healthy crazy king

[shawnahiltz]

This is our (mine and my boyfriend) snake, Her name is Xena.
She is very healthy and very active.
Just recently she bit my boyfriend while we were feeding her. Would there be any reason for that?????

Also, one day I put my hand on the container to slide it open and get her water, when out of the blue she lunged at my hand (good thing my hand wasn't in the cage). I guess my question is, is that heathy????

[Vanan]

That's good that she's got a strong feeding response. Very common in kingsnakes. A method which works is using a stick to touch her body b4 picking her up. She'll get accustomed to that meaning no food. Snakes are smart, and she's just associated cage opening to food incoming! lol

Pretty snake anyways. I'm looking for light brown calikings such as those. and DAMN she looks light! Any close ups?

[Burmies]

Very nice looking snakes.

Burmies

[Simon R. Sansom]

Hi and welcome!
Xena's a fine-looking snake.
Her feeding response is totally normal for a healthy member of her species. She's not being "mean" or "vicious", she's just a typical, growing kingsnake with a big appetite, highy stimulated by the scent of potential prey.
Just watch your fingers at feeding time (get some 12 inch hemostats if you can, to use to present prey to her), heed Vanan's excellent handling advice and you'll get along famously.

Take care!

Simon

[Andy_G]

Sounds all normal to me! Very nice king btw.

[marylyn101]

Try putting her a feeding container. that way she will know when it's time to feed and play :)

[jwsporty]

My Brooksi has a wicked feeding response. I made the mistake of being lazy and not taking him out of the tank when I offered him a F/T Rat Pup..Man you would think he was a Cobra or something...fast and hard hitting..then he hauled it under the aspen shaving and I had to go hunting for the prey. By that time, he did NOT want me rummaging around in his tank...Double "S" attack stance and nailed the tank a few times. This is the same Brooksi that will eat while you are holding him in one hand and presenting the prey in the other. Then he acts like a little lady and GENTLY takes the prey from me..I won't do that again...it took him a day to settle down :)

Jim