Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last week I got an adult cal king who had a great disposition at the store and when he got home. Since then he is NASTY!!! I gave him a few days to get settled (without handling) and he rattles his tail and coils up in to striking position when I open his tank. He has not bitten but he urinates and "musks" all over me when I try to handle him. Lately I have been using a hook to lift him out into my hands and that seems easier. Will he ever calm down?? I thought these were cool, easy-going little guys. Reminds me of my old Taiwan Beauty I had to get rid of! Please help, I feel like a novice because of him! He is beginning to intimidate me! Cheers to all.
1.0 Solomon Islands Ground Boa
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.0 Southern Copperhead
1.0 Diamond X Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Highway-pattern California Kingsnake

I know just what you're experiencing. However, your only recourse is to acclimate the reptile to you by repetition of what, to him, is a life threatening situation. Look at it from his perspective. Snakes live in a very black and white world, in that it's either "eat or be eaten."

As soon as he figures out that wasting body fluids is not going to make you put him down he'll stop. On the other hand, if you reward him with success in that smelly strategy, it will encourage further of the same. They're not very smart, but they'll get it, eventually.

I used to keep snakes in a grade-school classroom and let the kids do as they would, making sure only that they used the germ spray religiously. Every animal I did this with came out of the experience being as hand-tame as you could hope. The thing is they were all juveniles when I subjected them to this de-sensitization. In that regard, the one thing working against you is that yours is an adult animal, and therefore set in his ways.

Regards.

Clean out your bath tub and fill one end of it (if it has a gentle slope). Take nasty king that smells and show him you can deal with whatever he wants to throw out there. Heck, he may even like the water. If he doesn't, he'll be grateful when you pluck him out of it. (stand in it over him).

I bought a good looking Cal. King today that is probably around 2'. He is named "Latcher" by the store because everything that has tried to handle him has gotten bitten (and latched on to). When I said I wanted him the lady said "Go ahead", opened the cage, and stepped back. LOL. I took it mellow and he was happy to get out of the cage. I guesse I'm the first he's not yet bitten. Then again, he did have one or two pinkies in his stomach, so only time will tell. Either way, it's not going to stop me from handeling him.