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

From my experience, the snake will go for the warmer object. If the pinkie is dead, your hand is warmer and if the pinkie is alive, your hand is bigger and probably warmer. My snakes will ignore the smaller less warm object if my hand is around. Plus, if you have handled the mouse, you smell like prey. The best way to feed a snake is outside of its own enclosure so it does not associate your hand with food. Try reaching in with out food(or the smell of food on your hand). Do not approach the snake from the front. If possible, try to come from the side or behind, without spooking it.
The best solution, to me is to use a seperate container and not smell like a mouse! hope this helps
-----
------Misty-------
5.12 Corn Snakes --- 1.0 Tokay Gecko
2.1 King Snakes --- 1.0 House Gecko
1.2 leopard Geckos --- 1.0 Golden Tegu
1.1 Bearded Dragon --- 0.0.1 Savanna Monitor
1.1 Green Iguana --- 0.0.1 Chinese Water Dragon
0.1 Crocodile Gecko --- 1.1 False Water Cobras
1.1 Jungle Corn --- 1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Kenya Sand Boa --- 0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.1 Emperor Scorpions --- 3.0 Ferrets
1.1 Congo African Grey (parrot)--- 0.1 dog
0.0.3 Prairie Ringneck Snakes --- 1.0 blue tongue skink
1.2 rats babies --- always changing # of mice(snake food)

well, in my experience with my snakes i feed all them in their enclosures. i never have a problem with them bitting me to get them out. i make sure my hands are washed well before going in there.
i feed f/t and if they don't go for it i just move it a little to think its alive and they usually take it. i use something long. not my hand.
i've heard kingsnakes have very quick feeding responses. also if mine won't come out to eat i'll place the f/t item near their hide spot and they will usually get it then also.
i would continue to handle it whether it bites you or not. your feedin pinkies so it can't be that big of a snake if it were to bite it won't hurt that much. my solomon island ground boa bit me once and it didn't hurt hardly at all. he isn't as big as my corns. yea, they have lots of little teeth but usually let go after a warning bite. just keep handling it and see. just my thougth for you. i'm no expert just a pet owner with 7 of my own snakes.

n/p

I totally agree. My kings are very fast when it comes to feeding. They just have to realize it is your hand and not food. The more you handle them, the more they will learn that. Snake bites are not a big deal, especially from a baby corn. Its kinda like a thorn poke and even then, generally does not bleed. Do not get discouraged
-----
------Misty-------
5.12 Corn Snakes --- 1.0 Tokay Gecko
2.1 King Snakes --- 1.0 House Gecko
1.2 leopard Geckos --- 0.0.1 Golden Tegu
1.1 Bearded Dragon --- 0.0.1 Savanna Monitor
1.1 Green Iguana --- 0.1 Chinese Water Dragon
0.1 Crocodile Gecko --- 1.1 False Water Cobras
1.1 Jungle Corn --- 1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Kenya Sand Boa --- 0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.1 Emperor Scorpions --- 3.0 Ferrets
1.1 Congo African Grey (parrot)--- 0.1 dog
0.0.3 Prairie Ringneck Snakes --- 1.0 blue tongue skink
1.2 rats babies --- always changing # of mice(snake food)

Yep. It doesn't hurt, but it's very unnerving and a primal fear. I'm thinking she was aggravated during the feeding sessions and struck out of confusion/fear. I'll try to handle her outside of a feeding session and see how it goes...

Thanks, everybody

Walt

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

as long as its eating something. that better then nothing. i would stop that hand feeding now. you will have a tough time when its bigger and will only eat from your hand.
have you tried just feeding it in its encousure since you say it doesn't like to eat in seperate container. i feed all mine in their enclousres. just be sure to handle them other then just at feeding times. otherwise they think everytime the lid opens its feeding time an will strike out. with mine i handle them whenever. even on feeding days so they aren't expecting food everytime the lid opens. just more thought for you from me.