Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi
A friend who is moving gave me his high white F Ca kingsnake. the snake is 2 yrs old and rarely handled .
Her enclosure is big enough its a 36 gallon long tank with hide areas and few pieces of climbing driftwood so my friend didnt handle her much .

I have a male CA king thats very calm . I am afraid of being bit but would like to try to tame her.

If I use gloves (leather gardening gloves) to hold her while sitting on the floor will it help tame her ?
She musks-rattles her tail and looks like she is going to strike . She is about 24 to 30 inches long and though not big I rather not get bit .

Thanks

If it were me I would risk a bite without gloves first. She may be bluffing. If you can came at her from eye level or below with an open palm so she has little to grab if she strikes. Move deliberately, but not too slowly so as not to give her too much time to be agitated and decide to strike. Once you have her, let her move through your hands like she's climbing on branches. I would hold her once or twice a day in 5-10 minute intervals to get her used to the idea that its not threatening to her. You want her to get used to your smell, and gloves will mask that.
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God Bless Evolution.

Try picking her up with a hook, or whatever you normally use, and just set her down into your hand. Be as gentle and calm as possible for a few minutes, you might even try giving her a spray of mist from the water bottle and then just put her back. She might just try to stay on your hand. Might take a few times, but when she realizes there is no danger, she will loose the fear and not feel the need to defend herself. Beaker 30 is right on too.

okay thank you both

Honestly, a bite from a snake of that size really isn't worth worrying about. Maybe if it was an Emerald tree boa or something.

Some kingsnakes lie like crazy just to keep you from handling them. As a baby, my Cal king rattled his tail and musked almost every time I picked him up. He never offered to bite. If the snake does try to bite you, pick her up anyway. Backing down teaches the snake that it can make the scary monster go away just by acting mean.

BTW, if she does bite you, don't jerk or try to pry her off. She should let go almost immediately. If she doesn't, I've heard that warm water or alcohol will make a stubborn snake release.

Good luck with your snake!

"""If she doesn't, I've heard that warm water or alcohol will make a stubborn snake release"""

No need to use alcohol. Just run your faucet at it's coldest, and stick the snake under there for a second, and she'll let go.

Honestly though, I have a male Cal king, about 36", and more often than not he thinks my fingers are food. He'll just clamp down and start constricting. A little burst of cold water and he lets go. No harm done.

I would personally just take the bites if she's going to do it. You won't even feel it.

I heard the alcohol thing from an Animal Planet special, so I don't know how well it works. However, considering how my kingsnake hates water, I definitely believe that water will make even a hungry snake release.

Yeah, the thing with alcohol on the show was "trying" to depict the use of alcohol on huge, life-threatening snakes, such as a 175 lb. Python, but there certainly isn't a need to grab the "hard stuff" for a dinky little 24 inch snake.

HOWEVER, rest ASSURED, I would certainly use some alcohol if I was grabbed by this "MONSTER HULK" of a snake!....but I think the alcohol would then be more useful on the severe lacerations inflicted, rather than for the release, if there WAS a release!..hahahaha!

take care, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I held her today and wore gloves and long sweatshirt . The posts saying "Getting bit is no big deal" more or less lol made me nervous.

She was very nervous but didnt bite she just ate a mouse but will hold her again in few days than as she calms down will use hands .

She did musk a lot and rattle tail but no bite