Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Nobody on Grey-Banded forum, so trying this here...

I've been successfully hand-feeding my son's 05 grey-banded king, using long hemastatic foreceps to hold the pinkie, and it's worked fine. During the two months we've had her, during handling she's never bitten either me or my son. However, the last two feedings (last week and yesterday), she bit me during the session. Now I'm scared to even hold her. This last time, she attacked the prey once but didn't take it. So I put both pinkies in her habitat, and she eventually ate the one on top of her hide (Country Crock tub), but not the second one on the ground.

1. Any way to "undo" this conditioning to biting?
2. She hasn't bitten my son during handling. Am I confusing her? Does she get into a frenzy during feeding?
3. What's the best way to feed her from now on? Just put the pinkie in her habitat? She won't eat in a separate container without teasing.

Thanks,

Walt

I have a few questions. Are you feeding frozen/thawed or live? Have you ever tried just leaving the offering in with the snake instead of using forceps, if so for how long? I have never kept gray bands but I was kind of under the impression babies were shy and sometimes reluctant feeders? I do not hear of many that are biters either? Hopefully others will reply but if the snake does not look like it may want to be fed a little more than you're offering...in other words if it appears to have good body weight I still would not say your snake is likely to just continue to bite. Frenzy is a bit of a strong word but many Kings have a strong feeding response and aggressively attack what they think is food....if they're content with for example... a single pinky, that response may simply go away when you offer a second one. I am curious how an 05 snake managed to bite you if you were using long forceps??? If you're handeling that snake after it has been fed, that is a good excuse to think of as far as getting bit. Tom Stevens

I have been holding the snake in one hand while feeding it with the other. The second hand is holding a hemostatic foreceps (think combination of scissors and needlenose pliers) with the pinkie in it's jaws. It was the only way it would feed after 3 weeks of no food after we got it. Then every week after that, it worked to give it a pinkie this way. It also worked with my Milk Snake (to some degree). The pinks are always f/t by placing in a ziploc bag in a dixie cup of hot water for 10 minutes or so. The last two sessions she bit me during this and seemed to not like this method any more. I put the pinks in her habitat and after a while she took one, but overnight didn't take the other, so I discarded it. The last 2 times before this she took 2 pinks, but this week only one. She doesn't seem to like eating in a separate container.

Walt

OK, well I think the person you bought the snake from should have explained how they were feeding it, as you could have stuck with that method. You probably just need to be patient, and let the snake adjust into a routine and take note of things like if it prefers to eat at night, in its hide, or even prefers live offerings. I do not think many gray bands turn out to be biters...so if that is your main concern I would not sweat it. Just watch the snake for folds in the skin, any sign of wieght loss should be taken as a sign you must get to the bottom of how this little guy should be cared for. I would suggest trying multiple hides in it's cage giving it more options to feel secure, and offer it food outside these spots without using the forceps. good luck Tom Stevens

Just leave the pinky (live or Thawed) outside your snakes hide box with the head facing toward the opening in the hide box. Turn off the light in the room and leave it alone for a while and your snake will eat.. After a few feedings you will no longer need to kill the light. Feeding off forceps did not cause any harm and will not turn your hatchling into a biter, i do it all the time and have not been bitten by a gray band in years and I have a mess of them. If it does not take the pink when you leave it use the forcept till it does and just be happy it's eating at all! Good Luck ~ Mike

I have been holding the snake in one hand while feeding it with the other. The second hand is holding a hemostatic foreceps (think combination of scissors and needlenose pliers) with the pinkie in it's jaws. It was the only way it would feed after 3 weeks of no food after we got it. Then every week after that, it worked to give it a pinkie this way. It also worked with my Milk Snake (to some degree). The pinks are always f/t by placing in a ziploc bag in a dixie cup of hot water for 10 minutes or so. The last two sessions she bit me ON THE HOLDING HAND during this and seemed to not like this method any more. I put the pinks in her habitat and after a while she took one, but overnight didn't take the other, so I discarded it. The last 2 times before this she took 2 pinks, but this week only one. She doesn't seem to like eating in a separate container.

Walt

could it be the hand/finger the snake is biting a feeding response due to scent ?
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

I have had some of the sameproblems with my milks. They allstarted out fimeand then gotabit nippy. You just need to work with themand give them time, they may just grow out of it with time and handling.

Dave

Just a guess, but perhaps the snake is beginning to associate your hand with feeding time. Do you have to feed it by hand? You mentioned that it won't eat in a separate container without teasing. But it will eat with teasing, right? Sometimes that's just what you've got to do to get them to eat. If you're trying to get it to stop biting, I wouldn't feed it in its enclosure as that could make it identify objects coming into its cage (i.e. your hand) with food, thus inviting possible bites. In my opinion, the best way to dissociate the snake's feeding response from your hand is to remove your hands from the equation altogether.

They may associate your hand with feeding, but they may not. I was cleaning all of my snake enclusures tonight and one of my Hondos bit me on the arm (left some good teeth marks too!) and another one bit me on the wrist. My Sinaloans on the other hand have out grown the "nippy" stage since they got to about two feet long. All snake are different though. Some just hold onto their wild intincts until they come to terms with the fact that you are not trying to kill them and are providing care for them.
Dave

1.0.1 Berdies (Smaug and Helios)
1.1 Cal Kings
0.0.2 green Iguanas (Achilles and Zim)
0.1 Leopard geckos
1.1 Tri-Color Hondos
1.0 Hypo Hondos (Tigger)
1.1 Sinaloan Milksnakes
0.1 Ball Pythons

Just to make light of your situation...I actually think getting bit by a grayband to be a priviledge and an honor. But seriously, I'd keep doing exactly what you are doing with the exception of holding the snake while feeding it. I feed my 04 grayband in it's enclosure with tongs. I just don't hold it with my other hand. You really don't want him to associate the smell of your hand with food, I think that's what has happened. I even try to keep my scent off the pinkie before I feed my snakes. Graybands are not known to be biters ordinarily, but while it may have scared you a little, just keep it in perspective. A bite from a 05 grayband is actually cute to me, a six month old kitten is a formidable animal, so don't be afraid of it. They don't have the jaw strength to give a painful bite, and their mouths are so small I'm surprised he could even get a bite on you at all. The absolute worse that can happen is a couple of tiny little pin pricks and a tiny little droplet of blood appearing. Gray bands are great snakes I hope you enjoy yours.
Kirk
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1.1 Jungle Carpet Python (both gorgeous)
1.1 Ball Python (normals, he said proudly)
1.1 Corn Snake (Okeetee, Amel)
0.1 Gray band Kingsnake (Blairs)
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
0.1 Pueblan Milksnake (Apricot)
1.0 Bullsnake (my garbage disposal snake)
1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback (Hondo)
0.1 Spouse (WC)
3.5 hatchling ball pythons minus 0.2
1.1 Checkered garter snakes, one albino, one het