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I have a Cali King whom I have kept for about 2 years. Never been bit by it. Even with this problem never been bit, However his feeding response has gotten really strong. When I even move the lid he comes rushing out thinking I have food. I know what he looks like before he strikes and the only way I can prevent him from biting is using one glove to pick him up and then handle him with bare hands. How can I possibly break him out of his strong feeding response to me opening the tank? Handle him several times a day?

However his feeding response has gotten really strong. When I even move the lid he comes rushing out thinking I have food.
... How can I possibly break him out of his strong feeding response to me opening the tank?

It sure sounds like your snake is hungry. How much and how often are you feeding him/her? One likely solution would be increase the amount of food and/or the frequency of feedings.

A 2 year old Cal king can have a rather insatiable appetite and they don't hesitate to make it obvious .
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/scott

I feed him once a week. Either a rat pup or a medium sized mouse. Somewhere between a hopper and a full-grown. I have noticed something funny. I have been around a lot of kings and I tend to notice adults are usually never as nippy or voracious as the juveniles and sub-adults.

He's hungry. FEED THAT SNAKE!! Try twice a week.
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Greg Jackson

I figured as much. I thought he power feeding days were over when he hit two years old but he says otherwise. I will do just that and attempt to handle him in between feeding.

Now he is used to being fed every time you open the cage. Maybe you feed off tongs? What I do is handle it every time its like this, and feed by placing the food animal in the cage when its not there...so it never moves. Soon it wont associate movement with food. Simple.

That sounds like a plan definitely. I will give it a shot!

I also wash my hands with Germex or Purell BEFORE handling some of my more aggressive eaters. The smell lets them know it's not feeding time and I've never been bitten while my hands smelled of alcohol.
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Excellent. I love these ideas folks. I will certainly take them. If there is anymore please keep them coming!

when my kings rush me, I show them the back of my fist, not to threaten them, to give them a large flat part of me to smell, investigate, they give a few tongue flicks and realize quickly there is no food. Then I scoop them up gently but quickly, seems to have cut back considerably the times I've gotten latched onto!
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Todd Hughes

One thing you can try is to feed the snake in a paper bag or box so that when you open the cage, he doesn't think its going to be a mouse. This is an old method I learned that really does work. Snakes can be trained to a certain degree. It may take time but eventually when you open the cage, he will either just sit there or start moving around thinking you are going to grab him. If all you do is grab him, clean, and change his water when you open his cage, he will be expecting just that when his cage is opened. If you stick with it, it will work.
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Sounds good but isn't there a small problem with that? After the snake has eaten and you handle him you risk regurgitation which can be very harmful. Isn't that true?

putting a snake back in its' enclosure is not what I consider handling. Handling would be getting the snake out for pics, playtime, passing it to a friend to admire, etc. A snake that has just been fed shouldn't be passed around like a sack of potatoes.
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Todd Hughes

I agree Todd.

Its fine if you pick a snake up long enough just to move it from the bag to the cage. Handling them any longer is when I've had them regurge.
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Right. This is why a lot of people let the snake sit in his feeding box/bag for 15-20 minutes or so after his meal is well inside, then put it straight back into its cage. I think its some of the best advice I ever read.