okay never mind then. we have had a lot of people post on here lately with yearling snakes still feeding pinks. My bad.

SOunds like he is just a great feeder.LOL!
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I still don't need no spell chack.

The reason your snake bit you was that he was still in his "feeding mode" - IOW, he was still looking for food. It's a general rule (for me at least) never to handle a snake on the same day after a feeding as they tend to be a little snippish. I've made the mistake of trying to handle mine too soon after a feeding, and that was the only time my snake has ever bitten me. Don't handle your snake for at least a day after feeding, and you shouldn't have any repeat episodes.

I heard that you can get a snake to release by pouring cold water/alcohol in its mouth. Does anyone know if this is true?

first of all, if alcohol is being pored it's going into my mouth - not a snakes.

The water thing has never worked for me.... maybe my tap water isnt cold enough. ice cold water may work.

I always just pry them off.

byron.d

I'd heard that the water/alcohol works for the larger constrictors, but I understand the need to conserve good alcohol.

than a drunk snake,i once had a shop owner remove an adult Cal king from my hand with a splash of Whiskey,i dont think the water would do much

Water works.
But you don't pour it on.

You put your hand in a bucket of room temperature water - the reptile biting you then has to let go to come up for air.

Far less damaging than prying it off.

If you can't do that - release your grip on the snake with the snake supported by a table or the ground, and it will let go on its own - usually after a short time, and is generally unlikely to bite again (at least that encounter).
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3.6 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
1.1 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
1.0 Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi (Valley Garter)
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

1) If you have carpet, then the carpet mites probably started biting him and he was reacting to that.

2) I used to have a huge wild caught Sonoran Gopher snake that was calm as heck....until I put her on the ground and then she turned into a devil snake. A little taste of freedom.....

3) Maybe your snake likes toe jam LOL Now there is a new marketing tool. Selling toe jam to scent your pinkies to get a better feeding response on finicky feeders!

Kerby...
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Lonesome Valley Reptiles
www.lonesomevalleyreptiles.com
Specializing In California Kingsnakes

Hi, Are you sure its not a female, it sounds like a gravid female, sometimes they bite anything that moves or is stationary in site when they get excited.

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R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

That's a possibility. I've never sexed him/her.