Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was handling a black kingsnake in my yard today and it started autohemmoraging around its head. Then I read in the Encyclopedia of Snakes that they do not autohemmorage. Anyone know? Thanks

I've had and handled probably several thousand kingsnakes (they're my favorite snakes) in my 32 years of herping, never seen this before?! But I have seen a couple of individuals injure themselves around their mouths (then bleed a little) when trying to bite and actually biting themselves (around the gums. This is usually due to their jaws being unaligned from wiggling around or someone not holding them properly like trying to hold them behind the head as if they were venemous (snakes don't like that at all)!
Is it possible the snake was injured from recently consuming a live meal? Sorry, that's about all I can come up with. Other than that I've never seen anything like you describe?!

Good luck, hope your snake is well by the time you read this!

Zee

Thanks for the reply. This is a wild snake, so I don't know if he just ate. If not behind the head, what is the best way to hold a wild one to prevent biting?

Hold them by the last part of the body, just before where the tail starts, and let the front part of the body touch the ground until you can gently slide your other hand under the belly and pick it up. this usually works well in calming the snake down and it keeps its' head away from your face as well (also reduces injuries such as neck fracture etc. Watch Steve Irwin "Crocodile Hunter", he does this all the time, so he does not get bit.
I prefer to just grab them at mid body and gently pick them up, cause getting bit by a non-venomous snake is really not that big of a deal unless you have snakes over 6 foot. I get bit all the time, and it's no big deal, it looks a lot worse than the minimal pain you'll feel. Just make sure you wash up after being bit. Kingsnakes usually tame down very well anyway. I gotta go!
Take care, Zee