Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the past few weeks I've had two sonoran gophers go in my mouse room through my dog door and just recently a desert king came in under my screen door into my front room where I have my snakes. I told a friend of mine that I'm worried about rattlers getting in and he suggested putting a kingsnake (in a cage) by the door because it will emit an odor that will keep rattlers away. Is this true? And if it is... well, I don't really want to put my king by the door so, would using a kings poo do? Oh my that sounded weird... but really.... if anyone knows the answer to this I'd really appreciate it.

MissHisssss

i've heard that rattlers are afriad of king snakes because they eat them. I don't know anyone who's tried that though. sorry i couldn't be more help.

You sure live in a great neighborhood. Our worries here are of the human type. I have no idea of whether the poo would work but you could try shed skins and change them out if you have a large king collection with fresh sheds time and again.

Best Regards, Rich Hebron

If it would work at all (I'm a little sceptical), shed skins would work as well as anything. I would more concerned about vermin such as skunks, racoons, etc getting in there than rattlesnakes.
-----
Chris Harrison

Wanna swap houses? Sounds like my dream house.

Where do you live?

I live in Chaparral, NM.... in Dona Ana County, with Otero County a half a block to my east, and the state line to El Paso Texas a few miles to the south. I also rescued a gopher some years back that was on the street in front of my house. An old man literally got outta his car and was trying to stone it to death. I chased the dude off with a few unkind words and put the snake by my barn to recoop. I kept finding shed skins for about 6 years and then found a carcass out by my trees. I also had one of those black headed pink snakes come to my front door too, but it was too small to feed so I let it go. My neighbor on the next block gets mean snakes that chase her. She thinks they are coachwhips. She raises birds.

Wow... I didn't even think of using a shed skin. It would definitely be more appealing than a poop. I only have 2 Kings though, the Desert King I just caught, and a huge Sonoran Black King. Just for grins... my others are: a pair of Sonoran Desert Dwarf Boas, a Sonoran Gopher, a pair of Kenyans het for albino that I'm thinking about letting go, 2 Corns and a Glossy. Oh and I've never seen a raccoon around here, but we do have skunks. Actually I'd much rather that my dog, or I, be squirted by a skunk though, then be bitten by a rattler. We'd probably die from it.

Thanks ya all, for your ideas.
MissHisssss

I've read a study where they placed a Rattlesnake in the same enclosure that a Kingsnake was just removed from. They responded the same way as if confronted with a King, one of which is retreating. I'd think if you simply left your King crawl around the floor in the area, it's scent would be released in that area. A Rattler would be able to detect it and simply try to avoid it. You may have to do it a few times a week though, because I'm not sure how long the scent trail would last.
-----
Ace

That's kinda what I had heard... about the kings emitting a scent that keeps rattlers away.... that's why I was thinking about using a poop. But would poop emit the kings odor or would it just smell like poop? Then too... as mentioned above, using a shed skin which I think would be easier than letting my king mosey around a couple of times a week. But it's a thought. Too bad I just can't tie a little leash on him and let him guard the doorway. LOL. But really, the chance of a rattler coming in is of great concern to me, and I'm willing to try anything to prevent it.

Thanks for the input...
MissHisssss

If you have an Abobe Acrobat reader, here's the study I mentioned.
www.kingsnake.com/aho/pdf/menu3/preydetection.pdf
I'd think a shed would work, since they state that "crotalines presented with cotton swabs previously rubbed on the skin of a Kingsnake... displayed the same defensive behaviors." If a swab is enough, a shed should be MORE than enough!
-----
Ace

So I'll start collecting shed skins and plant them by the doorway. I hope it works. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

MissHisssss