Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi again... I talked about my new Black Mexican King in another post but didn't think to ask this question at the time. When I got this snake he had been used as a breeder, not handled much, and was fed in his encloser. He is very aggressive and will attack your hand no matter if it's inside or outside of the cage. With his being 4.5 feet this can be quite intimidating when you're not used to it. So, what are the chances of taming an older snake, or must I just admire him from a far?

MissHisssss.

Snakes are individuals, just like people. He may tame down with frequent handling and he may not. All you can do is try.

4.5 feet is a pretty good size for a Mexican Black. Anyway,I thnk you have a pretty decent chance of Calming him down. Breaking the old routine of him being fed in his enclouser and starting fresh with feedings in a seperate container should pay off, or at the very least that's a great start. I have two Mexican Blacks at around 3.5 feet and both are dog tame. Great snakes. Good luck

Steve

I was quite impressed by his size myself. I have him in a 48 inch long 60 gal aquarium and stretched out he is a tad longer. I just added an inch or two cuz of the slight curves that were present. Made me wonder how old he actually is... or if he was really a king.

MissHisssss

Your snake doesn't sound aggressive, it just sounds like an overzealous feeder. This is very common in getula ssp. (I have an eastern King male who comes leaping out of his cage and literally chases my bare feet when he smells rats in the room!).

The best solution to this problem is to feed your snakes in another container. They will quickly learn to quit lunging for food every time you open/go near the cage.
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Chris Harrison

Thanks ya all. You've been a great help.

MissHisssss.