Aggression or defensive

[Big Mike]

My young (year or so) Cal. King has never been the friendliest snake in the world but he calms down for a while once I pick him up. When I go to pick him up, he thrashes about and musks or sh!ts on me most of the time but lately he has been taking an aggressive posture. I have him in an aquarium so I try my best not to "loom" over him and come from the side to pick him up. This last week, instead of trying to get away from me, he has turned and coiled up in a classic striking position. He has tried once or twice to strike at me from behind the glass but not at my hand yet.

I'm not afraid of being physically hurt by him...but I'm still psychologically afraid of being bitten by a snake.

He recently shed so I know that's not it. His last two meals were smaller than usual so maybe he's hungry? Temps are good (85 on warn side - 73 on cool). I should probably just get over it and pick him up for 10 minutes and put him back. I usually leave him alone when he is aggressive or really irritable...then he calms down...but I don't want him to learn that he can get rid of me by being a jerk snake.

Any insight?

[sophia]

You know, I didn't think it would make any difference, but we gave both our milksnakes a humidity box, a hide box, and aspen substrate, and this last feeding, we doubled the feeding and they are both much calmer even two or three days later. Since I made the humidity boxes, I can actually reach in and pet the male and he doesn't try to escape or recoil from my touch, he seems much happier and more settled down. The female was already getting much better, but Jon and I are the only ones who can touch her. So if you don't have a humidity box in there with him, maybe you should give it a try. All I used were some plastic containers that I washed after all the stuff was gone and I cut the hole toward the bottom on the side of the container keeping it just 2" in diameter, I wet about 3 paper towels and crumpled them up in there and put the lid back on, and I change those out about every two to three days and check daily to make sure they're still moist. As a side note, we have them in the bedroom away from all the activity, the Lampropeltis', seem to like it VERY quiet wherever they are, too much activity and noise around them stresses them completely out and makes them really agressive.


It might be worth a try, he was an agressive little bugger before we did all this.

Tay

[McPatch]

If you get bit oh well you will then be over the fright of it(or not).I was the same way until my big one bit me after that the little ones don't even make me think twice.I'm still careful(for the snake and for me)just not worried anymore.Have to admit it scared the poop out of me,She's 8 feet and when a mouth that big turns on you well.......

[sophia]

ROFL! I know that's the truth, I got hit by a pretty large Burmese and it broke me of ever being bite shy, now I just look at the little ones and say, "whenever you're done."

Tay

[gunnerslakeshor]

My kings are the same way they go into a strike posture when ever i enter there cages i found the warmer you keep them the more they tend to get antsey so i cooled them down slightly and that helped along with smaller meals ( 2-pinkies for the baby banana kings each ) and ( 1 lrg mouse or small rat for the albino's).
Outside of that its just a getting used to it kinda thing .lol.
Phil

[jason h]

LOL sopia i got it from a 16' nearly 200lbs burmese after that everything seems easy! of course now i have retics growing like weeds and that makes me a little more nervous LOL!!

[sophia]

I know what you mean Jason, no matter how enthralled I am by them, once they get over that 200 lb marker, I tend to get nervous about them. That burm left me with a nasty, messed up face for a little while, missed my eye with the top jaw by just a fraction of an inch! I was bruised and bleeding, but I swear, I think my ego was more bruised than my face! I was so sure of myself with these guys. That does not pay at all, one can never be sure about 'any' creature human or otherwise, we all have off days and you never know what their capabilities might be until they decide to show ya!

Tay