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I had totally forgotten that kings will imitate rattlers and rattle their tails - that is until my new girl rattled at me today. I went in her quarantine cage to change her water and I thought I'd seen some urates. I moved very slowly, but she seems to have keen eyesight/awareness of me when I'm barely in the room. I heard this noise and looked over realizing that she was rattling her tale. Kind of neat to hear, but I hate the idea that I may have been stressing her.

I know how rattlesnakes develop their rattles - how is it that kings are able to rattle as well? Is it the same as rattlesnakes?

When I picked her up at the reptile show yesterday she was as docile as could be - even when I brought her home. The lady told me to watch out because she can be nippy at times, so I was impressed/glad when she didn't show any such behavior with me yesterday. I tried not to bother her after getting in her cage, but I'm wanting to know how I should handle/approach her when she rattles at me - just ignore it and not back off? I'm not afraid of getting bit (I'm sure I'm bound to get bit one day by one of my snakes), but I'm more concerned about stressing her out. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

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when kings 'rattle' they are just vibrating their tail against a surface--which in the wild would work great in dry leaves or other such ground cover and make them sound quite like a rattlesnake (who packs his own rattle in his tail). it usually sounds kinda funny against something like a plastic box but on newspaper their rattles can sound pretty realistic.
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Sue Barnett
1.0 Florida King (Vega)
0.1 Western hognose (Sola)
0.1 Egyptian spiny mouse (Mia)
4.2 mini rex rabbits (Basil, Pippin, Reggie, Hayden, Jackie and Peek-a-boo)
0.1 Plott hound (Molly)
1.0 half Arab (Zarr)
1.0 Betta (Flash)

Thanks! So when she does it, should I go ahead and pick her up so she gets used to me and so I don't teach her that she can do that to get me to not handle her - or would that stress her too much?
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa
"Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa
"Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake
"Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
"Indigo"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

you can handle her--she'll relax eventually. just keep it short initially and she'll get used to it. Though I don't think snakes ever get to 'liking' being handled (though maybe they like being out of their cages to wander around) I do believe that they learn to tolerate it fine.
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Sue Barnett
1.0 Florida King (Vega)
0.1 Western hognose (Sola)
0.1 Egyptian spiny mouse (Mia)
4.2 mini rex rabbits (Basil, Pippin, Reggie, Hayden, Jackie and Peek-a-boo)
0.1 Plott hound (Molly)
1.0 half Arab (Zarr)
1.0 Betta (Flash)

I went ahead and fed her Monday night (brought her home Sunday and she started rattling Monday) and after letting her digest for 48 hours, she's allowed me to handle her for short sessions no problem. Maybe she was just hungry! Thanks!
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa
"Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa
"Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake
"Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
"Indigo"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"