Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,

I have a Mexican Black Kingsnake, who is very, very, very aggressive - that is, until I get hold of him. Whenever I even approach his cage he comes right up to the front, whithout any hesitation, and begins to strike out towards me. To get hold of him means I will get bitten (which I admit, at his young age and small size is not a bad bite, to say the least). But I don't want him getting to think that biting me is ok to do.

So, the other night I went to take him out for some 'play time', and to avoiding getting bitten this time I got a piece of newspaper and folded it up into a makeshift snakestick. As I went to get him, sure enough, he started striking - so I reached in and lifted him up with the folded newspaper.

It was a good thing I used the paper instead of my hand this time, because he struck and bit the paper, just as he would have bit my hand - except this time, he didn't let go - for a loooong time.

He bit and held on to that paper for almost ten minutes without budging. He just wouldn't let go, and I didn't want to pry him off. It was comical at the time, though I do see the need to do something about his behavior.

This is a quick shot I managed to take of him while he was being stubborn:

Thanks for looking,
- Mark

P.S.
Just in case you were wondering, he eats well... very well.

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Nice looking MBK! I bought my first pair about a month ago and the male has an incredible feeding response. He bites and holds on to my gloved hand everytime (mind you they are new gloves and my hands are cleaned with sanitizer beforehand). He even bit and tried to constrict his water bowl! If you think that yours bites due to a feeding response then this is some of the advice I have received from forum members.

1. clean hands and arms with sanitizer
2. feed in another enclosure
3. reach in and grab firmly behind head and straighten out snake to show dominance? not to sure about this one
4. some say that this will probably not go away

Mine is not defensive at all. His biting from what I can tell is completely a result of his feeding response.

good luck!
Jeff

Try useing a snake hook for your aggressive MBK. After you remove your snake out of it's enclosure with it, your snake will be much more calmer, than being restrained behind the head, kings arn't hot anyway.
my snake hook is my most important snake handling tool.

Most Mex Blacks are extremely docile. I had one for almost a year, just barely exchanged for a desert phase Cal King.

Like yours, Shadow ate well. But unlike yours, and most others, he was extremely considerate & non-jumpy when handled.

It looks like maybe, without knowing more about your situation, you may just have an individual that is either very aggressive or very strong-willed. This may change as it ages; it may not.

You always have the option of keeping or exchanging for a specimen more compatible. Like lovers, each is different, not all are equal in response...