Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just purchased a two baby blotched kingsnakes. They are both pretty aggressive and I am just wondering if they stay that way through most of their lives or do they grow out of that through day to day handling? If so about how much time do you need to spend with them daily? These are both captive bred animals and I purchased them from a highly respected breeder here in ohio. If someone can give some advice on their care and temperment I would greatly appreciate it. I am experienced with crocadilians and pythons. I haven't had the opportunity to work with and own faster acting snakes such as these and I dont know much about them. Once again any help offered I would greatly appreciate. Thanks in advance.

Chris

They probably just need to get some size on them. My first snake was a blotched king and she's always been pretty tame. She will have her 'off' days though. Usually they stop being aggressive, at any rate, once you've picked them up.

Ok thanks man. I have been handling my female and she is a feisty little B**** (lol). The male isnt too bad although he does get pretty squirmy and will occasionally strike. The female is the only one that will usually make the strike count for something. I will just be handling them day to day to be sure that they mellow down some.

That should be fine. They're not usually mean snakes, so statistically you shouldn't end up with TWO mean adults.

I always keep rubbing alcohol nearby when I handle my goini. The male has only tagged me once. Guess he thought my finger was a mouse. He had the entire thing swallowed by the time hubby brought me the rubbing alcohol. (NOW I keep it within arms reach). The female I have tagged me the minute I took her out of her shipping box when I first got her, and has gotten me a few times since then. Almost always a feeding response. She's such an aggressive feeder (as is the male) that they both end up grabbing their mice in midair and coiling them.

They are aggressive (the babies are cute though, even when they are trying to "kill" you), but they always calm down upon handling. They just expect a mouse to drop down from heaven, so tend to bite first and ask questios later.
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~Sasheena

Just outta curiosity was your snakes captive bred or wild caught?
There is definitely a difference in their attitudes when they are born into a cage rather than picked up off the ground. Moreless I am just curious as whether the gloves will keep them from having my scent to the point that when they do calm down and I handle them without gloves so my little brother can handle them too whether or not they will not be used to the scent and continue to bite or anything. I am not sure how that works. Whether they will just be used to me picking them up or they use their scent to know who is picking them up.

They are both captive bred. The only wild caught snakes I have are 6 to 12 inch ground snakes.
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~Sasheena

I know what you mean when you say aggressive but I am just really tired of hearing that word. Especially when applied to a tiny baby snake. Trust me, they're not biting you to pick a fight. They are scared half to death and are using it as a last ditch effort to get you to leave them alone. Actually, I don't think there is any aggresive snake. If they get loose they don't come and attack you, they try to find a better hiding spot. Maybe a 20 ft 'conda or something but that would be called "hungry" not aggressive.
Sorry, not trying to attack your post, just using it as an example.
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to remember to use the word 'defensive'. I probably forgot this time, I didn't reread the post. But thinking about it that way really helps when dealing with frightened snakes.

Ok I do see what you are saying. I can use the word "defensive" also. I do believe that there are some aggressive snakes. But for the majority you are perfectly right they do not come out and attack us for the shear joy in it. I just dont want it to get to the point that it continues to bite and strike. It is rattling it's tail but I dont think it is musking or anything. It rattles and strikes. But I have been bit by snakes before and it doesnt feel good. I am not worried about this snake too much but my younger brother likes to handle the snake and he is pretty sensitive. I am not allowing him to hold it until it calms down. Basically I was wondering if it would be possible for him to wear gloves while handling him so he doesnt get bit. He is pretty sensitive and things like that scare him at his younger age. I am trying to get him used to them so he will not be so scared of them. The snake striking at him isn't helping in that. My brother is 12 and has a problem with snakes that I am trying to help him overcome. I know that snake identify prey by their scent. But do they identify humans as well in the same manner so they will not strike? Or will they just identify us by sight? It's just a question? Just some thoughts that I can try to get some answers to, so I can help out the situation. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

I never quite figured this out. It's probably different for different species. But very nervous snakes start to get worked up at the mere sight of a human, before you've even opened their cage. Others seem ok until they are touched. I don't think I've ever had a snake that would be ok until it smelled a human, and then started to strike. But the gloves might help anyway, a lot of snakes HATE being touched by a warm object like a hand, especially when they are small. But I bet that if you picked the kingsnake up and handed it to your brother, he wouldn't get bitten. I've only got one snake who is THAT psycho. Wait.. ok, two. Not counting the hots. But you get the idea.

Do you use a hook? It just occured to me that I have a few snakes that will go crazy if I pick them up by hand. But if I use a hook and then transfer to my hand they are fine. Just a thought.
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International Snakes Meetup
International Herpetology Meetup

I honestly never thought of that. Thanks man, I think I will give that a try just until they calm down and become manageable. Thanks again man